Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-09-16
and each Of them carried

over anything; however, ne WcAS W
to raptures over the Moreland coal.
It was, he declared, one of the best
PROPOSITIONS he had ever seen. 1t
was no wonder that Henderson Con
was determined to get possession or
it, he said.
Then they went to work.
BY shutdown two days later they had
chosen the route for the narrOW-gauge
railroad and set stakes accordingly.
Hayes told his general manager that
with a good force OF men the last rail
could be put down within two months.
During those two days they had
several times seen Henderson Gotf in
company with Black Adam Ball and
some Of his relatives. Once they had
come upon Golf talking earnestly with
Saul LittlefOrd, the big, bearded, gaunt
brother of the Littleford chief. hayes
reminded Dale OF this, and said TO
him further:
Golf will have the LittlefOrds on
his side the first thing you know
Maybe some of the Littlefords, as we'll
as some of the Balls, knew about this
coal before David Moreland got his
mountain by states grant at few cents
per acre. Ii you'll take my advice, Mr..
Dale, you'll make friends OF these two
sets just as quick as you can"
Dale thrust his handax inside his
belt and turned to the mining expert.
"Dyou know, was thinking OF that
same thing when you spoke" he re-
piled. And | believe l can manage 1t.
now that Miss Littlefords accidental
wounding has given the old feud such
Il big blow. Pm fairly sure | can man
age it SO far as Ben LittlefOrd is con-
cerned; it's John that's going to be
hard to bring to taw. He should be
home this evening, il he's had good
luck, and I'll tackle him as soon as he
comes"
Together they started across David
Moreland'S mountain, walking rapidly,
with Dale leading.
Darkness came down on them when
they had covered half the distance.
The great hemlOckS and pOplars
loomed spectral and gaunt in the early
starlight. The almost impenetrable
thickets OF laurel and ivy whispered
uncanny things, and their seas of pink
and snowy bloom looked somehow
ghostly. Now and then there was the
pattering of some little animals feet
on the dry, hard leaves of bygone
years. A solitary brown owl poured
out it's heart in weird and melancholy
cries to the night it loved. There was
the faint, far-Otf baying Of hound.
and the soft swish of a Nightmares
wings.
Men from the core of civilization
must feel these things of the wilder
Suddenly Dale drew back and stood
still. In the trail ahead, standing as
the tail figure of man. 1t was almost
as though he were there to bar the
way.
The two went on slowly. The hgure
didn't move. Dale spoke, and the form
came to life. 1t was BY Heck; he was
Its you, is it, Bill, old boy?" He
yawned sluggishly. Il was a-waitin'
here TO you. L reckon L must ha'
went to sleep a-standin' here ON my
feet I've got news, BILL
"Out with it."
I've been a-trailin' Henderson Golf
all day." Heck said in guarded tones.
He's shore got them lowdoWn Balls
to believ:n' they're already million
hairs"
~ knew that" said Dale That's
not news"
But that amt ALL" BY Heck went
on. "Goff's got Saul Littleford, too
lock, stock. barl and sights. He owns
Saul jest the same as | own my old
spotted coon dawg Dime. Saul he
gifts him a job a-bein' mine boss, and
what other Littlefords at will stick
gifts jobs a-diggin' the black di'mont at
two dollars day. Asides, all Of 'em
is to have big lot O. money when
the dividin up time comes, says Goff.''
Much obliged to you, By" Dale &C.
KnOWteQSeQ. Lets go, 'DOur race,
BY! Pm goin' to tie hard knot in
that villainous game of Henderson
Gof's."
They reached John Moreland's cabin
less than an hour later Moreland
and his son had just returned from
Gainesville, and Dale learned through
Hayes that the two hillmen had shown
good judgment and some business
sense in making their purchases.
When the evening meal was over
Dale drew John MOreland out to the
cabin yard, where the many old-fash-
ioned flowers made the night air sweet
with their blended Odors. For q mo-
mcnt Dale stood looking toward the
very bright stars and thinking; then
he told the big man at his side Of
Gotf's plan concerning the LittlefOrds,
and strongly urged the making OF
friendship between the two clans.
1.-THE snake" mumbled John More