Licking Valley courier., 1921-09-01
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Nloreinnd was king. His keen eyes
stared at the young wOman's face as
though they would wither IT..
"Wha1 made you hide emf" he
growled. Say, what made ye do itT'
"'ro try and save human lives, ats
whyw Babe answered. "That man
from the city-whatll he think o. us
a-doln' this-away, a-fghtin' like crazy
wildcats?
"Ef he don't like the way we do
mere, he can go back hOme," retorted
the angry mounta1neer. "He amt tied,
is he?"
Babe smiled smile that WAS some
how pitiful, and turned Off.
"rhe' amt no use In argyin' with
you, pap" she said hopelessly. IL
might nigh wisht L 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
a new high-power repeating rifle, and
around his great waist there was a
new belt bristlng with long. bright
smokeless cartridges fitted with steel
jacketed bullets.
When Dale and his companion
reached the cabin, Addie Morelandm met
them. Anxiety was breaking her
heart.
mir. Dale" she pleaded, ~ want you
to go down thar to the river and see
eff the's anything ye can do to stop
1t afore It begins. You jest walk out
bold In the open and we won't be shot
at, and I'll be Obleeged to ye. 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 MOreand would be angry
at his interfering. But he nodded and
went toward the river. He didn't have
the heart In him to refuse.
Theu there came the keen thunder OF
q rifle shot.
Dale halted for a moment. Between
two sycamores on the nearer side OF
+. the river he saw a pun of smoke ris-
ing lazily from behind a water oak on
the farther side; Littleford had fired
FIRST. Dale went on, moving rapidly
and trying to keep himself always In
plain view.
Then came a pun Of white smoke
and a report from one of the More
land rifles, then shots from both sides
- and the battle was on. Dale heard
the nasty whine of bullet In full
light; he heard the coarse "zzZ" Of a
half-spent ricochet. He knew Hhat he
was in some danger now, and he was
J surprised to lind that he was not
frightened. -
When he halted again II was on his
knees behind the big white sycamore
that sheltered John Morelund.
Back, are YET" frowned the noun
talneer. And with the grimmest hui
NOR, II reckon ye had fine, large
time in Cincmnuty. YDre friend Har
ris was well. hope. Git that money
from hlmw
Cut that out" said Bill Dale. I'll
doesn't get us anywhere"
A bullet threw particles of sycamore
bark to his face, interrupting. JohI
Morelnnd pointed 10 green furrow h
the side of the tree.
"Ben Littleford hisself," said More
land. "1le's uhind o that water oal
ucrost thar. Don't stick yOre heat
out
The mountalncer turned his ga1
over DaJe's shoulder, and his counte
nance seemed to freeze. Dale locke
around unickly and saw Babe Little
ford, less than ten feet behind him
She had crept up through the tn
grasses and weeds. In one hand su
carried white llug made of u man
handkerchief aud u willow switch. Sll
halted and sat MP.
babel" Dale cried cut. what III
you doing hereT
Babe gave him a pale smile. II
!pup'd shoot me, a-thinkin' | was
Moreland, mebbe it'd stop the eve
lastln' hghtln'" she said.
John Moreland stared, and Bill Da
stared. They were in Presence, al
they knew 1t, Babe went. on;