The Ordway new era., 1921-10-21

Af,er. silent moment, she continued
sadly half tearfully: And yet-and
vet--the's not bit O. use In me
a-coln' back now!
"Why?" Dale was smiling, ana she
was glad to note that he did not ap-
near 10 be grieying over his misior'
tune.
"'Cause the amt" simply.
'But you'll go?"
"Yes," she said, "in the nornln' III
go" -,
He bent toward her and held down
his hand. "Good-by. little girl. hope
it will come out all right, and De-
lieve 1t will"
Babe slowly lifted her hand TO MS
Her eyes were downcast.
"Good-by she told him brokenly'
"And l hope it will come out all riSht'
too-God knows do, BIZ Dale"
Thus they parted. Dale rode back
TO the sheriff and Major Bradley, and
n minute later the three OF them start
ed for the lowland and Cartersville
Jail
When a bend in the dusty ox-wagon
road had hidden them from view,
Elizabeth Littleford turned homeward.
Her mother followed her.
The younger woman dropped TO the
stone step at the yine-hung front
porch with the air of one who is very
tired, plucked full-blown marigold
and began absently to tear its petals
slowly apart. Mrs. Littleford looked
out across the meadows, sighed.
smoothed back her gray hair with
both hands, and sat down beside her
daughter.
Il wouldn't worry about it. Babe,
honey" she finally said. Then she
too plucked n marigold and began to
tear its petals slowly apart. "Ef he
killed Adam Ball, 1t was to save him
self. He's good man. honey. | think
he's about the best man l ever seed,
Babe"
NO, he never killed Adam Ball to
save hisself even," Babe replied.
Hes a fighter, but he amt no killer.
Listen, mother, it might ha' been this
away:
"He is ahind OF tree, and Adam is
ahind of another tree. Adam shoots
at his hat, and he shoots at Adams
hat-which is the reg'lar way of a
two-man fight, as you know. Well,
suddenly Adam he jumps up like he's
been shot, and falls a-groanin' and
a-twistin'. Bill Dale. a-thinkin' he's
killed Adam, comes out from ahind Of
his tree. Havln' drawed Bill Dale out
into the open by his trick, Adam gifts
ready 10 shoot and kill him. Jest as
Adam is about to shoot, somebody else
shoots and kills Adam and saves Bill
Dale-mebbe the amt time fo' any
thing else. Now don't We see? And
don't it all sound natchel, motherF
II reckon 1t does" granted the old
woman. But who was it shot Black
Adam?"
Somebody who is friend o. Bill
Dale's," said Babe. Somebody who
was a-follerin' Bill with the idee o.
pertectin him ef he needed it. Some
body Who knowed 1t was dangerous
fo him to go off by hisSelf In the
woods that away. I've got 1t reasoned
ever it was at was friend enough 10
Bill Dale to kill a man to save him
will be friend enough to own up when
the proper time comes and keep Bill
Dale from a-bein' hung. Whoever It
was at done it is skeered bad now,
but later on he'll shore tell it. ef it'll
save Bill. You jest wait and see,
mother.
81 haln't never fo'got," Babe went
on, after a moment. about Black
| Adam Ball a-tellln' me about a-workin'
that same trick on man over in
Nawth Ca'liner-and he killed the
man. The law never found it out.
And ye see what Black Adam got.
Who lives by the sword shall perish
by the sword It's in the Good Book,
mother, honey; and everything in the
Good Book is God A'mlghty's truth. as
you know"
Ef | was pinned down to guess who
it was AT done IT," drawed Mrs. Lit.
tleford, I'D guess it was BY Heck
He was a plumb fool about Bin Dale
HIS nav she says he talks in his sleep
about Bill Dale. He was auus a-fol.
lerin' him around like dawg."
Babe pointed to the meadow. An
aged and stopped and wltchlike won.
an was limping slowly through the
clover, coming toward them.
Granny Heck" muttered Babe.
The neighborhood's newsbearer ant
fortune-teller limped on ND to the
cabin, and dropped to the stone ster
beside Ben Littleford's wife ant
daughter
La, la, la" she painted, for tn,
days were warm. "And hain't 1t les
turrible! wisht / may die this min
ute EFF | wouldn't might nigh as soor
see my own son 90 to jail. But 'er
It'll all come out right yit, Babe.
seed II In the cyards. and I seed N 4,