Licking Valley courier., 1921-08-25

ward the young woman. She knew
ttlEalt only something Of great impor
rtmnee could bring a Llttleford Into her
home IN this fashion.
~What's the matter, Babef"
Babe Littlef0rd gave no attention
iuo Mrs. Moreland. She went on to
Rlll Dale, walking softly on bare feet.
BLACK Adam is a-goln' to kill you
tonight, Bill Dale"
"That so?" Dale's smile was rather
grim. "How did you find that out.
Miss Littleford?"
81 found 1t out, all right. AS he
: went Off from the river this mornln',
Il made fun of him; 9nd he patted the
stock Of his rifle and said he'd git you
Through a windowl He was at our
house this eyenin' TO help fix paps
gun, and when he left he started this
way, a-goln' by the blowed-down syca-
more. / waded the river at Blue Cat
shoals to beat him here. l thought you
might want to know about It, SOS ye
could mebbe save other folks the trou
BILE O. maxim a funeral fo' ye%
She backed toward the door, her
eyes never leaving Dales face. Another
second, and she was gone.
They were all on their feet now.
John Moreland grlpped Dale's arm.
"0ver thar aside o the chimbley,
Billw he ordered, his native drawl for
the moment absent "Out, Addle,
honeyi Luke, hrlng my rifle and hat
jump keenl Gale, bring water and
drownd this here firel"
1t was done. Moreland took his hat
and the repeater and went alone into
the night.
When some fifteen minutes had
passed, there came to Dale's ears the
sound of shooting. There were ten
shots In such rapid succession that they
made almost continuous roar. Then
came echoes and reverberatlOns, and
then silence. Soon John Moreland lei
himself into the dark room.
His wife's voice was low and filled
with anxiety:
"What happened. John"
A dull thud came through the dark
ness as her husbands rifle-butt struck
the floor.
"Thls is what happened, Addle: As
I passed the cawner o. the house, l got
dewn that thar old oxwhlp to take
along. | went acrost the road and int
the meadow, and thar seen Adam
Ball Q,comin'. hid and when Adam
was about to pass me, jumped VI
and jerloed his rife from him ant
busted It ag'ln a rock. Then | light
in and thrashes him with the oxwhil
ontel he broke hnd run. And 'en thl
here happened. Addle:
"I was await chin to see ef Adam
had RELY went OF, when ] seed ma
a.comin' toward me fast. though
II was Ball, o. course. So up an
tells him to show me how fist he ca
run aud commences a-shootin' owe
his head to skeer him. But it dldn
happen to he Adam .Ba[l-it was BE
Litleford! lie was afollerih' Bah
to see what she was up 10, o course
"How do ye know 1t was. Ben, papi
Caleb asked. .
"How do l know?" growled job
Moreland. "When got through
shootIn', he hollers Mt me and snys
Tomorrow. John Moreland,' he say
'we'll have little Gettysburg " OF
ownr And might mind ye, Gale, Z
he keeps his word the same as do
"And Littlcrord meant IL" bega
Dale.
"That thc'll, he a big fight tomo
row." said MNnand. "Blll Dale,
a.makIn' this land yore land and the
people yore people, I'm a-feard ye'
a.goln' to git more'n We expected, me
he moren ye ctn handle. DO ye wa
to back out, Of 1t and let the coal 7
or Ore We one o. these fe!lers wi
chaws what they bites on ef IT'S
hoss's heady - -.
"TlL stickI' Dale's voice came nrr
ly In the darkness. 'Pll stick"
CHAPTER w