The Ordway new era., 1921-09-09

| always called me that. ana IL maue
me feel like a man. Then l put my
bag down and took him by both shoul-
| ders and told him this:
Look here. Bobby, I'm going to
/ give you some advice. and you take
/ it, You steal Pat and marry her. Steal
/ Pat and marry her if you have TO live
/ in a hole in hillside. You're as good
as any of them. and lots better than
most of them. You can work your way
TO better salary. You see. | told
him. we get about what we deserve
in this world. Most of us don't deserve
much
Il asked him if mother was badly
cut up. He said she was: that she had
tainted. Dad swore aloud he said,
there in church. | told Bobby good-by
and got aboard the train without say
ing anything about where | was GO
ing-but l didn't know myself where
| was going, at the time.
Now you've heard it. Every word
was truth. If you'll trust me with the
coal, I'll make this land my land, your
people my people. I'll suffer with you
when you suffer. and be happy with
You when you're happy; and when you
fight, I'll fight with you"
The Moreland chief arose. and Bill
Dale arose. The hillman put out his
hand. and Dale gripped it.
Il believe in We. BILL said John
MOreland. "Fo' another thing, I've
seed ye fight. You can work the coal"
He looked toward the closed inner
H.,sN a.nI 4.
the boys can come back now"
Out Of the night a face appeared at
one Of the small windows. 1t was
feminine face and handsome rather
than pretty. Two slender, sunburned
hands gripped the window-ledge nerv-
ouSly. The face pressed closer TO the
glass, then disappeared. Soon after
ward the outer door of the guests
room opened, and Ben Littlefords
daughter entered. Her skirts were
dripping wet.
Mrs. Moreland arose and went to-
ward the young woman. She knew
that only something of great impor-
lance could bring Littleford into her
home in this fashion.
Whats the matter, Babe?"
Babe Littleford gave no attention
to Mrs. Moreland. She went on to
Bill Dale. walking softly on bare feet.
BLACK Adam is a-goin' to kill you
tonight. Bill Dale"
THAT so?" Dale's smile was rather
grim. How did you find that out,
Miss Littleford?"
Il found it out, all right As he
went of from the river this mornin',
made fun of him; and he patted tho
stock Of his rifle and said he'd git you
through a window. He was at our
house this evenin' to help fix pap's
gun, and when he left he started this
way, a-goin by the blowed-down syca-
more. / waded the river at Blue Cat
shoals to beat him here. / thought you
might want to know about it, SOS ye
could mebbe save other folks the trou-
BILE o maxim a funeral TO ye."
She backed toward the door, her
eyes never leaving Dale's face. Another
second. and she was gone.
They were all on their feet now.
John Moreland grlpped Dale's arm.
over thar aside O. the chimbley,
Bill ~ he ordered, his native drawl for
the moment absent. "Out, Addle,
honey, Luke, bring my rifle and hat
jump keen, Gale. bring water and
drownd this here fire.
1t was done. Moreland took his hat
and the repeater and went alone into
the night.
When some fifteen minutes had
passed, there came to Dale's ears the
sound of shooting. There were ten
shots in such rapid succession that they
made almost a continuous roar. Then
came echoes and reyerberations. and
then silence. Soon John MOrelnnd let
himself into the dark room.
His wife's voice was low and filed
with anxiety:
What happened, John?"
4 duh thud came through the dark
ness as her husbands rifie-butt struck
the floor.
This is what happened. Addie; AS
passed the cawner o the house got
down that thar old oxwhip to take
along. / went acrost the road and into
the meadow, and thar / seen Adam
Ball a-comin'. | hid. and when Adam
was about to pass me. / jumped up
and jerked his rifle from him and
busted 1t agin rock. Then lights
in and thrashes him with the oxwhip
Ontel he broke and run. And en this
here happened. Addie:
81 was a-watchin' to see eff Adam
had reeIy went of. when I seed a man
a-comin' toward me fast. / thought
it was Ball o course SO I up and
Ktells him to show me how fast he can
run and commences a-shootin' over
his head to skeer him. But 1t didn't
happen to be Adam Ball-it was Ben
Littleford He was a-follerin' Babe
TO see what she was up to. O. course"