The Adair County news., 1921-09-06
CHAPTER TX.
A SIGNAL Victory.

The mining man Hayes, the major
and John MOreland were waiting at
the gate when Dale, accompanied by
the mOonshiner, returned to the cabin.
Dale was the first to speak. He told
briefly of that which had taken place
at the blOwn-down sycamore, and at
the last of it By Heck Strengthened
proudly.
81 be dadjimmed eff l hadn't ha'
pumped him so full O. lead at the
couldn't enough O. men got around
him to tote off his cOrpst, eff he hadn't
ha' drapped the towards gun," By
Heck declared as fiercely as he could.
"Cause nav she seed in the cup at
Bill Dale was a-gOin' to be a right
pa'tickler friend o mine, igOd, and
has a habit O. takin' keer O. my
friends. Now thar was my Uncle Bill,
him what could jump a sixteen-rail
fence"
at was a nine-rail fence, By" i'm
patiently cut in John MOreland.
you've done told that so much at
it's dang nigh wore out. S'pOsen ye
go back thar to the orchard ahind O.
the house and see what Gale and
Luke's a-dOin'; hey, By?"
Heck nodded and went toward the
orchard He knew they didn't want
him to Overhear what they were going
to say, but it didn't offend him. 1t
wasn't easy to offend the good-natured
Heck.
Moreland turned to Dale. "Well?'
Dale turned to Hayes.
Were going to begin the building
of the little railroad at the earliest
possible moment. And because | don't
know anything about the work, I'm
going to ask you to take the lead. Now,
there may be some fighting. | don't
wan v"u to 20 into this thing blind
ly, you see. If you're going to with
draw ~ ali. do it nOW."
I'm not a stranger to fighting"
Hayes replied smilingly. I've been
through half a dozen coal strikes. l
think you may count on me, Mr.. Dale
'"Then lay out a plan for immedi-
ate action"
I'D suggest" acquiesced Hayes,
"that we send to the little town in
the Iowland for supply of picks and
shOvels, axes and saws, hammers,
drills, and explosives. In the mean
time, you and 1 can stake out the
way for the track"
1t sounded busineSslike, Dale
thought.
Within the hour John MOreland and
his son Caleb started for CarterSville
on foot. and in the older mans pocket
was money sufficient to buy the things
that were needed.
Dale and Hayes set out for the north
end of David MOreland's mountain,
and each of them carried hand-ax
for making stakes.
1t was not often that the quiet Hayes
over anything; however, he went in
to raptureS over the MOreland coal.
1t was, he declared, one of the best
propositions he had ever seen. 1t
was no wonder that Henderson Golf
was determined to get possession of
it, he said.
Then they went to work.
BY sundown two days later they had
chosen the route for the narrOw-gauge
railroad and set stakes accordingly.
Hayes told his general manager that
with a good force of men the last rail
could be put down within two months.
During those two days they had
several times seen Henderson Golf in
company with Black Adam Ball and
some of his relatives. Once they had
come upon GOtf talking earnestly with
Saul Littleford, the big, bearded, gaunt
brother of the LittlefOrd chief. Hayes
reminded Dale of this, and said to
him further:
"Goff will have the Mttlefords on
his side the first thing you knowl
Maybe some of the Littlefords, as well
as some Of the Balls, knew about this