The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-09-02

enough. Most feet. y'know, are neces-
sary evils, like chlmneys and rain
spoutsl"
Babe Littieford biushed. He went
on. to hide her confusion, "Tell me
about the rifles"
you must shore keep II a secret"
she told him.
Il promise"
Better put yore hook In, so's ef any
body comes along
Dale threw out an empty hook.
Il want to tell We some other things
fust, SOS yen understand better when
come to the part about the rifles,
Babe began, looking thoughtfully
across the water to where singhsher
sat In watchful waiting. she contin-
ued slowly, choosing her words care
fully, II was brought up to hate them
Morelands, butt don't think do. My
people is jest like the Morelands. The
biggest difference We can find is that
one side mostly has grey eyes like
you and t'other side mostly has brown
eyes like me. All but their eyeriastin'
tightin', they're good people, Bill Dale.
Each side, We see. is brought up to
hate t'other side. I'm ashamed to tell
II, butt understand the fust plain
words my Uncle Saul Littieford's last
baby said was these here: DIN John
Morelandi' 1t started long time ago,
and 1t started over nothin'. Grandpap
Littleford and John Moreland's pap
got In a dispute over whether Kahn
lucky was In yirginny or Nawth Ca
liner, and went to fightin' about II.
Purity soon my Uncle Saul and Abner
Moreland happened along, and they
went to iightin', too. Thank goodness.
II was on Sunday, and none OF 'em
didn't have their rifles with 'em. What
ever else we are or amt up here, Bin
Dale, we gen'ally respects the Sabbath
day TO keep 1t holy. y
Il see" Dale muttered sympathet-
ically.
1--WE seen my own mother set down
In the floor and take her boys head
In her lap--oh, such a big, fine boy he
was while the blood run through her
dress from a Moreland's bullet. He
died with mothers arms and mine
around him. 1t was all we could do
TO him, was to love him. I've seen sis
tiers watch their brothers die from
Moreland bullets, and young wimmen
watch their sweethearts die, and wives
watch their husbands die. !.
II tell you, Bill Dale, them More
lands never misses when they have
even half fair shot. You'd be puff
fectly safe In a-iettin' any OF 'em shoot
dimes from atween yore finger and
thumb all day. And it's the same way
with the Littlefords. They're fighters,
too, every one, and they don't give in
any more than the Morelands does.
"Addie Moreland knows what 1t Is
to take her dyin' boys head In her lap,
whilst blood run through her dress to
her knees. His name was Charley,
and he was bad he'd drink, and oncet
he shot up Gainesville. But Addie,
she allus loved him better'n Gale or
Luke. Wimmen like her allus loves
the worst boyS the best; cause they
need 1t the most, the worst boys does
ITS the wimmen that pays, Bill
Dale, when the's tightin'. The vim
men o. this valley is right now on
needles; they're afeard the menll find
their rifles. You can guess whar the
guns went to now, CANT We? The VIM
men hid 'em last night after the men
had gone to sleep! BY good luck, they
had almost whole night TO it. You
must be shore to keep 1t to yourself
but | know We will. Addie Moreland,
she started the idee. She got Granny
Moreland to spread the word amongst
the wimmen o my people. When the
tightin' fever sort o. dies down the
gunsll all be brought back and put
whar they belong"
She arose and stood there smiling
down upon him. He was staring at
the swirling water without seeing 1t
at all.
Her voice brought him to himself.
"Whatre you a-thinkin' about. Bill
DaleF' 49,"
Dale went to his feet. He saw that
she was smiling, and he smiled, too.
II was thinking" he said, "of the
difference between you and some other
women l know"
Her clear brown eyes widened.
And reckon l seem purity no count,
don't lP'
mo, not at all. 1t ts--er. quite the
opposite, Babe. You make them ap.
pear unreal, artificial"
Babe Littleford's countenance bright
ened. She did not doubt that he meant
1t. He was not of the sort that fiat
tered. She began to like Bill Dale at
that same moment.
And Bill Dale told himself as he
went homeward that he was beginning
to like Babe Littleford. He did moi
fight the feeling, because 1t somehow
made the world seem better place
Early the following morning Dale