The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-09-29
CHAPTER XII
Bv Heck Keeps a Secret.

BY Heck Keeps Secret.
When Sheriff Tom Flowers and the
others had been gone for half an hour,
Elizabeth Littleford sat up in the 81
lence. 1t was a great and heavy silence
that lowered there over the north end
of David Moreland's mountain. There
was not even the drumming OF yell
lowhammer, not even the saucy chat
tering OF a boomer squirrel, not even
the twitteriag of a bird. Not leaf
stirred anywhere. Everything seemed
lifeless. 1t was almost as though she
were the sole inhabitant of the world.
Then she thought. 1t was noontlme,
and the officer and his prisoner would
doubtless halt at John Morelands
cabin for the monday meal; and II
she FASTENED she would get to see Bill
Dale again.
So she ran like doe through the
green woodland, through the rangle OF
laurel and ivy and over the moss
covered stones, across a shoulder OF
David Moreland's mountain. She was
borefooted, and her dress was a SIM
nile garment of white-dotted blue
calico, and her long brown hair flowed
behind her like the hair of young
witch-because Of the excitement OF
the morning, she had forgotten to give
il its usual daily plating.
! AS she drew near to the Moreland
, LEADERS, home, she saw Bill Dale and
the sheriff walk out at the gateway
and mount their horses. Major Brad
lev came out. and he, too, mounted bis
! horse and she was glad that he was
t going along. There was great crowd
5 all the Littlefords were there, and al
| the Morelands, and old Granny Heck
!. the fortune-teller. On every face BABE
a saw signs of sympathy and sorrow
: Her ewes filled. She was so glad tina
h they, too, loved him. 1t was worth go
ing TO iail to know that one was love'
8 like that Not that it didn't hurt t
q see him going to Jail, of course. Jal
4 and horror are words that mean tn
Il came TO the mountain dWeller.
4 She went on to tell him good-bA
~ She knew it, would be hard, but sh
stee]ed herself; she would be Little
q ford, and strong. He saw her coming
and he turned his bay horse and rod
IS TO meet her, She stopped and claspe
u her hands, with her arms down fu
length and tried to smile at him.
+ you promised me-" he said gent!
s that you'd go back to Patricia an
finish your education"
/. 81 keep my promises" was the qulc
N reply, "jest like every other Llttlefor
that ever lived kept their promises.
~ would ha went back this mornir
w eff it hadn't ha' been"
And there she broke off abrupt
After a silent moment, she continue
sadly, half tearfully: "And yet-a1
! yet--the's not bit O use in n
a-goin' back now"
y "Why?' Dale was smiling, and 81
h was clad to note that he did not a
pear to be grieving over his mlstC
tune.
"'Cause the ain't," simply.
"But you'll go?'
EYES," she said, Tin the mornin
CO."
He bent toward her and held doV
his hand, "Good-by, little girl no
4 1t will come out all right and
u lieve it WILL
Babe slowly lifted her hand to Il
Her eyes were downcast.
"Good-by," she told him broken
n "And l hope it will come out all rig
too-God knows do, Nl Dale"
~ Thus they parted. Dale rode ba
~ to the sheriff and Major Bradley, a
a minute later the three Of them sta
ed for the lowland and Cartersv1
Jail.
When bend in the dusty ox-wae
road had hidden them from VIZ
Elizabeth Littleford turned homewa
1 Her mother followed her.
AZ The younger woman dropped to
n, stone step at the vine-hung 1r
~ porch with the air Of one who Is "
u tired, plucked a full-blown marlg
y and began absently to tear its pet
-. slowl, apart. Mrs. Littleford lool
out across the meadows, sigh
smoothed back her gray hair "
lille both hands, and sat down beside
he daughter.
81 wouldn't worry about 1t, Ba
zap honey" she finally said. linen
too plucked marigold and began
ave tear Its petals slowly apart. "E1
TO- killed Adam Ball, 1t was to save
lies, self. He's good man, honey, IN
he's about the best man ! ever s.
Babe"
ore mo, he never killed Adam Bal
Of |kave hisself even," Babe repl
any ''He's fighter, but he amt no XII
, to Listen, mother, It might ma been
AXE aways
ville HE IS ahind Of tree, and Adal
I'll ahind Of another tree. Adam sn
! Ia a. hia hat. and he shoots at Al