The Adair County news., 1921-09-27
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2


appeared entirely. he crept forward
silently, his eyes alert, and a moment
later he saw Goff stealing toward the
walnut tree He climbed nOiseIessly
down over the face of the cliff and
followed Goff like a shadow. When
Gohs hands touched the tree, By Heck
was within ten feet of it. Heck made
sure his rifle was ready and took an
other step forward, watching, listen
ing.
The shyster coal man leaned around
the tree to the left. In the glow of
the low-burned fire the blade of a
small knife in his hand cleaned dull
red. He whispered cautiously:
You're in a fix, Dale And it's
none Of my doing, either. Give me
your word that I'll get that coal prop
erty for fifteen thousand, and I'll slash
the rope. How about it? Sick of
this country, aren't you?"
There came a few seconds of silence
save for the Iusty snoring of the sleep
ers and the musical tinkle of the little
creek, after which Golf muttered dis
appointedly:
well, then, hangw
And Heck knew that Dale had re-
fused to sell the MOreland coal for
song even to save his life. AS Golf
stepped backward, the muzze of the
tall hillman's rife went against the
small of his back, and the tall hillman
whispered hoarsely, through teeth
tightly clenched:
'Slash at rope, d-n yore soul!
Slash at rope. or l wisht l may drap
dead eff 1 don't shoot yOre backbone
into four thousand pieces, igod! Slash
it,"
GOff Strengthened in surprise. The
rifles muZzle went harder against his
back and he knew it for exactly what
it was. He moved a hand upward,
then downward and the cotton rope
was severed in half a dozen places.
"Stiddy thar, noww whispered By
Heck, and he began to back away.
Come along wi me, We dadslatted,
banjer-bellied skunk Bill he'll fOller."
The three of them hurried into the
SllduUNS ECOOu E1eCh
Gof and turned to Dale.
"S'arch him fo' a gun, Bill, old boy"
Dale lifted from Henderson Goff's
right-hand coat-pOcket a blued and
stub-nosed magazine pistol.
'Dang my eyes and blast my for
rard!" Heck exclaimed in a muff1ed
voice. Hes plumb death on them
little pOpguns, amt he? Say, Goff,
ef ever We shoots me with a thing like
that and find it out. DANCED eff don't
spank ye ontel yore nose bloods; Now,
les go. yOu'unS. And eff ye jest cheep
out a noise, Mister Goff, the buzzards
will pick the meat often yOre bones
afOre tomOrrer night"
"MOye, shyster!" frowned Bill
Dale.
By Heck led the way to the line of
cliffs. to the westward. They had
climbed the rugged wall and were
about to set out through the pitchy
dark woodland, when a voice that
they knew we'll hailed them softly
from the Iaurels to their left:
'HoId on. tharw
"John Moreland, by jiggers" NUT
tered Heck.
MOreland hastened soundlessly to
them. Il reckon We didn't mean no
harm, By" he said in tones that ex-
pressed deep regret, "but yit 1 shore
wisht ye hadn't ha' done it."
Samuel Heck was very proud of
himself. He Strengthened there in the
darkness.
"What'n the name O. the devil makes
ye wisht Sech thing as that, JOhnT
he demanded in half angry voice.
"'Cause," grOwled the big hillman,
you went and spilled HI out O. the
main big picnic. We meant to wipe
out all O. them thar lowdown Balls
and TOrreys, By. When they went to
hang Bill Dale in the mOrnin, we'd ha'
had good reason fo' a-killin' 'em every
one-the weasels! Ye see, By, every
man Moreland but Caleb. and every
man O. the LittlefOrds, is hid here in
these Iaurels, and has been ever sense
that thar fool trial begun. We was
Jest a-waitin'. How did we happen
to know it?
"'Ats easy, By. Me and Ben Lit
tlefOrd was on our way after more
dynamite, when we seed Bill Dale
a-foIlerin' that stranger man, and Golf
a-follerin' Bill, and you a-fOllerin' Golf.
We knowed somethin' Ongodly mean
was in the wind. So / fOllered you,
By, a-breakin' off bushes as / went
TO mark the trail, and Ben he went
back and got the rest of 'em and fol-
lered me-"
Then to Dale, "Well, Bill, what're
we a-goin' to do with this here cussed
polecat GOff?'
Dale turned to the shyster coal man.
who was still being closely watched
by Heck.
81 told you | was pretty apt to
thrash you the next time we met
didn't II" clipped Dale. 'DO you want
TO get out of this country for good,
or do you want to fight me to a fin
ish? I'm through talking right now,
Goff."
I'D guess I'd rather fade" acknOwl-