Licking Valley courier., 1921-08-25
THE CLAN CALL.

toward the Littleford side of the river.
He saw a group Of men standing In
Ben Llttleford's cabin yard, and moth
ing else.
A little more than a quarter Of an
hour after Dale left John Moreland
he entered by the gateless gateway at
the cabin of the Hecks. 1t was d.
lapidated place, and 1t stood not far
from the river. BY sat In the front
doorway; he was lazily cutting new
midday sun mark In the place of the
worn old one, Behind him sat his
mother, who was buslly knitting a
gray yarn stocking.
The moOnshiner looked up and start
ed quickly to his feet.
"Hi, thar, Bill, old boy" he greeted
cordially. MY gosh, but we've come
at the right time, shore. We're a-goif
to have young squirrels TO dinner, and
a billed hamshank with string beans,
and cawnbread made with the yeller
O. hen aigs. Live whilst ye do live,
says l. Come right in, Bill, old boy"
la, la, LAP cried Granny Heck.
looking over the brass rims Of her
spectacles. "How glad l am to see ye,
Mr.. Bill Come right In and tell US
the news"
Bill Dale crossed the threshold and
accepted creaking chair. His eyes
took In at a sweeping glance the home
made dining table with Its cover OF red
oilcloth, the broken cast-iron stove, the
strings Of dried peppers hanging on
the log walls, the broken sullworm
lying In the corner.
"The Littlefords," said Dale, "have
declared war;"
"Sakes" laughed the old woman.
1--WE knowed that last night when we
heered them ten Shots"
"And all the Moreland rifles are
missing" Dale watched the effect OF
his words.
"What" the Hecks cried in one
voice.
Their surprise seemed genuine.
Dale pressed the subject further and
learned only that II they knew any
thing concerning the disappearance
Of the rifles they were not going to
tell. Then he started homeward by way
Of the pool above the blown-down syc-
amore.
There was q chance that Ben Little
fords daughter would be there fishing,
Dale told himself, and II was barely
possible that she could throw some
light on the mystery Of the rifles.
He crossed the river by means OF
the PROSTATE tree. Babe was there ;
she sat on the stone on which she had
been sitting the morning before; her
back was to him, and her bare feet
were In the water to her ankles. Dale
went up close, stopped and gathered
q handful Of violets and dropped them
over her shoulder and into her lap.
Babe looked around and smiled.
"What luck, Miss Littlefordf"
"Nothln'. don't much want to
ketch anything" she said slowly, q
spirit OF sadness In her musical voice
! IL Jest come OF down here to be
whar It's quiet. You ought to hear the
noise at pap and the rest OF 'em is
a-makinp
Dale narrowed his eyes. "Are they
er, making nolse1 And what about2
"My goodness gracious alivel You'd
think so ef We could hear 'em Y'oughi
to hear pap cuss John Moreland T.
She shrugged her pretty shoulders
lifted the small end OF her rod TO lis
proper place, and went on, II never
did see pap half as mad as he was
when he got home last night from
a-follerin' me-"
"Mad at your" asked Dale.
"No; but he would ha' been ef h
hadn't ha' had all his madness turnet
agin them Morelands. You knowet
about pap's trouble on yan side o. tn
river last nightT
ayes, knew about that" Dale an
swered slowly. "But John Morelant
thought your father was my antago
mist OF yesteray."
"An-antag0nlstr Babe muttere,
lnQulrlngly. whats thatr
II mean Adam Ball, y'know."
"Oh. That's what told pap. Bu
pap he wouldn't believe II, and h,
won't never believe it-'cnuse he don
want to believe II. | told him ut JOhI
Moreland wasn't u-ShOotin' to hit, nn,
he wouldn't believe that, neither Pap
as hnrd-headed us brlndle COW. wheI
he gifts fool notion on him. What
what did them Morelunds say abou
their guns u-beln gomez"
Dale Strengthened,
How did you lind that outT
Don't matter howl" She smile,
ilm0st sauclly. II Rnowed about 4