Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1921-09-22

swered 1t with another question. Was
he doing that which was right7 Might
not the Littlefords all be killed By
those drunken cutthroats while he
was waiting for the arrival OF a com
pany Of militia from a city miles dis
tant?
Anyway. the militia would fight. His
clan would do no more than that. He
satisfied his conscience quickly.
When they had reached the lower
end Of the cleared valley, there came
to them the sounds Of slow firing. the
firing Of snipers. Each man kicked
his horses tanks and rode faster. )
When they came In sight OF the be-
sieged building, they saw pufFs Of pow
tier-smOke rising lazily from the upper
windows and from the mountain side
above and to the right. Again they
kicked the tanks Of their horses and
rode faster.
At John MOreland's old cabin they
dismounted hastily and turned their
horses into the drab meadow. With
Dale still leading, they hurried on foot
to the, rivers nearest bank and went
rapidly, under cover of the thickly-.
standing sycamores, to a point within
seventy yards Of the Office and sup
plies building. Then they made dash
across the open space, and Ben Lit
tleford, with one arm bound up in a
red-stalned blue bandana, opened the
door for them.
"Who else is hurt2 painted Dale.
"Little Tom," answered Littleford,
"and Saul. Little Tom, he got bull
let onder the shoulder. Saul, he got
one in might nigh the same place.
They've riddled the whole t'Other
side O. the house to splinters. They're
a-callln' TO YOU"
They'll get all they want Of me-"
Dale growled.
He turned and ran up the rough
stairway, and Ben Littletord and the
Morelands followed close upon his
heels. At the front and side windows,
behind anything they had been able
to find that would stop a bullet, knelt
with rifles in their hands,
patiently watching for human target
to appear on the mountainside above.
Saul and Little Tom lay in a corner,
where they were fairly safe from
chance bullets. Hayes had bound up
their wounds as well as he could with
the material at hand. They were
both white and helpless and suffering,
but still full of the old Littleford
lighting spirit.
Dale seized his Winchester and 1
belt of cartridges from the hands Of
The man who had brought them to
1im, and turned to the others. A bull
et crashed through the wall and
struck the floor at his foot; he paid
40 attention to 1t.
Listen to me, boys" Dale was
his cartridge-belt with rapid,
'teady fingers, 'From where they are
hiding, the Balls and Turner's can
hardly see the lower story Of this
building. Wen 90 downstairs, open |
he front door, and run to the edge
# the laurels at the foot Of the noun
ain. Then wen turn to the right,
make wide detour, and get above
he Ball outfit; wen be fighting down
ill instead of uphill. Get me? Are
'ou all ready?"
To man, they were ready.
They reached the thick under
rowth without being seen by the en-
my. While the Balls and Turner'S
red more or less aimlessly at the
uilding, drank white whisky and
allied drunkenly for the surrender to
hem Of Bill Dale, Bill Dale and his
len were making their way steadily
a wide half-circle up the side Of
)avid Moreland's mountain.
Half an hour after they had left the
flee building, Dale had stationed his
len, deployed as line OF skirmishers,
ehind sheltering trees some two hum
red feet above the Balls and their
insmen.
John MOreland, Ben ~EittlefOrd and
I'LL Dale were not far apart. TITS q
hame to do It." said Dale. II swear,
e can't shoot men in the back like
lisi"
John MoreIand, twisted his mouth
ito queer smile OF contempt, and
, did Ben LittIeford. They knew.
ar better than their leader. the ways
! that people without aprinciple. The
aIls and Turner's wouldn't hesitate
, shoot them in the back
"Well," John MoreIand replied. and
was almost sneer, sye might 60
own thar and give 'em some candy.
nd kiss 'em, and Ak 'em WON'T they
lease surrenderl''
Dale leaned around his tree, a great
larled chestnut, and called boldly:
You've got d chance to surrender
you'd certainly better take
quick |"
One Of those below yelled surprised
I: Who're your Then they all
hipped to the other side of their
lettering timber
The answer came at once I'm Bill
ale, and I'm peevedl You're at the
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