Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-07-29
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leUFueu OuIy lLuL IL InS1
thing concerning the disappearance
of the rifles they were not going TO
tell. Then he started h0meward by way
Of the pool above the bloWn-doWn syc.
anore.
There was a chance that Ben Little
ford's daughter would be there fishing,
Dale told himself, and 1t was barely
possible that she could throw some
light on the mystery Of the rifles.
He crossed the river by means OF
the PROSTATE tree. Babe was. there
she sat on the stone on which she had
been sitting the morning before; her
back was to him, and her bare feet
were in the water to her ankles. Dale
went up close, stopped and gathered
a handful Of vioIets and dropped them
over her shoulder and into her lap
Babe looked around and smiled.
what luck, Miss Lttleford?"
"Nothin'. | don't much want to
ketch anything" she said slowly,
spirit of sadness in her musical voice.
IL Jest come or down here to be
whar It's quiet. You ought to hear the
noise at pap and the rest of 'em Is
a-maklnw
Dale narrowed his eyes. "Are they
er, making q noise? And what aboutT
My goodness gracious alive! You'd.
think so eff We could hear em! Y'ought
to hear pap cuss John Moreland"
She shrugged her pretty shoulders.
lifted the small end Of her rod TO Its
proper place, and went on, II never
did see pap half as mad as he was
when he got home, last night from
n-foIlerin me-"
Mad at you?" asked Dale.
mo; but he would ha been eft he
hadn't ha' had all his madness turned
acin them Morelands. You knowed
about pap's trouble on yam side O. the
river last night?"
"Yes, | knew about that" Dale m.
swered slowly. but John Moreland
thought your father, was my antago'
MIST Of yesteray."
"An-antagonist?" Babe muttered
inouIringIy. whats that|"
~ mean Adam Ball, y'know."
"Uh. That's what told pap. But
pan he wouldn't believe 1t, anl hr
won't never believe it-'cnnse he don't
want to believe it. L told him at John
Moreland wasn't a-shootin' to hit, and
he wouldn't believe,that, neither. Pap'S
as hard-heuded as brindle COW, when
he eits fool notion on him. Whit
what did them Morelands say ABOUT
their guns a-bein' gomez"
Dule Strengthened.
How did you tind that out?"
Don't matter howl" She smiled
almost saucily. II knowed about 1t
ufore you did, MIR. Bill Dale. ! Don'i
YOU think whoever done It done q kim
/ thing"
'"To dlsarm the Morelands so thai
when the enemy comes they will hur,
nothing with which to defend them
sclyesp Dale didn't know muc!
about these hill feuds. mo. Miss Lit
tleford, can't say that l think it wa'
kind thing to do"
Miss Littieford arose and faced
! Dale. Her cheeks were flushed.
"Has the inemy conner she de
manded icily.
mo, but"
"All right" the young woman brok'
In sharply. III the Inemy hain't come
what're you a-kickin' about?"
der brown eyes were full OF fire
They deted, and they withered, and
Bill Lale suddenly felt that ne was
smaller and Of less account in the
scheme of things than that uneducat-
ed, wildly superb creature that STOOD
before him.
~ beg pardon" Dale said evenly. u
didn't mean to offend, y'know."
His quick contritlon struck the girl.
Her mouth quivered. She dropped
her fshing-rod, and began to toy ao'
sently with the end of her long, thick
plait Of brown hair.
1--WE seed so much o. this fghtln','
she murmured trenulously, that II
makes me 60 to pieces. l ought to beg
yore pardon, mebbe, and DIDO.
I've seed a good many fine, strong
men brought home dead or a-dyln
from the Moreland bullets. And the
LittIefords has killed Iorelands. too
One side about as many as tothcr,
|. reckon. I'd be glad to give my life
to stop It'll"
"pll help you, II I can" Dale told
her. perhaps we can make friends
of the MoreIands and your people"
"You don't know what hard thing
it'd be-" she replied tearfully. 1.-The
two sets has hated each other ever
sence | can rickollect. And you won't
be here very long, reckon"
81 may be here for the rest OF my
life" said Dale.
"Is it the coal?" inquired Babe.
"Partiy-yes, it's the coal. LIN 60
ing to develop it for the MOrelands.'
Babe looked at him with tiny her
aid Of hope In her eyes. Before she
could speak again there CAME from
somewhere back in the meadow the
sound Of her fathers voice
babe! Ooh. Babel"
"Comin'!" cried the girl, half turn