Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-11-11
Continued from last week.


The day Of the trial dawned clear,
with The snap Of autumn in the
air Tie courthouse was filled 10 It's
capacity within fifteen minutes after
the doors were throWn open Every
man who had rifle was forced to
leave 1t behind with the sheriff's depu-
ties; ii company of the states militia
was there, and each member of it had
hundred rounds Of ball cartridges
liz his belt--the authorities were taking
no chances
Amid a breatheSS 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 alib. 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
ful swing. 1t was plain that the jury
was fayorably impressed by the words
0r this man who never accepted q case
unless lie was absolutely sure that his
client was in the right.
Major Bradley hinged his argument
on The mysterious third shot. II Dale's
bullet had killed Adam Ball would
not Adam Ball have been shot squareiy
or at least nearly squarely from the
front? AS it was, the Goliath had been
shot straight through the temples
That third shot had been fired by some
hidden friend of Dale'S, the ma or de.
cIared, and it had been done for the
purpose of saving Dale's life. Bail
had been in the act Of playing cow
ardly trick; he had killed a man in
North Carolina by just such q trick
and he had boosted OF it.
The attorney for the state made
rejoinder that almost favored the de-
PENDANT. Then the court charged the
jury, and the twelve good men retired.
The jury was out not more than
twenty minutes, but to Elizabeth Lit
uefOrd it was an age of torture.
The twelve men filed slowly in and
faced the judge who turned sustere
eyes upon them and asked:
Gentlemen of the jury, have you
reached a verdict?"
They had. Elizabeth LittlefOrd's
head swan as she bent forward to
catch the foremans 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
tlmult 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 OH the journey home. When they
were well into the. mountains, Dale
drew his horse over close to that of
his companion.
"AS 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 gun"
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
as advance guard somewhere ahead of
us"
He continued, las soon as | can
build and furnish little house out
near the mine, want you to marry
me, Babe. viii you?"
Elizabeth Littleford seemed not to
have heard
"Will you, Babe?"
She faced him sadly He saw In
ner hazel eyes the same queer light
Of tragedy that be had seen there a
day or two before: and now, as then,
he wondered what it could mean.
Tell ME. Babe!''
Her head fell forward The sunlight
round giints of gold in her thick chest
nut~brOwn hair. She was silent for a
moment; then her voice came duly:
I'D better not marry you, Bill Dale"
Dale sat up straight and rigid In
his saddle and stared hard at her SOL
emnly beautiful profile. He could
hardly believe that he had heard cor
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