Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-09-08

"'ve. Come Here to Own Up to the
KILN o. Black Adam Ball." Began
the Young HiIlman.
center of the corridor, where he stood,
while water ran from his wet clothing
and gathered in little pools at his feet,
and looked to his right and to his left.
Dale saw him, and cried out in sur
prise:
Caleb"
Caleb MoreIand walked straight, his
head up and his shoulders back,
splendid picture of virile young man.
hood, to the end of the corridor. He
gripped two of the doors hated bars,
bars that had long been worn smooth
by other human hands; he pressed his
smoothly shaven, sunburned face
against the iron, and smiled.
How are We a-feelin' by this time,
Bill? It's some HI of a place, amt
it?"
Dale took a step toward him. Wen,
queens boudoir is nicer. What are
you doing here, CaleT
VIC COluc " SCI yOQ 1IcCs bdlu
Caleb Moreland
Dale stared unbelievingly. But
that is impossible, Gale. How could
you set me freeT
Call Tom Flowers, and I'll sight
ye."
Dale called, and the officer came i'm
mediately. Caleb Moreland turned
from the cell door and faced him.
I've come here to own up to the
KILN o. Black Adam Ball." began the
young hillman.
He swallowed, went trifie pale un-
der his tan, and, continued brave1y:
"Bill Dale thar, he never done it. l
am the one at done it. Bill he shot at
| Adam, but he missed-Adam had done
shot at Bill fust, y'onderstand, Tom.
But l didn't miss. L don't never miss.
I'm plumb tombstone shot. They
allus rules me out at any shootin'
match. I'd ha' owned up to 1t yeste'-
day, but the thought O. Jail had me
skeered bad. / jest CANT let as good
man as Bill Dale thar suffer fo'
thing 1 done myself So you let him
out, Tom, and put the right man in
thar"
Flowers had a good heart, and this
touched it. But he was not very much
surprised.
Tell us about it, Caleb" he re-
quested.
Caleb looked toward Dale, then he
| faced the lord of Cartersville's little
prison again.
swell, shuriff, when I seed Bill Dale
go off toward the trustle by hisself
and alone, knuwed right then he was
in danger O.. bein' laywayed by some
O. them thar lowdown Balls and
| Cherokee Torreys. So 1 decides to
fOller after him and gyard him, with
out him a-knowin' anything about it,
which same / done. When he met
Adam Ball"
He broke off abruptly.
go on" urged Flowers.
81 reckon / won't" smiled Caleb,
and his eyes wrre still twinkling. 81
reckon l won't do no more talxin' Jest
now. Yes, 1 reckon the proper place
fo' me to do my big talkin' is in the
co'tehouse at my trial. Lock me up
will We Tom?
| "We1l see," said Flowers.
Forthwith he dispatched a deputy
for Judge Carter and Major Bradley,
who hastened to the Jail.
An hour later Caleb Moreland was
the occupant of the cell at the end of
the whitewashed corridor, and Dale
was mounting his bay horse Fox to
ride back into the heart Of the ever
lasting hills. He arrived two hours
after nightfall. The Morelands were
glad to see him, and the Littlefords
were glad to see him. There was re-
| joicing there In the broad valley that
lies between David Moreland's noun
tain and the Big Pine. Everybody had
been expecting him, and many were
| the pairs of eyes that had been watch
ing for him He found himself sud
denly wishing. with a tightening at his
throat, that his father could know
how much bigger and how much bet
ter it was to be thus esteemed than
to be wealthy
Luke took charge Of his tired horse
and led it away to the old log barn
and to some fifteen ears of yellow
corn Luke's father. escorted him
proudly, the guest of honor, in to one
of Addie Moreland's Incompatible old
fashioned suppcrs, which was none
the worse for being late. Several
Littlefords sat at the long, home
| made table