Licking Valley courier., 1921-09-01

"Addie MOreland knows what 1t Is
to take her dyin boys head in her lap,
whilst blood run through her dress to
her knees. His uame was Charley,
and he was had ; he'd drink, and oncet
he shot up Cartersvile. But AddIe.
she 'ailus loved him better'n Gale or
Luke. Wimmen like her allus loves
the worst boys the best; cause they
need 1t the most, the worst boys does.
"lt's the wimmen that pays, Bill
Dale, when the's tightin'. The win.
men O. this valley Is right now on
needles; they're afeard the men'lI find
their rifles You can guess whar the
guns went to now, CANT ye? The win.
men hid 'em last night after the men
had gone to sleep! BY good luck, they
had almost whole night TO 1t. You
must be shore to keep 1t to Yourself
hut know ye will. Addle MOreland,
she started the ldee. She got Granny
Moreland to spread the word amongst
the wimmen O my people. When the
tightln' fever sort O. dies down the
guns'll all be brought back and put
whar they belong"
She arose and stood there smiling
down upon him. He was staring at
the swirling water without seeing II
at all.
Her voice brought him to himself.
"Whatre you athinkln' about, Bill
DaleY
Dale went TO his feet. He saw that
She was smiling, and he smiled, too.
81 was thinking" he said, "of the
difference between you and some other
women KNOW"
Her clear brown eyes widened.
"And reckon seem purity no count,
don't IL"
mo, not at all. 1t is-er. quite the
opposite, Babe. You make them ap-
pear unreal, artificial"
Babe Littleford's countenance bright
ened. She did not doubt that he meant
1t. He was not of the sort that Hat.
tered. She began to like Bill Dale AT
that same moment.
And Bill Dale told himself as he
went homeward that he was beginning
to like Babe LittlefOrd. He did not
fight the feeling, because 1t somehow
made the world seem better place.
Early the following morning Dale
made ready for his journey to Cincin-
natl. Having learned the evening be-
fore that he was going, By Heck had
come to accompany him to the Half
way switch.
The two set out. They had three
hours In which to cross David More
lands mountain before the arrival of
pale's train, and they walked lei.
surely.
They had not gone O dozen rods
when there came from somewhere
down near the river the sound of
rifle shot. Both stopped and faced
about quickly.
"Ill be dadgummed eff the Little
fords amt found their weepons" ex.
claimed BY Heck. "They have, igod.
as shore as dangitl"
"How do you know?" Dales voice
was troubled.
~ shore know" and Heck narrowed
his gaze. "'At was Ben Littleford's
old As Winch. I'd know that gun Ell
] heered 1t at the nawth pole. The
bari It's been cut Off, and 1t don't
sound like other Winchesters."
ialah Mnraln nd tuac 1nu,r mann th..
river cleaning out the springhouse
ditch" Dale muttered, facing his com.
panlon. Il think we'd better 90 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 LlttlefGyd," 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. lie
was breathing rapidly and his strong
young face was drawn and pale-with
the old hate.
WELL" said his iron father, "wlnt
is it?"
Caleb held up his broad-rimmed
black hat and ran finger through a
hole In the upper part of the crowns
peak.
"He didn't mlssp snapped John
Moreland.
NO" quickly replied Caleb, "he
didn't miss. lie don't never miss. You
know that, pap, as well as ye know
God made ye, lie done It Jest to show
me he meant what he said. He told
ME to so and tell you to gether up
yore set q rpbhit-hearted heathernS
and come down to the river 70 a lead.
and-powder picnic, onless ye was IL.
skeered to GOMEZ He said to tell We
the wlmmenf0lks had hid our guns,
and we'd lind 'em opder the house
floors"
John Moreland took II with utter
calmness, though his face was II little
pale behind his thick brown beard
He turned 10 his wife, who looked al
hin sQunrely.
"Addle, honey" said he, "rm mighty
sorry"
"Ef-ef you was much sorry, John,
Mrs. Morelund half sobbed, "yC
wouldn't 20 down thar to the river"
"Me cowardY" Moreand appeared
, to grow an inch in stature. "Me let 4
, liltleford send me news like this her,
which Gale brings, and not do uothn
at all about lty | thought you knoweC
me better'n that, Addie,"
: lie fuced his two stalwart sons, Al
, ways he was the general the leader
!, of his clnn. Tie senl Caleb In one di
rntstinn nnI Inka in D.,