The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-10-21
CHAPTER xiI-consinued.

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John Moreiand turned up the light
n little, ana cracked worn but time
Nv Joke; then he looked toward one
be the men whom he had fought
throughout many years, and muttered
tnto his thick brown beard:
sSaul. friend, win ye do us the IA
xor o. AKIN the blessln', Ell ye pleaseT'
Fshore. John, o. course"
Saul Littleford, the very iIliterate,
laced bis big fingers together across
his plate, bent his head, and told the
good Almighty that they were all
very much obliged to Him for the fine
supper they had before them, for Adj
pie Moreland who had cooked 1t, for
peace, and for Bill Dale.
1t was almost midnight when the
visitors left. They had been sitting
outside. on the honeysuckle-scented
front porch and In the cabin yard. AT
last Bill Dale and John Moreland
were left together on the porch.
There's thing that has puzzled
Eae since the moment got here this
evening" said Dale. aWhy is 1t that
nobody seems to be grieying over
Caleb's being In jail7'
The big hiliman's answer came al
fnost sharply: mo Moreland ever
krieyed over sacrifyce, BILL"
Dale sat up straight, "a sacrificed
What do you mean7"
This time the big hillman's answer
kame slowly. II mean at Gale he's
A-takin' all o. the load Off o. yore
Shoulders 'at he can. Gale he's a-takir'
yore place In jail ontel the trial comes
BIZ, whichll be at the October term
D. cote. He trusts you to come back
bind set him free on the day o. the
trial. o. course you'n do it; we hain't
never doubted that 70 one little min
bite, Bill. But it wasn't all done TO
Sore sake. You're the hope o. the
Morelands, and you can do heap
more here AN Caleb can"
He leaned toward Bill Dale and
went on In confidential tone:
/ .And / can tell ye this here. Of
you're found guilty o. KILN Adam
Ball, and sentenced To- even one year,
the Morelands and the Littlefords is
A-goin' to take ye from the officers and
turn We loose with good, long start
on the law"
..'Wouldn't that be rather.
Dale broke or because he had seen
the tall figure Of man appear in the
open gateway. 1t was BY Heck, and
he spoke.
'Heilo, John Morelandi"
aHello yeselfl" growled Moreland,
who was not at all pleased at the In
terruptIon.
Heck advanced, carrying his rifle
by It's muzzle. He halted with one
foot on the stone step.
'rve got news 70 ye, BILL" he said,
recognizing Dale even In the dark
ness. .Ive been a-eayesdrappin' mp
ut old Balls house, and had to choke
about ten dawgs to do It. Bin, old
boy, them Balls has done swore by
everything on earth and In Heaven
and In Torment at they'll kill you ef
the law don't. Igcd, ye'd better watch
out, BILL"
John Moreland rose from his chair.
.Much obleeged to We. BY. And good
night to ye. Les go into the house
Biil. i didn't think them did pole
cats had that much narye--and 1 dom
hardly believe II ylt. 1t might ha' beef
white ticker a-talkin. Their kind Q
white ticker amt hawnest, like b,
Heck's is, though his'n is bad enough
Their kind'n make man resurrec
his dead lnemies out o. the graveyar
and shoot 'em up all over again.
ain't a-goln' TO do great deal O. harm
Bill, eff We don't light no lamp whe
ye go to bed. A man CANT never te
Jest what's a-goin' to happen"
Sand the Ball-Torrey outfit" Dial
began. when the Moreland chief cut In
"Ef the Ball-Torrey outfit poster
you, they're every one purity durne
apt to die with what Is knowed gen'a
~ In this section as the riae-bullet di
ease"