The Adair County news., 1921-09-20
"TeIl us about it, Caleb,"abe-re<.

swell, shuriff, when l seed Bill Dale
60 off toward the truStle by hisself
and alone. | knOwed right then he was
in danger O. bein' laywayed by some
O. them thar lowdown Balls and
Cherokee Torreys. So l decides to
foller after him and gyard him, with
out him a-knOwin' anything about it,
WHICH same l DONE When he met
Adam Ball"
He broke off abruptly.
go on" urged Flowers.
81 reckon 1 won't" smiled Caleb,
and his eyes were still twinkling. 81
reckon l won't do no more talkin' Jest
now. Yes, reckon the proper place
fO' me to do my big talkin' is in the
co'tehouse at my trial. Lock me up
will We Tom?"
"We'H see," said Flowers.
Forthwith he dispatched a deputy
for Judge Carter and Major Bradley,
who haStened to the Jail.
An hour later Caleb Moreland was
the occupant Of the cell at the end of
the whitewashed corridor, and Dale
was mounting his bay horse Fox to
ride back into the heart Of the ever
lasting hills. He arrived two hours
after nightfall. The MOrelands were
glad to see him, and the LittlefordS
we're glad to see him. There was re-
jOicing there in the broad valley that
lies betwccH David MOreland's noun
tain and the Big Pine Everybody had
been expecting him, and many were
the pairs of eyes that had been watch
ing for him. He found himself sud
throat, that his father could know
how much bigger and how much bet
ter it was to be thus esteemed than
to be wealthy.
Luke took charge Of his tired horse
and led it away to the old log barn
and to some fifteen ears of yellow
corn. Luke's father escorted him
proudly, the guest of honor, in to one
of Addie MOreland's incompatible old
fashioned suppers, which was none
the worse for being late. Several
Littlefords sat at the long. home
made table
John Moreland turned up the light
a little. and cracked a worn but time
Iy joke; then he looked toward one
Of the men whom he had fought
throughout many years, and muttered
into his thick brown beard:
Saul, friend, will ye do US the IA
vor O. akin the blessin', eff ye please?'
"ShOre, John, O course"
Saul Littleford, the very illiterate,
laced his big fingers together across
his plate, bent his head, and told the
| good Almighty that they were all
very much obliged to Him for the fine
supper they had before them, for Ad-
die Moreland who had cooked it, for
peace, and for Bill Dale.
1t was almost midnight when the
visitors left. They had been sitting
outside, on the hOneysuckle-scented
front porch and in the cabin yard. At
last Bill Dale and John MOreland
were left together on the porch.
There's a thing that has puzzled
me since the moment l got here this
evening"" said Dale. why is it that
nobody seems to be grieving over
| Caleb'S being in jail?"
The big hillman's answer came, al
most sharply: mo Moreland ever
grieved over sacrifyce, Bill"
Dale sat up straight. "A sacrifice
| What do you mean"
This time the big hillman's answer
came slowly. II mean at Gale he's
akin all O. the load off o yOre
| shoulders at he can. Gale he's a-takin'
yore place in Jail Ontel the trial comes
off, which'll be at the October term
| o. cote. He trusts you to come back
and set him free on the day O the
trial. O. course you'll do it; we hain't
never doubted that fo' one little min
ute, Bill. But it wasn't all done fO'
| yOre sake You're the hope O. the
Morelands, and you can do a heap
more here an Caleb can"
He leaned toward Bill Dale and
went on in a confidential tone:
"And l can tell ye this here. et
you're found guilty O. KILN Adam
Ball, and sentenced fO' even one year
| the MOrelands and the LittlefOrds is
a-gOin' to take We from the officers and
turn ye loose with a good, long start
on the law"
"Wouldn't that be rather"
Dale broke off because he had seer
the tall figure of a man appear in the
open gateway. 1t was By Heck, anC
he spoke.
"HellO, John Noreland!
Hello yeself!" grOwled MOreland
who was not at all pleased at the in
terruptiOn.
Heck advanced carrying his riff
by its muzzle. He halted with ont
foot on the stone step.
1--WE got news fO' ye, Bill" he said
recognizing Dale even in the dark
ness. "Pve been a-eavesdrappin' VI
at old Balls house, and had to CHOKE
about ten dawgs to do it. Bill, Ol(
boy, them Balls has done swOre b!
everything on earth and in HeaveI
and in Torment at they'll kill you e
the law don't. Igod, ye'd better watcl
out, Bill"