The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-07-07
Illustrations by
'IrwinMve1:s

MI thai, DdDe! Eltner OF ye unS
ketched anything?"
Ben LittlefOrd's daughter held I'D
fish proudly. Heck slapped his thigh
with his slouch hat.
Good TO your he exclaimed. But
they amt a-bitin' jest right. The
moons wrong, and the signs is wrong.
TO fishin'."
At that instant John Moreland ap.
peared ut Heck's side. He seemed very
serious about something.
bill Dale" he called, "come over
here"
Wondering, Dale put down his rod
and turned to obey. Two minutes later
he stood before John Moreland.
81 jest wanted to tell ye," and the
mountaineer almost closed one alert
grey eye, lat ye're purity shore to
git into trouble over thar"
I'm an able-bodied man." Dale re-
turned smilingly.
"Hou shore are" frowned Moreland,
but mebbe you amt used to burned
hard fightin'."
Not used to hard fighting! Dale's
smile broadened. Once he had whipped
heavyweight pugilist; and he had
fought as matter Of principle, and
not for money or prestige
Moreland suddenly jerked one thumb
toward the other side Of the stream.
Dale looked and saw, standing beside
Babe Littleford, quite formidable
man. He had the height and breadth,
almost, of Goliath. He was black,
eyed and blackhaired, and his thick.
short beard was curled like the hair
between a bulls horns. In one hand
he carried a repeating rifle as lightly
as though 1t were Il mere straw.
One Of his. great arms suddenly
Strengthened toward Dale, and voice
as gruff as the growl Of bear said
hotly:
What was you a-doin' here a-taikin'
to my gyurl?"
Babe I.ittleford looked angry. Dale
flushed, then went pale.
IL pave habit Of talking with
whom please" he said evenly.
Spoke like man." drawled the
lanky Heck in a very low tone.
Goliath of the hills stared unbeliev-
ingly. Dale said in an undertone to
John Moreland: "Is II that Ball fel-
low?"
YES" answered the hiIlman; "it's
Black Adam Ball"
Ball dropped his rifle to the
yiOlets. slowly clenched his huge and
hairy hands, and thrust his bea ,tied
jaw out aggressively.
lnr
ard" he challenged.
"If you have any business with me,
come over here and transact it," Dale
retorted "I won't run"
THAT'S Moreland terrytory," Ball
objected. But III meet We half way,
and | dare ye to take me up, We lace
trimmed pink mollycoddle ~
Halfway would be the middle of the
river. and no place for n fight. surely
But Dale was nettled. His temper,
the temper that he had never been
able to keep wholly under control, was
rising fast. He threw off his coat and
hnt and rolled the sleeves Of his soft
shirt to mis- elbows. Then he wadcd
into the pool. The slowly moving
wafer was up to his waist at the half.
way point. and the bottom was OF
fard-Ds led sand.
Tie Goliath stared unbelievingly
He was not accustomed to having his
challenges thus accepted. He threw
of his hat and went to meet the 1.-the
young stranger.
Bill Dale squared himself and put
up his guard. Adam Ball came on.
and he was scowling wickedly.
Ball rushed, the clear water swirIing
In his wake, and let out with power
ful right. 1t was a blow to crush an
ordinary mans chest in; but, to Balrs
surprise, 1t failed to land. Dale evaded
1t cleverly. and at the same time sent
swift left uppercut to the others
Oull-like jaw. Adam Ball muttered two
wicked words and steadied himself /;
he had caught q tartar. A moment,
and he led out again, and he missed
again; but he followed 1t with blow
that made a red mark on Bill Dale's
shoulder.
Flows that, ye pink coward?" he
crowed.
"All right-hOw's this?"
And Dale sent on a mighty blow
that rebounded DULY from the giants
chest and elected only harsh laugh
Of contempt. There was little to be
gained by striking a man like Adam
Ball on the chest; Dale knew Spow
that he must reach a more vulnerable
spot
Then he feinted with his left and
drove his right to Balls mouth, bring
ing blood. Ball roared I'm his blind
rage and dashed toward his antagonist,
resolved to get a clinch. But Dale
eluded the terrible arms, although in
so doing he received a blow on the
temple that made dim dizzy for a few
seconds.
While Ball was again engaged In
trying to gain the advantage Of a
clinch, Granny Heck made her appear.
ance on the Moreland bank She
promptly launched her sympathies in