Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-08-04

( Drawled Heck. Les set iOWn mere
and watch il; heyf"
Dale was silent. The very air was
| filled with the spirit OF tragedy. the
faroH tinkle OF a eOwbell seemed
tragic; tragic, too. sounded the song
OF a bird somewhere in the tree
branches overhead.
did We hear me, Bill?'
II think" Dale muttered, "that I'd
better not go away until tomorrow.
1 can't leave matters like this. DO
you know OF any way to stop that
down there?'
BY Heck shrugged his shoulders.
"Do you know o. any way to stop
the risln' and settin' O. the sum- he
grinned.
They went back to John MoreIand's
cabin.
1t was altogether by accident that
the Littleford chief found his weapons.
He had dropped small coin through
a crack in the floor. Babe was quick
to say that she would crawl under the
house and look for the coin, although
she had just put on freshly laun-
dered blue-and-white calico dress. Her
anxiety showed plainly in her face.
Her father questioned her sharply, and
she stammered Ia spite of herself. Ben
Littleford's suspicious were aroused.
So he came out from under the cabin
| floor with his hands full of the steel
of rifle barrels, and with the money
forgotten. He placed the rifles care
fully on the floor of the porch, turned
and caught his daughter by the arm.
who hid em?" he demanded gruttiy.
II hid 'em," was the ready answer,
defiant and bitter-"l, me! What're
you a-goin' to do about it?"
Littleford flung his daughters arm
from him. He was king, even as John
Moreland was king. His keen eyes
stared at the young woman's face as
though they would wither it.
what made you hide EN-" he
growled Say, what made We do itT'
"To try and save human lives, ats
why!" Babe answered. THAT man
from the city-what'll he think o. us
a-doln' this-away, a-tghtin' like crazy
wildcatSW
"Ef he don't like the way we do
here, he can go back home" retorted
the angry mountaineer. HE amt tied,
is heY"
Babe smiled a smile that was some
how pitiful. and turned off.
;nJk in NJ Nxyffh
YOU, pap" she said hopelessly. IL
might nigh wisht l was dead
At that instant the gate c:eaked
open. Babe glanced toward it and saw
coming that black beast Of a man,
Adam Ball the Goliath, and he was
armed heavily in one hand he carried
new high-power repeating rifle. and
around his great waist there was a
new belt bristling with long, bright
smokeless cartridges fitted with steel
jacketed bullets.
When Dale and his companion
reached the cabin, Addie Moreland met
them. Anxiety was breaking her
heart.
MIR. Dale" she pleaded, II want You
to go down thar to the river and see
eff thes anything We can do to stop
it afore it begins. You jest walk out
bold in the open and We won't be shot
at, and I'll be obleeged to We. Oh,
know the amt but one chanst in ten
thousand, but I'm a-prayin' yen strike
that one chanst."
Dale knew that he could do nothing
toward bringing peace, and he knew
that John Moreland would be angry
at his interfering. But he nodded ana
went toward the river. He didn't have
the heart in him to refuse.
Theu there came the keen thunder Of
a rifle shot.
Dale halted for moment. Between
two sycamores on the nearer side OF
the river he saw q puff of smoke rls-
ing lazily from behind water oak on
the farther side; Littleford had fired
first Dale went on, moving rapidly
and trying to keep himself always In
plain view.