The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-08-04

waiting at the gate. Heck had some
important, bad news, he said.
Better not tell me about 1t until
inffer supper" replied Dale. I'm as
hungry as You ever were, By"
They went In to sit down to one of
the best meals Addie Moreland had
ever prepared. When they had fin
: 'ished eating, John Moreland led the
way Into the best room, where they
took chairs. The major produced
cigars. BY Heck. swollen with a feel
ing Of greatness, lighted the wrong
end Of his weed. faced Dale, and be-
gan to unburden his mind of its weight
OF information.
swell. Bill. old boy" he began-and
then stopped to wonder why his cigar
wouldn't smoke N we'll as the majors.
well. Bill, old boy" he went on, final-
~. Henderson Goff. he's shore been
as busy AZ onearmed man in a bum
oie6ee's nest. cain't see, igod, what's
wrong with this here seegyar. He's
went and brung about twenty-five Tor
rsys from two places knowed as Jer-
us'lem cove and Hatton's hell, to help
work his mine when he gifts 1t. They're
ali a-puttin' up with them Balls. The
Torteys is part Injun, Cherokee In
Jun, and I've heered It said at they
was as bad or wuss'n rattlesnake
broth"
Major Bradley blew a little cloud Of
smoke upward. "More Of the game of
blum. perhaps" he suggested.
I'm inclined to think So" thought
fully said Dale. "Well, wen avoid
trouble as long as we decently can;
and when we can no longer get around
It, we'll call In as much Of the law
as we can get, and meet 1t halfway.
Eh. HayesT"
Sure" nodded the mining expert.
Dale was on his way to the new
siding the following morning, when he
met Henderson Goff. Again Dale was
forcibly reminded Of stories he had
hsArd and read Of Mississippi river
steamboat gamblers Of the long ago.
Gon stepped out Of the trail, smiled
and spoke with apparent good humor.
Dale passed him without a word.
Then. the :hyster coal man called
out. Ready to sell YETI"
The Moreland Coal company's man.
ager halted and faced about with q
puckering Of his brows.
"For a fair price. yes"
"Just what would you call a fair
psice3"
"Oh, somewhere between two and
three hundred thousand" promptly.
Con shifted, and the corners of his
mouth came down.
"You don't want much. You won't
get II from mel"
sv hOpsf popf Pro,,, v>,,
Dale turned and went on. He was
sorry that he had stopped to talk with
the fellow.
That afternoon he again net Con-
in the trail. The be-e sight Of the
shyster made hin, very angry now, and
his right hand fell upon the butt of
the big revolver on his hip. Goff was
about to sidestep In the laurels. when
Daie caught him roughly by the arm.
See here" he said sharply, you've
about cut your little swath. We've
mad enough Of you. You can't get this
coal at any price, and the sooner you
gel yourself out Of this country the
better and safer it will be for you
40 he plain. Fm pretty apt 10 thrash
Jou the very next time / see you. Now
move on r.
Goff went OF laughing wickedly.
"Oh. all right, Dale; 60 ahead and
build the little road for me |" he said.
Late that night every sleeper In the
valley Of the Doe was awakened by q
great, rumbiing explosion, which was
followed almost Immediately by an
other great, rumbling explosion. Be
fore the reverberations had died
away. Bill Dale had dressed himself
and was standing on the vine-hung
front porch, and he was only few
seconds ahead Of John Moreland.
Then there came the tearing sound
Of heavy explosion miles to the east.
ward.
"Do ye know what It isl" inquired
the mountaineer.
They've stolen our dynamite from
the tobacco-barn. and blown up the Of.
Nee and supplies building and the com.
rissary building; also they've blown
up the big tresue near the siding"
Dale answered.
"'At's my guess, too" said More
land.
Within the next half hour Dale and
Hayes. Major Bradley, and the men.
folk Of the Morelands and the Little
fords had gathered around the wreck
OF the two big, unfinished frame build.
ings. Dale blamed himself much for
having left dynamite unguarded In the
tobacco-barn-but nobody else blamed
him for II.
-Its time to Jet the law in." he said
when he had viewed the jumbled mass
nj nh nd tt,,,t,n hx, fha
Hight Of lanterns. He turned to stat
wart Luke M0reland.
"YoU get on my horse and ride to
s ce-sersyllle for :he sheriff Tell him
he can get the best posse In the world
right here. u he needs one. It's the
proper thing, isn't II. majorr
"Yts. said Major Bradley. 'its the
proper thing. You've got real griev.