Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-09-01

f9Tir eyes turned anxi0lsly toward the
river. Caleb was coming I'D through
the meadow. and he carried his hat I'm
DTS hand
who tired that shotT' asked Dale.
ben Llttleford," John Moreiand an
swered readily.
Two minutes later Caleb leaped the
old rail fence on the other eide Of the
road and approached them hastily. He
was breathing rapidly and his strong
young face was drawn and pale-wtth
the old hate.
-well." said his iron father. what
In ffT"
Caleb held ND his broad-simmed
black hat and ran a finger through a
hole In the upper part OF the crowns
peak.
-He didn't missr" snapped John
Moreiand.
"No." quickly replied Caleb, -he
didn't miss. he don't never miss. You
know that, pap. as well as ye know
God made ye. He done Ii Jest to show
me he meant what he said. He told
me TO go and tell You TO gether up
yore set o. rabbit-hearted heatherns
and come down to the river 70 lead
and-powder picnic. oniess ye was q
skeered TO comet He said TO tell re
the wimmenfolks had hid our guns,
and we'd ind 'em onder the house
floors"
John Moreland took Il with utter
calmness. though his face was a little
pale behind his thick brown beard.
He turned TO his wife, who looked at
him squareIy.
-Addie. honey" said he. I'm mighty
sorry"
"Ef-ef you was much sorry, John, +"
Mrs. MOreland half sobbed, "ye
wouldn't go down thar TO the river"
"Me a cowardY" MoreIand appeared
20 grow an inch In stature. ME let q
Aatfieford send me news aike this here
Wnich Gale brings, and not do nothin'
at all about it7 I thought you knowed
me better'n that. Addie."
+ He faced his two stalwart sons. Al
ways he was the general, the leader
OF his clan. He sent Caleb In one d.
rection and Luke In another, to arouse
his kinsmen.
Then he beckoned to Dale, who had
been trying hard but vainly to think
OF something to do or say that would
be Of aid to the cause of the women.
81 don't want you In this here mix
up." he said decisively. "You must
stay clean out OF II. You amt used
TO this way o. tightin'. Asides, you're
our hope. More'n that. mebbe, you
owe yore life to Babe Littleford; you
cain't get around that, Bill Dale"
He went on. after q moment, "Ef I
git my light put out today. l want ye
TO do the best ye can with the coal.
But o. course We will. I want We to
do me two favors, Bill Dale, ef 1 have
my light put out today. VIII ye do
'em TO me. my friendT'
Certainly" Dale promised.
,''Much Obliged to We, shore. The
fhst is this: ] want ye to take good
pay out o. what the coal brings, pay
TO yore work. The second is this: 1
want We TO go to Ben Littleford after
I'm done-pervided he Is yet alive
and tell him about the end o. my bed.
time prayer; ! want him to know 1
went him one better, at was q big
ger man inside AN him. Remember.
Bill, you've done promised me. Now
you go ahead TO Cincinnaty, and do
jest like ye didn't know the least thing
about this trouble we're a-goin' to
have. So long to ye, an good luck I"
II don't like the idea"-Dale began.
when the big hillman interrupted
sharply:
Go on! fou CANT do no good
bereF"
Heck started. Dale turned and fol.
gowed the ianky moonshiner; there
seemed TO be nothing else 70 do.
when they had reached n point a
little way above the foot OF David
Aoreland's mountain. the pair halted
and looked back. They saw the Little.
fords and the Moreiands. every one %
them armed, going toward the river.
IL had strange and subtle fascina-
ton for Bill Dale. a fascination that
he did not then try TO understand.
AS the fighters reached dangerous
ground they dropped to their hands
and knees and began to crawl through
the tall grasses. the ironweed and the
meadow clover. They were intent
upon reaching the shelter OF the trees
that lined the banks of the river with
out being seen. The stream here was
more than fifty yards wide; this was
Blue Cat shoals. The two lines OF