The Adair County news., 1921-09-27

II yOu re SURF you uO, LchA me why
There came another minute of pain
full silence.
Because" said Dale, speaking slow
ly, "yOu have always seemed to be
one of my own kind. You seem real,
to me. l was so sick of artifcialities
in women that / loved you the moment
Il saw you. i know you are primitive,
but l am primitive, too. And you
weren't calling yourself Ma-a-am-mah'
to a id poodle.
Major Bradley" he went on, "feels
sure that 1 will be acquitted. If it
turns out like that, want you to
marry me at once. Tell me-win you,
Babe?"
How boyishly impatient he was. Was
he afraid he would lose her by wait
ing?
You love me, don't you, Baber' he
pursued.
She faced him with the sudden,
queer light of a tragedy in her eyes.
But she didn't speak He pressed her
hand until it hurt and demanded:
AOu uO, uOn yOuB DdDS!
"Yes," she told him. in voice that
he barely heard.
''Then why won't you marry me?
She didn't answer She wouldn't
answer.
The day of the trial dawned clear,
with the snap Of autumn in the
air. The courthouse vas filed to it's
capacity within fifteen minutes after
the doors were thrown open. Every
man who had a rife was forced to
leave it behind with the sheriff's depu-
ties; company of the states militia
was there, and each member of it had
a hundred rounds of ball cartridges
in his belt-the authorities were taking
no chances.
Amid a breathless hush, the wheels
Of the law began to move. Caleb More
land quickly told what he had to say,
and backed it up with proof; he
brought out a perfect alibi. The
judge and the jury frowned and smiled
in the same instant. Dale went for
ward and took his place. He pleaded
"Not Guilty" A little later the state
introduced its evidence and rested.
The counsel for the defense, patri-
clan and soldier-like, immaculate from
his toes to the crown Of his head,
went eagerly to his feet. He had fully
prepared himself, and he delivered his
argument with an eloquent and force
full swing. 1t was plain that the jury
was favorably impressed by the words
of this man who never accepted a case
unless he was absolutely sure that his
client was in the right.
Major Bradley hinged his argument
on the mysterious third shot If Dale's
bullet had killed Adam Ball, would
not Adam Ball have been shot squarely
or at least nearly squarely from the
front? AS 1t was, the Goliath had been
shot straight through the temples
That third shot had been fired by some
hidden friend of Dale's, the major de.
clared, and it had been done for the
purpose of saving Dale's life. Ball
had been in the act Of playing a cow
ardly trick; he had killed a man in
North Carolina by just such trick
and he had bOasted of it.
The attorney for the state made
rejoinder that almost favored the de-
fendant. Then the court charged the
jury, and the twelve good men retired.
The jury was out not more than
H,,f 70 LNl;1ohnfh II
tlefOrd it was an age of torture.
The twelve men filed slowly in and
faced the judge, who turned austere
eyes upon them and asked:
Gentlemen of the jury, have you
reached a verdictT
They had. Elizabeth LittlefOrd's
head swan as she bent forward to
catch the fOreman's words
Not guilty!'
A wild shout rose from the leathery
throat Of the happy By Heck. The
MOrelands and the LittlefOrds cheered
until they were hOarse. Sheriff Tom
Flowers had difficulty in quieting the
tumult. Bill Dale shook hands until
his shoulders ached. The Balls and
their relatives, bitter with resentment
and hatred, stole out, were given their
rifles, and went toward the big hills
with the eye of the militia hard upon
them.
Then the MOrelands and the Little
fords and the Hecks, with Dale and
his mining man Hayes, came out, and
they, too, started for the big hills.
Dale had hired a horse and a side
saddle for Ben LittlefOrd's daughter,
and the two rode in each others com.
pany on the journey home. When they
were well into the mountains, Dale
drew his horse over close to that OF
his companion.
GAS soon as can build and furnish
-" he began, when Elizabeth inter.
rupted:
"We're ridin' too fast. We're too
much ahead O. the others. One O. them
Balls might try to pick you off with
his rifle gum"
Not much danger of that" Dale re-
piled. "The Balls have already been
warned about sniping; your father told
them that their very name would be
secured off the earth if there was any
sniping. Besides, BY Heck is acting
&c n o5ropoo cr11or1 cOpoouUboro ohoad Of