Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1921-08-25

major had spoken so reassuringIy
merely to help him keep up heart.
The night passed, and another bright
summer day dawned, and in the Car
tersviIle jail there was one prisoner
who had not slept at all. Each Of
those long and heavy black hours had
been an age to this prisoner to whom
jail was so new.
At noon a furious windstOrm, ac-
companied by much vivid lightning
and binding rain, sprang out Of the
west and began to sweep the country
side and out Of the lowering wet gloom
there came one to deliver Bill Dale.
He was a mountaineer, young and stall
wart and strong, and about him there
was much Of that certain English fine
ness that was so striking in his father.
He entered the low, square building
Of brick and stone and stopped In the
center of the corridor, where he stood,
while water ran from his wet clothing
and gathered iii little pools at his feet,
and looked to his right and to his left.
Dale saw him, and cried out in sur
prise:
NCaleb!"
Caleb Moreland walked straight, his
head up and his shoulders back, q
splendid picture Of virile young man
hood, to the end of the corridor, He
gripped two of the doors hated bars,
bars that had long been worn smooth
by other human hands; he pressed his
smoothly shaven, sunburned face
against the iron, and smiled.
How are We a-feelin' by this time,
Bill2 It's some hi Of place, amt
it?"
Dale took step toward him. swell,
a queens boudoir is nicer. What are
you doing here, Cale?"
Eve come to set you Free" said
Caleb Moreland.
Dale stared unbelievingly. "But
that is impossible, Gale. How could
you set me freeY'
Call Tom Flowers, and I'll sight
ye."
Dale called, and the officer came i'm
mediately. Caleb Moreland turned
from the cell door and faced him.
"I've come here to own up to the
KILN o. Black Adam Ball." began the
young hillman.
He swallowed, went trifie pale UNI
der his tan, and continued brayely:
''BilI Dale thar. he never done it. I
am the one at done 1t. Bill he shot at
Adam, but he missed Adam had done
shot at Bill fust, y'onderstand, Tom.
But didn't miss. don't never miss.
I'm a plumb tombstone shot. They
allus rules me out at any shoOtin'
match. I'd ha' owned up to 1t yeste'-
day, but the thought o. Jail had me
skeered bad. / jest CANT let as good
man as Bill Dale thar suffer foN a
thing / done myself. So you let him
out, Tom, and put the right man in
| thar"
Flowers had good heart, and this
touched it. But he was not very much
surprised.
"Tell us about it. Caleb" he re-
quested.
Caleb looked toward Dale, then he
faced the lord Of Cartersville's little
prison again.
swell, shuriff, when seed Bill Dale
| 60 OFF toward the trustle by hisself
and alone, knowed right then he was
in danger o. bein' laywayed by some
O. them thar lowdown Balls and
Cherokee TOrreys. So I decides to
foller after him and gyard him. with
out him a-khowin' anything about 1t,
which same / done. When he met
Adam Ball"
He broke off abruptly.
Go on" urged Flowers.
II reckon l won't,y smiled Caleb,
and his eyes were stille twinkling. 4
reckon won't do no more talkin' jest
now. Yes, / reckon the proper place
TO- me to do my big talkin' is in the
co'tehouse at my trial. Lock me up
will We Tom?"
''We'H see," said Flowers.
Forthwith he dispatched deputy
| TOT JuuSS SdTtcH anu NAuJOA DAAAACye
who FASTENED to the jail.
An hour later Caleb MOreland was
the occupant Of the cell at the end Of
the whitewashed corridor, and Dale
was mounting his bay horse Fox to
| ride back into the heart Of the ever
lasting hills. He arrived two hours
after nightfall. The Morelands were
glad to see him, and the Llttlefords
were glad to see him. There was re-
/ joicing there In the broad valley that
lies between David MOreland's noun
tain and the Big Pine. Everybody had
been expecting him, and many were
the pairs Of eyes that had been watch
ing for him. He found himself sud
denly wishing, with tightening AZ his
throat, that his father could know
how much bigger and how much bet
/ ter 1t was to be thus esteemed than
to be wealthy.
Luke took charge Of his Hired horse
ana led It away to the old log barn
and to some fifteen ears Of yellow
corn. Luke's father escorted him
proudly, the guest of honor. ID to one
Of AddIe 1fOreIand's Incompatible old
| fashioned snppers. which was none