Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-07-28

! at the night time. shore. We're a-goin
10 have young squirrels 70 dinner. and
billed hamshank with string beans
and cawnbread made with the yelleS
o. hen aigs. Live whilst ye do. 1--WE
says 1. Come right in, Bill, old boy.
LA, Ia, laT" cried Granny Heck,
looking over the brass rims Of her
spectacles. How glad 1 am to see ye,
Mr.. Bill Come right in and tell Us
the news"
Bill Dale crossed the threshold and
accepted a cyeaking chair. His eyes
took in at 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 stillworm
| lying in the corner.
The Littlefords," said Dale, shave
declared war"
"Sakes" laughed the old woman.
I'VE knowed that last night when we
heered them ten shots"
And all the Morel,nd 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 if 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 downtown syc-
amore.
There was a chance that Ben Little
ford's daughter would be there fishing,
Dale told himself, and it 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
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 Littefordg
"Nothln'. l don't much want to
ketch anything" she said slowly.
spirit Of sadness in her musical voice.
II jest come Off down here to BIZ
whar it's quiet. You ought to hear tie
noise at pap and the rest of 'em Is
a-makin !"
Dale narrowed his eyes. Are they
or, making a noise? And what about7'
MY goodness gracious alive! You'd
-hink so eff We could hear EN- Y'ought
10 hear pap cuss John Moreland ,
She shrugged her pretty shoulders,
fitted the small end of her rod to It's
proper place, and went on, Il never
lid see pap half as mad as he was
when he got home last night from
l-follerin' me-"
Mad at your" asked Dale.
NO; but he would ha' beea er ne
hadn't ha' had all his madness turted
gin them Morelands. You knoRed
bout pap's trouble on yam side O. che
liver last night?"
Eyes, | knew about that" Dale an.
wered slowly. But John Morelund
hought your 1athef was my antagO-
list of yesteray."
"An-antagonist? Babe muttel I'd
lquiringy. whats that?"
II mean Adam Ball, y'know."
"Oh. That's what l told pap. But
mp he wouldn't believe it, and ho
ont never believe it-cause he don't
ant to believe 1t. told him at John
Loreland wasn't a-shootin' to hit, and
e wouldn't believe that, neither. Pap's
5 hard-headed as a brindle COW. when
E gifts fool notion on him. What
hat did them MOrelands say about
Ieir guns a-bein gomez"
Dale Strengthened.
How did you find that out?
Don't matter howl" She smiled
most saucily. II knowed about 1t
ore you did, MIR. Bill Dale. Don't
u think whoever done it done a kind