Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-10-07
Continued from last week)

The sounds of the shooting had car
ried far, and it wasn't long until the
scene of the tragedy was crowded with
Balls and TOrreys, LittlefOrds and
AI0relands. Major Bradley and Hayes,
too, were there. Every man of them
was armed; very little thing might
easily turn the place into a SHAMELESS.
The major saw this, and he was
afraid. He drew the leaders of the
MOrelands and the LittlefOrds aside,
and finally prevailed upon them to do
their utmost toward keeping peace I'M
til the coming of the sheriff.
At first John Moreland and Ben Lit
tlefOrd were for taking Bill Dale from
the Balls and TOrreys who guarded
him, if they had to depopulate the
whole Ball settlement, Jerusalem Cove
and HattOnS He'll to accomplish 1t
Happily. the majors counsel prevailed.
Sheriff Tom Flowers was a tall and
1.-the, smooth-faced man. He arrived
with Luke Moreland at noon, after
hours of hard riding. He saw the high
tension, and Immediately steeled him.
self to handle the situation. After
riding straight to the center Of the
gathering and there halting his horse,
he said evenly:
I'm order that l may know who to
arrest, / must know something of the
circumstances. Only one man must
speak at time. No playing bad with
me; and remember that, gentlemen.
I'll certainly drop the fellow who
starts playing boss with me, if it's the
last move | make on earth. Now some
body gently use his powers of speech"
Major Bradley, more soldierlike than
ever, went forward. "As the attorney
OF Mr.. Dale, who stands accused of
killing Adam Ball." he said to the of
ficer, II beg leave to state that my
client will do no talking at present"
Dale understood, and he did not
open his mouth.
But old Ball had something to say,
and he proceeded to say it:
He killed my son, Adam" pointing
to Dale, "in cold blood. Me and about
a dozen o my kin was on our way
over Long ridge to look at bee tree,
when we heered three pistol shots We
was right up thar" pointing to the
northward "and we come a-runnin'
over here to see, by comics, what was
the matter Well, by comics, we found
Bill Dale thar down on his knees
aside O my son. Adam, who was as
dead as HI or deader; and Bill Dale
was a-Sobbin' and a-sobbin' about it.
And eff he never killed my son Adam,
what was he a-sObbin' and a-sObbin'
about, l AK you that? And my son
Adam, he had a rifle, by comics, but
he never shot none at all He was
with US up to few minutes before, and
he hadn't shot none all mornin'
Shuriff Flowers, l wisht ye'd gil me
good, big chaw o. tobacker, by gOn-
MES, cause my son Adam his death
it has made me feel bad"
Major Bradley stopped caressing his
well-kept gray imperial, walked over to
the dead mans rife, picked it up and
put It's muZZle to his nose. He scented
fresh powder-smOke. Then he faced
old Ball with a strange, hard glitter
in his blue eyes
You are liar, sir" he said with a
peculiar politeness.
A stir ran quickly over the Balls
and Torreys. Sheriff Flowers called
out:
Quiet, there!" and there was quiet
He continued: where is Mr.. DaleS
revOlver?'
The Balls had it. They produced it.
1t had three empty chambers when
1t should have had but one!
Pass it to me butt first" ordered
the laws representative. He knew
that many a man had been shot while
taking revolver barrel first, and he
was taking no chances.
Old Ball obediently turned the weap-
on around.
Say, sheriff" he chittered, "have
We plumb fogot about me AKIN We fo
a chaw O. store-bOught? BY comics,
Adams death"
Flowers turned to Dale.
II have heard through Luke More
land" he said with more or less of
feeling in his voice, "a good many
things in your favor. / want you to
know that I'm sorry to have to take
you and place you in the Gainesville
jail To show you that l mean it, I'll
spare you the irons and allow you to
ride your own horse along beside me,
as though you were not under arrest
at ALL"
Dale had by this time worn the keen
edge from his grief by means of his
great will power He bowed slightly
TO the officer and replied with grlve
courtesy:
Believe me, sir" with the very
faintest trace of smile, Il am very
much obliged to you"
Luke Moreland led up the sleek
young bay that Bill Dale had named
Fox, and Dale swung himself easily
into the saddle. He faced the sheriff