New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-09-23

Did she say anything" pursue,
John Moreland, lat sounded like sh'
knowed whar them guns went toy
"She told me- said Dale, 'she woulc
give her life to stop the fighting. SHE
seemed rather badly worked up ovei
it,"
From the cabins front doorway can't
IA woman's sorrowful voice:
And me, too; I'd give my life Il
stop this here fightin'. | had a boy
a big, strappin' boy"
John MOreland frOwncd toward his
wife and interrupted, Nov, Addie
honey, don't do that
1t ended the talk.
Mrs. Moreiand dried her eyes on a
corner of her freshly ironed gingham
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. lie 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 feud
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 widowed cabin M the north
end of David MOreland's mountain.
Moreland led the way in and pointed
to "A spot under n small, paneless win
dow.
Thar" said he, lis whar We found
my brother David
The two men turned for the point
Mt which the conl vein ran out to tie
light of day.
Dale picked up "A piece of the shin
ing black stun. Judging by the little
he knew and the great amount of de-
seription he had heard, the vein was
very large and the coal itself of the
finest grade.
1T was "A big find" he told his ON
panion, n big find. II was n pity to
let it lie here untouched for SO long
and yet it's worth more today than it
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.
Il know I'm a-doin right about II,
the mountaineer said twice for the
benefit of his conscience. Il know
pore David he would want me To do
this IF he could know
I'm sure of it," agreed Dale. "Ill
start for Cincinnati tomorrow. I've
got enough money to take me there
and back. | have II very wealthy
friend there-hiS name is Harris: |
think | can borrow enough from him
to finance the beginning of this thing.
And III buy II 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, Wen start the work. At
II guess, I'd say Wen need twenty
men. Can W. get them
SHORE nodded the mountaineer.
And all Morelands at that"
They turned homeward. At last
Bill Dale was happy. lie 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!
II was almost shutdown when Dale
returned from his visit to the coal
vein-Big Pine mountain hid the sun
at "A little after three in the afternoon.
lie borrowed a fishing rod and IA min
now pail, which made his going TO the
seem proper enough To John
Moreland. and set out to meet Babe
LittlefOrd. lie was glad hat nobody
expressed n desire TO accompany him.
Iie found Ben Littleford's daughter
where he had found her twice before
on "A stone the size of a small
She was fishing with an un-
baited hook. which VAS equal to fish
ing not at all, and she seemed pleased
when She saw him coming. He sat
down on the stone at her side. She
moved oven a little shyly, and tried to
her feet with her calico skirts.
"Needn't bother to hide them"
laughed Bill Dale. They're pretty
Most feet. y'know. are neces-
'ary evils. like chimneys and rain
="
Babe Littleford blushed. He went
m, to hide her confusion, Tell me
bout the rifles"
You must shore keep it a secret"
he told him.
Il promise
Better put yore hook in, SOS eff any
comes along"
Dale threw out an empty hook.
Il want to tell We some other things
ust, SOS yen understand better when
come to the part about the rifles"
'abe began. looking thoughtfully
cross the water to where a kingfisher
at in watchful waiting. She contin-
ed slowly. choosing her words are
ully, Il was brought up to hate them
lorelands. butt don't think | do. My !
is jest like the Morelands. The
iggest difference We can find is that {
ne side mostly has grey eyes like
gu and t'other side mostly has brown ]
yes like me All but their everlastin' |
ghtin', they're good people, Bill Dale.
Each side, ye see. is brought up to s