The Ordway new era., 1921-09-16

upon reaching the shelter oil tue -.
that lined the banks or the river VIZ"
ont being seen. The stream heic ""S
more than fifty yards wide; TINS ""s
ulpa oar shoals. The two lines VI
trees stood back "A rod or so from ,he
water, making the final shoounS ''
lance some seventy yards.
prowled Heck: Les set down mere
and watch it; heyT
poI. WAS silent. The very air was
filled with the spirit of tragedy i".
fnror tinkle OF II cowbeil se'''eu
tragic; tragic too, sounded me S"'s
or a bird somewhere IN the Tree
branches overhead.
Did We hear me, Billf
"I think" Dale muttered. "ihat !"
hctter not 90 away until tomorrow
| can't leave matters like this u"
YOU know Of any way To stop 'n"'
down there:
Bv Heck shrugged his shoulders
"Do vou know o any way 10 stop
the riSin' and Scttin' o the sun: ne
grinued.
rhey went back to John Morelnnd's
cabin.
If was altogether by accident that
/ the Littleford chief found his weapons.
| He had dropped II small coin through
| a crack In the floor. Babe was quick
to say that she would crawl under the
| house and look for the coin, although
| she had just put on freshly la'in-
/ dered blue-and-white calico dress. Her
anxiety showed plainly In her face-
| Her father questioned her sharply. ana
| she Stammcred in spite of herself. Ben
| Littleford'S suspicious We're aroused
! So he came out from under the cabin
| floor with his hands fun of the steel
/ OF rifle barrels, and with the money
/ forgotten. He placed the rifles care
! fully on the floor of the porch, turned
and caught his daughter by the arm.
/ "Who hid 'em?" he demanded grutlly.
81 hid EN-" was the ready answer,
| defiant and bitter-"I me! Whatre
you u-goin' to do about it,"
l.ittlrford flung his daughters arm
/ from him. He was king. even as John
/ Moreland was king, Ills keen eyes
stared at the young woman'S face aS
though they would wither II.
What made you hide 'emI' he
srowled. Say. what made We do it,
To try and save human lives. ats
! why" Babe answered That man
from the city-what1l he think o us
a-doin' rhis-away, a-hghtin like crazy
wildcats;'
"Et he don't like the way we do
here, he can 90 back home,'' retorted
the angry mountaineer. He amt tied,
is he?"
Babe smiled a smile that was some
how pitiful. and turned on.
The amt no use in a-argyin' with
you. pap she said hopelessly. ii
might nigh wisht | was dead"
At that instant the gate creaked
open. Babe glanced toward 1t and saw
coming that black beast of man,
Adam Ball the Goliath, and he was
armed heavily; in one hand he carried
new high-power repeating rifle, and
around his great waist there was a
new belt brstling with long, bright
smokeless cartridges fitted with steel.
jacketed bullets.
When Dale and his companion
reached the cabin, Addie Moreland met
them. Anxiety was breaking her
heart.
MIR. Dale" she pleaded II want YOU
to go down thar to the river and see
eff the's anything We can do to stor
1t afore it begins. You jest walk Out
bold in the open and We won't be sho,
at, and I'll be obleeged to We. Oh.
know the amt but one chanst in ter
thousand, but I'm a-prayln' yen strike
that one chanst."
Dale knew that he could do nothIn,
toward bringing peace, and he knew
that John Moreland would be angry
ut his interfering. But he nodded and
went toward the river He didn't have
the heart in him to refuse.
Theu there came the keen thunder OF
rifle shot.
Dale halted for moment. BetweeI
Two sycamores on the nearer side O,
me river he saw pun of smoke ris
ing lazily from behind water oak or
me farther side; IA Littleford had free
hfst Dale went on, moving rapidl,
ana trying To keep himself always ir
plain view.
III The feud forvott.n