Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-08-02
CHAPTER v.
At the River Analn.


1.-The devilw
The morntaineers began to crowG
about Dale.
And who" asked their leader, "do
We think done it?"
Bill Dale shoekshis head slowly and
threw out his hands.
"How should Lknow?" He went
on: Babe told ME about the Littleford
guns disappearing. ! saw her down
at the river; she was fishing"
Did she say anything" pursued
John Moreland, "'at sounded like she
knowed whar them guns went tor
"She told me-" said Dale, "she would
give her life to stop the fighting. She
seemed rather badly worked up over
IT."
From the cabins front doorway came
a woman's sorrowful voice:
"And me, too; I'd. give my life to
stop this here tghtin'. i had boy,
q big, strappin' boy"
John Moreland frowned toward his
wife and interrupted, Now, Addie,
honey, don't do that"
II ended the talk.
Mrs. Moreland dried her eyes on q
corner of her freshly ironed gngham
apron, and announced the MONDAY
meal. The mountaineers dispersed.
Grandpap Moreland went away claw
ing at his long white beard and grum'
bling over the loss Of his beloved old
Lancaster.
An hour later Dale cornered the
Moreland leader on the vine-hung
front porch and suggested that they
look over the coal property that after
noon. He was eager to go to work,
eager to be doing something worth
while, he told Moreland. The hillman
stood very still for what seemed to
the other a very long time, and had
no word to say. Evidently the fcud
had all his mind now.
When he did speak, he said simply:
"All right, Bill"
After half an hour Of fighting their
way through thiCkets of blooming lau-
rel and Ivy, they drew up before an
old and mIldewed cabin at the north
end OF David Moreland'S mountain
MoreIand led the way In and pointed
to a spot under a small, paneleSS vim
dow.
THAR" said he, "is whar We found
my brother David"
The two men turned for the point
at which the coal vein ran out to tie
light of day.
Dale picked up piece of the shin
ing black stuff. Judging by the little
he knew and the great amount of de
scriptlon he had heard, the vein was
very large and the coal itself of the
finest grade.
ut was big tind," he told his com.
panion, "a big find. 1t was pity to
let 1t lie here untouched for so long
and yet It's worth more today than II
was ever worth before"
His enthusiasm ran warm, and More
land caught it quickly. Together they
hastily planned out the little railroad
that was to wind its way through the
wilds and connect with the big rail
road at the Halfway switch.
II know I'm a-doln' right about IT,,
the mountaineer said twice for the
benefit of his conscience. 81 know
pore David he would want me to do
this eff he could know"
I'm sure of it," agreed Dale. I'll
start for Cincinnati tomorrow. I've
got enough money to take me there
and back. l have very wealthy
friend there-his name is Harris; l
think | can borrow enough from him
to finance the beginning Of this thing.
And III buy a Locomotive and cars,
and all the other necessary machinery,
while I'm In Cincinnati-unlesS ! fail
to get the money from Harris. When
/ get back, which should be within
eight days, we'll start the work. At
guess, Id say we'll need twenty
men. Can we get them?"
Shore" nodded the mountaineer.
"And all MorelaudS at that"
They turned homeward. At last
Bill Dale was happy. He had some
thing TO do now-an aim in life. He
had difficulties to overcome, obstacles
to remove, barriers to surmount-it
was his big chance!
1T"
1t was almost sundown when Dale
returned from his visit to the coal
vein-Blg Pine mountain hid the sun
at little after three in the afternoon.
He borrowed a fishing rod and min-
now pail, which made his going to the
river seem proper enough to John
MOrpland. and set ont TO meet Babe
Littleford. He was glad that nobody
expressed n desire to accompany him.
lie found Ben LittlefOrd'S daughter
where he had found her twice before
sitting on stone the size Of small
barrel. She was fishing with an un'
baited hook, which was equal to fish
ing not at ALL and she seemed pleased
when she saw him coming. He sat
down on the stone at hSr side. she
moved over little Shyly, and tried Il
cover her feet with her calico skirts
Needn't bother 10 hide them,
IaugbEf BIu Dale. They re pretty