Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1921-07-14
CHAPTER "
The Mystery Of the Rifles.

The Mystery Of the Rifles.
An hour after John Moreland had
sent his ten rifle bullets whining over
the head Of Ben Littleford, every
Moreland and every Littleford In the
valley knew of the declaration of war.
And each man of them oiled his weap-
ons and put them In better working
order.
When Dale went to bed, there was
/ too much on his mind to render sleep
ing easy for him. Tomorrow he would
have to help In the fight against the Lit
| tlefords, klnsmen of the young woman
who had saved him, without doubt,
| from death by the murderous rifle of
/ the mountaineer Godfather break his
word fatty. 1t was poor return for
! such favor The longer he thought
over the dilemma, the more perplexed
he became. Il $4,000. $50.
He thought, too, of the everlasting
wonder, the tail Of John Morelund's
bedtime prayer. How man could 60
down on his knees and ask the bless
ings of the Almighty upon men whom
he meant to fight the next day was
a thing that Bill Dale could not under
stand.
1t was after midnight before he
slept. He woke at the break of day,
arose and dressed himself, and went
out. Going toward the fiower-filled
front yard, he found himself facing a
very angry John Moreland.
whats the matterY he asked.
| Matter enough clipped the noun
taineer. "Bill Dale, I'm a-goin' to ak
| you question. and want the truth
| VIII git it?r
| you'll get the truth II you get any.
thing. Shoot the question"
"All right. What do you know about
| my gun?'
i about as much as you know of the
left hind wheel of Ben Hur's chariot.
What's wrong with itf"
Moreland's eyes were steady and
cold. He thrust his hands into the
| pockets of his corduroy trousers. Then
his face softened a trifie.
| Il reckon ! ought to Ak yore par
don," he said In low voice. "Ye see,
my guns plumb gonel"
you had it only last night" Dale
said. 'Did 1t disappear"
whilst l slept cut In the hillman.
both o. my guns Is gone. And Luke's
repeater is gone, and SO Is Gales, and
we haint got nothin' at all to fight
| them id Littlefords within
"Gone |" Dale exclaimed wondering
ly and-it seemed to him-asininely.
at must ha' been the Littlefords,
guess" frowned Moreland. 40 be-
cause who else would ha' done 1t? But
to save the life o. me | CANT see how
they got In and took my rifle without
wakin' me up, Bill Dale. 4 slept twicet
as light as a sick mouse"
Within ten more minutes, every man
Of the Morelands was gathered there
at the house of their chief-and every
man of them had lost their weapons
during the night!
John Moreland called Dale aside
and said to him:
you're high on the good side O.
them thar triflin' Hecks, and, SO fer
as shey know, you amt interested In
the feud. l wisht you'd go down thar
and see BY and his mother, and see
eff We can find out whar our rifles
went"
When Dale had gone off down the
dusty oxwagon road, Caleb Moreland
climbed tall ash that grew behind
his fathers cabin and kept watch
toward the Littleford side of the river
He saw a group Of men standing In
Ben Littleford's cabin yard, and moth
Ing else
A little more than quarter OF an
hour after Dale left John Moreland
he entered by the gateIess gateway at
the cabin Of the Hecks. 1t was a 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 busily knitting
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