Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1921-08-25

tear Its petals slowly apart. m he
killed Adam Ball. It was to save HIM
self He's good man. honey. ! think
he's about the best man ever seed.
Babe"
"No, he never killed Adam Ball to
save hisself even," Babe replied.
Hes fighter, but he amt no killer.
Listen, mother, 1t 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-Lwhich is the regular way Of q
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-thinlkin' he's
killed Adam, comes out from ahind Of
his tree. Havin' drawed Bill Dale out
into the open by his trick. Adam gifts
ready to 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 TO- any
thing else. Now don't We see? And
don't It all sound natchel, mother?'
u reckon 1t Does" granted the old
woman. 'But who was 1t shot Black
Adam?',
Somebody who Is friend O. Bin
Dale's." said Babe. Somebody who
was a-follerin' Bill with the idee o.
pertectin' him eff he needed 1t. Some
body who knowed 1t was dangerous
TO him to 60 off by hisself in the
woods that away. I've got 1t reasoned
out jest like this. 81. And who
ever it was at was friend enough to
Bill Dale to kill man to save him
will be friend enough to own up when
the proper time comes and keep Blu
Dale from a-bein' hung. Whoever 1t
was at done 1t is skeered bad now,
but later on he'll shore tell 1t, eff it'll
save Bill. You jest wait and see,
mother.
II hain't never fo'got," Babe went
on, after a moment "about Black
Adam Ball a-tellin' me about a-workin'
that same trick on a man over In
Nawth Ca'liner-and he killed the
man. The low never found 1t out.
And We 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'mighty's truth. as
you know" ~
"Ef was pinned down to guess who
1t was at done it." drawled Mrs Lit
tleford, 'T'd guess 1t was BY Heck.
He was plumb fool about BIZ Dale.
His nav she says he talks in his sleep
about Bill Dale. He was allus a-fol-
lerin' him around like dawg."
Babe pointed to the meadow. An
aged and stopped and witchlike wom-
an was limping slowly through the
clover, coming toward them.
"Granny Heck" muttered Babe.
The neighborhood's newsbearer and
fortune-teller limped on up to the
cabin, and dropped to the stone step
beside Ben Littleford's wife and
daughter.
ia, la, laI" she painted, for the
days were warm. "And hain't 1t Jest
turrible! / wisht may die this min
ute ef / wouldn't might nigh as soon
see my own son go to jail! But 'en
it'll all come out right yit, Babe. I
seed 1t In the guards and seed 1t in
the cup. Babe, honeydumplin". he
never no more killed Adam AN l killed
him myself. I tell We, the's been some
awful ongodly work done, somehow. I
know Bill Dale, and the shore hain't
nary burned drap O. killer blood in
him."
Babe spoke suddenly to her mother:
"Tve got to 60 and wash and iron my
new white dress. Acause-because I'm
a-goin' back to Mrs. McLaurin, like
promised I'd go. I'm a-goin' in the
mornin', on the fust train. Ye might
as well inform pap to hatch up my
railroad money, mother"
Just then By Heck stopped before
the gate.
do We want to 60 home along as
90, maw?" he asked.