The Ordway new era., 1921-10-07

/ hoy Is pow'ful hnrd thllS I" uo'
pfeard We don't quite understand.
..It was a terrible thing, know,
said Dale. but IL was the fortunei
of war. The LIttlefords have endured
the fortunes of war in exactly th'
same way. Come with me: let's go.
need your help; can do very little
without your help. Come, John More
land!'
The hlIIman replied slowly; "Well.
I'll 20 with We over thar. But Ben
hen haf 10 make the fust break II,
a-bein' friends. cause I'm purity shore
| never will. As soon AS l git my
hat. Bill"
He went to the front porch and
took from chairpost his broad
rlmmed headgear. Then the two set
! out.
They crossed an Ox-wag0n road,
sweet-scented meadow, the river by
means of the blown-dOwn sycamore.
another sweet-scented meadow and
another ox-wagon road, and entered
the cabin yard of the Llttleford chief.
Here, too, many old-fashioned flowers
were in bloom; II cane tishingpole,
slender and white, leaned against the
porch; It made Dale think of
Babe.
You wait out here" whispered
Dale, with hand on his companions
arm, IN 20 in and see If can per
suade Littleford TO make the advance,
I'm pretty sure l can
-t,,-t.J g,,,,TvpI N,I,.D hound
rose from the stone step and growIed
warningly. At that Dale halted and
sang OUT:
Hello, Bent'
The front door swung open, creak.
ing on wooden hinges, and Babes fa-
ther barcheaded and with u lamp in
his hand. appeared in the doorway.
He knew the voice that had summoned
| him.
Come right in. Mr. Dale" lie in
vlted with the utmost cordiality.
Come right In"
He scOlded the dog away, and Dale
entered the primitive home He was
shown into the hest room. where he
dropped easily into a rOomy old rock
err that was lined with an untanned
sheepskin. Ben Littleford put the
lamp on IL crude table, drew up an
other chair, and sat down facing his
| visitor.
81 hope We amt Jest happened over
| fo' minute or two ON business" he
| drawled; Il hope we've come TO spend
the night wi me, anyway"
I'm here in the interests Of peace"
Dale began, looking at the hillman
squarely Il want you Littlefords TO
be on good terms with your neigh
bors, the Morelands. John is out
there at your gate now; he is waiting
for you TO ask him in and say TO him.
Let's begin anew; let's be friends.
your people and my people, you and
me. You want that, don't you, Benz
Babe did, I'm sure"
Llttleford frowned, laced his big fin
gers together and twirled his big
thumbs. Now that he was once more
at home, with assurance that his
daughter would entirely recover. he
was no longer weak he had all his
old courage and all his old, stubborn
hill pride back.
'I'll AK John ln," he finally de-
cided, but he'll haf to make the fust
break Mt a-bein' friends. Me akin
him into my house is a purity burned
good start toward friendship, amt
it,"
He arose, took up the lamp, walked
TO the front door and opened It, and
called into the night:
Won't We come in, Johnf"
I 81 reckon I VIII, Ben" was the Iazy
answer, "Fo' minute, anyhow. But
| reckon / cain't stay long"
Moreland followed Iittleford into
the best room. Littleford put tire lamp
beside the worn leather-bound Bible
on the table, and they sat down. They
looked steadily at each other and
Dale saw plainly that both were III
/ al ease. Surely, thought Moreland, he
had done great deal when he had
come into his old enemy's house.
Surely, thought Littleford he had
done great deal when he had asked
I John Moreland into his home.