Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-09-08

4 anu pu1AtNN A--- 49, -
ments.
/ He LET down the bead until IL was
barely visible IN the notch. and eased
on the trigger. The revolver rOared
and spat forth a tiny tongue Of flame
and little cloud OF white smoke. Ball
Snrang erect, wheeled, and fell crash
ing to the leavesl
Dale dropped his weapon. He went
as white as death, and his two hands
clutched uncertainty at his throat. BE
was a murderer No. he wasn't-his
bullet had gone wild; 1t had struck
Balls head on the other side OF the
tree. by accident. But how could he
prove that IL had been an accident?
Would any jury believe him? 1t was
far from probable.
He stepped from behind the hem
lock and went toward the writing
Goliath whose legs only were visible
now.
Then q third shot rang out on the
morning stiffness. 1t had been fired
from a point some little distance
away and Dale's condition of mind at
the moment was such that he didn't
even note the direction from which
the sound had come. He was unhurt.
and he had not heard the whine of a
bullet or the pattering of shot on the
leaves. When he looked about him,
he saw no one; neither did he see any
telltale smoke. Perhaps, he thought
dimly. 1t had been a squirrel-hunter
thar had fired that shot. He forgot
about it very quickly for the time be-
ing, and went on toward Adam Bah,
who now was lying perfectly still.
There was a bullet-hole through and
through the great, shaggy head. The
face behind the short, curly black
beard was of the colorless hue of
soapstone. The giant hillman was
dead
Bill Dale knelt there beside Black
Adam. Again he clutched at his throat
with his two shaking hands. and this
time he tore his blue flannel shirt. II
the agony and all the remorse in the
universe seemed to be gathering there
in his heart Never before had he
seen death. Its grim presence termed
him. That the deplorable thing hau
been an accident, due to his tauity
craftsmanship mattered little. ne
had killed man, and the blood-reo
brand of Cain was burning away on
his brow: he was a man in hell Oh
his own making. And kneeling there
Bill Dale sobbed great SOD that
shook his broad shoulders as vloiehl
ague would have shaken them.
He tried to look at the Dlue-euseu
hole in the shaggy head; at the Cruel
british face that was of the coiorless
hue of soapstone. Mercltul tears
blinded him. and he couldn't see. IL
was a compensation, pitifully Deautl-
full compensation.
Five minutes passed, five minutes
that were as five years to TINS man
who had never been in the presence
of death before. Then he realized that
he was being surrounded by kinsmen
of the dead mountaineer he looked
up into their ashen, angry faces, and
they cursed him. Big and gripping
brown hands were placed upon him;
several rifles were turned upon him.
He arose and spread out his arms. ana
offered his breast to the browning muz-
zles. They could give him, at least
oblivion.
"Shoot, if you like" he said bitterly
1T was an accident, y'know, but
shoot, if yau like"
NO" commanded Adam BARS
father. a slender and angular old man
with a struggling iron-gray beard
"No, don't shoot. Shootin's too quick
by comics. And 'en, it amt accordin
to law" Queer how suddenly he re-
spected the majesty of the law y
sSye'd burned sight ruther see him
hung by the neck ontel dead In the
iailyard at Gainesville. Ye'uns put
down them thar guns. Put down all
O. them thar guns right now; hear
me?"
He turned back to Dale. "Ye say it
was a accident?" he sneered.
Eyes. it was an accident"
Like the old devilW roared Black
Adams father.
He stopped and picked up his sons
black SLOUGH hat and examined it.
There were two bullet holes close to-
gether in the rim-and one of them
had been there for long time.
John Moreland, he's been a-Parnin'
We how to shoot" he said, "and you've
shore Earned purity id well. 1t must
ha' been yore third shot at got
Adam"
81 fired only once" disagreed Dale.
"Your son fired first; / fired second;
md Somahndv else l haven't the