Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-08-12

the Horelands mysteriously disappear.
John Moreland called Dale aside
and said to him:
you're high on the good side O
them thar triflin' Hecks, and, so fer
as they know, you amt interested in
the feud wisht you'd go down thar
and see BY and his mother, and see
eff We can find out whar our rifles
went"
When Dale had gone off down the
dusty oxwagon road, Caleb Moreland
climbed a tall ash that grew behind
his fathers cabin and kept a watch
toward the LittlefOrd side of the river.
He saw a group Of men standing In
Ben Littleford's cabin yard, and moth
ing else.
A little more than quarter OF an
hour after Dale left John MOreland
he entered by the >gateless gateway at
the cabin of the Hecks. 1t was d.
Iapidated place, and 1t stood not far
from the river. By sat In the front
doorway; he was laZily cutting new
midday sun mark in the place of the
worn old one. Behind him sat his
mother, who was busily knitting a
gray yarn stocking.
The moonshiner looked up and start
ed quickly to his feet.
Hi thar, BILL old boy! ]" he greeted
cordially. my gosh, but we've come
at the right time, shore. We're a-gojn'
TO have young squirrels TO dinner, anC
billed hamshank with string beans,
and cawnbread made with the yeller
9 hen aigs. Live whilst We do live,
says l. Come right in, Bill, old boy"
LA, Ia, la u cried Granny Heck.
looking over the brass rims Of her
spectacles. How glad am to see We,
Mr.. Bill Come right in and tell us
the news"
Bill Dale crossed the threshold and
accepted a creaking chair. His eyes
took in at a sweeping glance the home
made dining table with it's cover OF red
oilcloth, the broken cast-irOn stove, the
strings of dried peppers hanging on
the log walls, the broken stillworm
lying in the corner.
1.-THE Littlefords," said Dale, have
declared war;"
"Sakes !" laughed the old woman.
I'VE knowed that last night when we
heered them ten shots"
And all the Moreland rifles are
missing" Dale watched the effect OF
his words.
What" the Hecks cried in one
voice.
Their surprise seemed genuine.
Dale pressed the subject further and
learned only that II they knew any,
thing concerning the disappearance
OF the rifles they We're not going to
tell. Then he started homeward by way
of the pool above the downtown syc-
amOre.
There was a chance that Ben Little
fords daughter would be there fishing
Dale told himself, and it was barely
possible that she could throw some
light on the mystery of the rifles.
He crossed the river by means of
the PROSTATE tree. Babe was there /;
she sat on the stone on which she had
been sitting the morning before; her
back was to him, and her bare feet
were In the water to her ankles. Dale
went up close, stopped and gathered
d handful of viOletS and dropped them
over her shoulder and into her lap.
Babe looked around and smiled.
What luck, Miss Littleford?"
"Nothin'. / don't much want to
ketch anything" she said slowly,
spirit of sadness In her musical voice.
II jest come off down here to be
whar it's quiet. You ought to hear the
noise at pap and the rest Of 'em is
a-makin!''
Dale narrowed his eyes. Are they
er, making a noise? And what aboutT
My goodness gracious alive! You'd
think so eff We could hear 'em Y'ought
to hear pap cuss John Moreland !"
She shrugged her pretty shoulders