The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-09-02

upon reaching the shelter 81 Inc Tvs
that lined the banks OF the river Wild
ont being seen, The stream here was
more than fifty yards wide; TINS was
Blue Cat shoals. The two INES S
trees stood back a rod or so from tne
water, making the final shooting oS
lance some seventy yards.
Drawled Heck: "Le's set down here
and watch 1t; hey?"
Dale was silent. The very mir wac
filled with the spirit of tragedy. ms
faroif tinkle of cOwbeli scenes
tragic; tragic, too, sounded the soAs
of a bird somewhere in the tres
branches overhead.
ibid We hear me, Billa-
Il think, Dale muttered, .that ia
better not 20 away until tomorrow
can't leave matters like this. 10
you know of any way to stop thaf
down theref'
BY Heck shrugged his shoulders.
"l)e you know o. any way TO stof
the risin' and settin' o. the sunT' hs
g'H1ed.
they went back to John Moreland's
cabin.
1t r,x altogether by accident thas
the Littleford chief found his weapons,
He had dropped small coin through
a crack In the floor. Babe was quick
to say that she would crawl under ths
house and look for the coin, although
she had just put on freshly laun
dered blue-and-whits calico dress. Hef
anxiety showed plainly in her faca
Her father questioned her sharply, and
she stammered in spita OF herself. Ben
Littleford's suspicious were aroused.
SO he came out from under the cabin
floor with his hands full Of the steel
of rifle barrels, and with the money
forgotten. He placed the rifles care
fully on the floor of the porch, turned
and caught his daughter by the arm
"Who hid 'em?" he demanded gruffil
II hid EN-" was the ready answer
defiant and bitter-"I, mel What'r
you a-goin' to do about itT
Littleford flung his daughters arm
from him. He was king, even as John
Moreland was king. His keen eyes
stared at the young woman's face az
though they would wither it.
'What made you hide 'em?" he
growled. Say, what made We do lit"
"To try and save human lives, ats
why ]" Babe answered "That man
from the city--whatll he think O. as
a-doin' this-away, a-tightin' like crazy
wildcats?"
"Ef he don't like the way we de-
here, he can go back home," retorted
the angry mountaineer. HE amt tied.
is heY'
Babe smiled smiR vat was some
how pitiful. and turned wv
"rhe' amt no use in asArgyin' with
you, pap" she said hopelessly. IL
might nigh wisht was dead"
At that instant the gate creaked
open. Babe glanced toward it and saw
coming that black beast of a man.
Adam Ball the Goliath, and he was
armed heavily; in one hand he carried
new high-power repeating rifle, and
around his great waist there was q
new belt bristling with long, bright
smokeless cartridges fitted with steel
jacketed bullets.
When Dale and his companies
reached the cabin, AHdie Moreland met
them. Anxiety was breaking her
heart.
"Mr. Dale" she pleaded, II want you
to go down thar to the river and see
eff the's anything We can do to stop
it afore it begins. You jest walk out
bold in the open and We won't be shot
at, and I'll be obleeged to We. Oh, !
know the amt but one chanst in ten
thousand, but I'm a-prayin' yen strike
that one chanst."
Dale knew that he could do nothing
toward bringing peace, and he knew
that John Moreland would be angry
at his interfering. But he nodded and
went toward the river. He didn't haps
the heart in him to refuse. y.
Theu there came the keen thunder a
rifle shot.
Dale halted for a moment Between
TWO sycamores on the nearer side OF
the river he saw a puff of smoke ris.
ing lazily from behind water oak on
the farther side; Littleford had fired
trst. Dale went on, moving rapidly
and trying to keep himself always in
plain view.
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