The Belding banner-news., 1921-08-31

SinokeieSS cartridges ntteu WITH steel
jacketed bullets.
When Dale and his companion
reached the cabin, Addie Moreland met
them. Anxiety was breaking her
heart.
MIR. Dale" she pleaded. II want you
to 90 down thar to the river and see
ef the's anything We can do TO stop
IL afore il begins. You jest walk out
bcld in the open and ye won't be shot
at. and I'll be obleeged to we. Oh. l
know the amt but one chanst in ten
thousand, but I'm a-prayin' yen strike
that one chunst."
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 have
the heart in him To refuse.
Theu there came the keen thunder OF
rifle shot.
Dale halted for moment. Between
two sycamores on the nearer side or
1he river be saw pun OF smoke ris-
ing laZily from behind Water oak on
the farther side; Lttleford had fired
first. Dale went on. moving rapidly
and trying To keep himself always in
plain view.
Then came 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
flight he heard the coarse "zzz" of a
half-spent ricochet. lie knew that he
was i'm some danger now, and he was
surprised To find that he was not
frightened.
When he halted again il was on his
knees behind the big white sycamore
that sheltered John Moreland.
Back, are ye?' frowned the noun
taineer. And with the grimmest hui
NOR, II reckon We had fine, large
time in Cincinnaty. lore friend Har-
ris was well, hope. Git that money
from biIny"
Cut that out" said Bill Dale. 1T
doesn't get US anywhere"
A bullet threw particles of sycamore
bark to his face, interrupting. John
Moreland pointed 10 a green furrow in
the side OF the tree.
ben LittIeford hisself,' said More
land. He's ahind o. that water OAK
acrost thar. Don't stick yore head
out :"
The mountaineer turned his gaze
over Dale's shoulder, and his counte-
nance seemed to freeze. Dale looked
around quickly and saw Babe Little
ford, less than ten feet behind him
She had crept up through the tall
grasses and weeds. In one hand she
carried a white nag made OF mans
handkerchief and willow switch. She
halted and sat up.
Babe" Dale cried out "What are
you doing here
Babe gave him n pale smile. "Ef
9ap'd shoot me. a-thnkin l was a
Moreland. mebbe it'd stop the ever
lastin fightin'," she said.
John Moreland stared, and BIZ Dale
stared. They were in Presence, and
they knew il. Babe went on:
I've come 10 save all o yore lives /;
but ef | do il, yen haf to make yore
men quit a-hghtin' right now-jest or
der 'em TO stop a-shootin, and hold
up this here-and | promise ye on a
Littleford's word at papll call ye a
better man an him cause ye done
it,"
She tossed the white flag TO him.
The amt no time TO lose, John More
land; hold up the flag Ef We don't,
ven every one be killed, cause ye're
every one In trapi"
II don't believe We, Babel" snapped
the Moreland chief. "Yore people can
hold up white rag jest as well as
we can"
Babe went paler. There was sud
den burst OF firing from the Moreland
rifles. and she crept a little nearer to
John Moreland in order that he might
hear plainly that which she had to tell
him next.
I'm a-goin' 10 tell We o. this dan
ger" she said, "and trust TO you a-bein'
man enough 10 do what l axed We to.
Black Adam Ball. he's got a new-fash-
ioned rifle and smokeless cartridges
and steel bullets; and in few min
utes he'll be hid In clum o. sassafras
back thar In yore meadow, whar he
means to set and pick OF you More
lands one by one--and YOU and Bill
Dale fust, count o. the beatin's you
two put on him But pap had nothin'
to do with II, and rickollect that! Now
I've saved all o. yore lives, cause ye
couldn't ha' heerd the sound o. his rifle
In all o this noise; and We couldn't
ha' seed the smoke o. his gun. cause
II don't make no smoke. Hold up the
white flag, John Moreland-hurryl'
Babe thoughflessly arose to her feet
and one side of her brown head ap-
peared before the sights of her fathers
rihe-her father tired quickly, too
quickly for a perfect aIm-the bullet
burned Its way across her temple and
through her hair, and she crumpIed at
Bill Dale's knees. totally Unconscious