The Pulaskian., 1921-08-18

ledfueu, was the answer, that the Littlefords all lost their guns just as the Morelands did"
 '"The devil !"
 The mountaineers began to crowd about Dale.
 And who," asked their leader, "do ye think done it?"
 Bill Dale shook his head slowly and threw out his hands.
 How should I know?" He went on: Babe told me about the Littleford guns disappearing. I saw her down at the river; she was fishing"
 Did she say anything" pursued John Moreland, "'at sounded like she knowed whar them guns went to?"
 She told me-" said Dale, "she would give her life to stop the fighting. She seemed rather badly worked up over It."
 From the cabins front doorway came woman's sorrowful voice:
 And me, too; I'd give my life to stop this here fightin'. l had a boy, big, strappin' boy-'
 John Moreland drowned toward his wife and interrupted, Now, Addie, honey, don't do that"
 It ended the talk.
 Mrs. Moreland dried her eyes on corner of her freshly ironed gingham apron, and announced the monday meal The mountaineers dispersed. Grandpap Moreland went away claw ing at his long white beard and grum- bling over the loss of his beloved old Lancaster.
 An hour later Dale cornered the Moreland leader on the vine-hung front porch and suggested that they look over the coal property that after noon. He was eager to go to work, eager to, be doing something worth while, he told Moreland. The hillman stood very still for what seemed to the other very long time, and had no word to say. Evidently the feud had all his mind now.
 When he did speak, he said simply: "All right, Bill"
 After half an hour of fighting their way through thicllets of blooming lau- rel and ivy, they drew up before an old and mildewed cabin at the north end of David Morelands mountain. Moreland led the way in and pointed to a spot under a small, paneless win dow.
 "Thar," said he, 'is whar we found my brother David"
 The two men turned for the point at which the coal vein ran out to ts!e light of day.
 Dale picked up piece of the shin ing black stuff. Judging by the little he knew and the great amount of de- scription he had heard, the vein was very large and the coal itself of the finest grade.
 Ut was a big find," he told his com panion, "a big find. It was pity to let 1t lie here untouched for so long; and yet it's worth more today than 1t was ever worth before"
 His enthusiasm ran warm, and More land caught it quickly. Together they hastily planned out the little railroad that was to wind it's way through the wilds and connect with the big rail- road at the Halfway switch.
 .I know Pm a-doin' right about 1t" the mountaineer said twice for the benefit of his conscience. Il know pore David he would want me to do this eff he could know"
 I'm sure of It." agreed Dale. "Pll start for Cincinnati tomorrow. I've got enough money to take me there and back. I have very wealthy friend there-his name Is Harris; l think 1 can borrow enough from him to finance the beginning of this thing. And I'll buy a locomotive and cars, and all the other necessary machinery, while I'm in Cincinnati-unless l fail to get the money from Harris. When get back, which should be within eight days, we'll start the work. Al Ia guess, I'd say we'll need twenty men. Can we get them?'
 "Shore," nodded the mountainecr. Ard all Morelands at that"
 They turned homeward. At last Bill Dale was happy. He had some thing to do now-an aim ln Ire. ne had difficulties to overcome, obstacles to remove barriers to surmount-it was his big chance!
 
 It was almost sundo@n when Dale returned from his visit to the coal yein-Big Pine mountain hid the sun ,+ littla after threC in the afternoon. He borrowed a fishing rod and mln- now pail, which made his going to the river seem proper enough to Jchn Moreland. and set out to meet Babe Titfleford. He was glad that nobody expressed a desire to accompany hlln'
 ne found Ben Littleford's daughter where he had found her twice before- sifting on stone the size of small barrel She was fishing with an un- haited hook, which was equal to nsii- inc not at all, and she seemed pleased