Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1921-07-21

Iine siot. poth stoppSu anu luceu
about quickly.
"Pll be dadgummed eff the Little
fords amt found their weeponsl" ex-
claimed BY Heck. "They have, igod,
as shore as dangit"
How do you know2" Dale's voice
was troubled.
II shore know" and Heck narrowed
his gaze. "'At was Ben Littleford's
old AS Winch. I'd know that gun eff
/ heered it at the nawth pole. The
bar'l it's been cut Off, and it don't
sound like other Winchesters."
"Caleb Moreland was down near the
river cleaning out the springhouse
ditch" Dale muttered. facing his COM
panion. II think we'd better go back"
Together they went back to the
cabin. John Moreland and his wife
and their son Luke were standing at
the weatherbeaten front gate, with
their eyes turned anxiously toward the
river Caleb was coming up through
the meadow, and he carried his hat In
his hand.
who fired that shot?" asked Dale.
"Ben Littleford," John Moreland an
swered readily.
Two minutes later Caleb leaped the
old rail fence on the other side of the
road and approached them hastily. He
was breathing rapidly and his strong
young face was drawn and pale--with
the old hate. r
"Well," said his iron father, what
is it?"
Caleb held up his broad-rimnied
black hat and ran finger through n
hole In the upper part of the crowns
peak.
"He didn't missp snapped John
Moreland.
NO." quickly replied Caleb, "he
didn't miss. He don't never miss. You
know that, pap, as well as We know
God made We. He done 1t jest to show
me he meant what he said. He told
me to 60 and tell you to gether up
yore set O. rabbit-hearted heatherns
and come down to the river TO lead
and-powder picnic, onless We was a.
skeered to come He said to tell We
the wimmenfolks had hid our guns,
and we'd find 'em onder the house
| tioors."
John Moreland took 1t with utter
calmness, though his face was a little
pale behind his thick brown beard
He turned to his wife, who looked at
him squarely.
"Addie, honey" said he, I'm mighty
sorry"
"Ef--ef you was much sorry, John,
Mrs. Moreland half sobbed, "ye
wouldn't 60 down thar to the river"
me coward?' Moreland appeared
/ to grow an inch in stature. ME let {
ILittleford send me news like this her,
which Gale brings, and not do nothin
/ at all about IL? thought you knowet
me better'n that, Addie."
/ He faced his two stalwart sons. AL
ways he was the general, the leader
of his clan. He sent Caleb In one di
rection and Luke In another, to arouse
| his kinsmen.
Then he beckoned to Dale, who hac
been trying hard but vainly to thinb
of something to do or say that wouh
be of aid to the cause of the women
II don't want you In this here mix
up" he said decisively. "You must
stay clean out of 1t. You amt used
to this way o. fightin'. Asides, you're
our hope. More'n that, mebbe, you
owe yore life to Babe Littleford; you
CANT get around that, BIZ Dale
| He went on, after moment, "Ef
git my light put out today, | want We
to do the best We can with the coal.
| But O. course We will. | want We to
do me two favors, Bill Dale, eff have
my light put out today. Will We do
em To- me, my friend?"
certainly" Dale promised.
"Much obliged to We, shore. The
| fust is this: want We to take good
nav out O. what the coal brings, pay
fo' wore work. The second Is this:
want We to go to Ben Littleford after
I'm done--pervided he Is yet alive
and tell him about the end O. my bed
time prayer; l want him to know l
went him one better, at | was big
ger man inside AN him. Remember,
Bill, you've done promised me. Now
you go ahead to Cincinnaty, and do
Jest like We didn't know the least thing
about this trouble we're a-goin' to
have. SO long to We, an good luck r
II don't like the idea"--Dale began,
when the big hillman interrupted
sharply:
go onl You CANT do no good
here |"
Heck started. Dale turned and fol-
lowed the lanky moonshiner; there
seemed to be nothing else to do.
When they had reached a point a
little way above the foot of David
Moreland's mountain, the pair halted
and looked back. They saw the Little
fn,da opA tho Mnralandc ovQrv nna 0f