Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-09-15

and looked TO his right and 10 his left
Dale saw him, and cried out In sur
prise:
Caleb"
i Caleb MOreland walked straight, his
head up and his shoulders back. a
splendid picture OF virile young man
hood, to the end Of the corridor. be
gripped two of the doors hated bars.
bars that had long been worn smooth
by other human hands; he pressed his
smoothly shaven. sunburned face
against the iron, and smiled.
"How are ye a-feelin' by this time,
Bill7 It's some HI of place. amt
| itT"
Dale took a step toward him. We'll,
queens boudOir is nicer. What are
you doing here, Caller"
"I've come to set you Free" said
Caleb Moreland.
Dale stared unbelievlngly. "But
that is impossible, Gale. How could
you set me free?" ..-..t
Call Tom Flowers. and I'll sight
ye."
Dale called, and the officer came inn
mediately. Caleb Moreland turned
from the cell door and faced him.
I've come here to own up to the
KILN O. Black Adam Ball." began the
young hiuman.
He swallowed, went a trifle pale I'M
der his tan, and continued bravely:
Bill Dale thar, he never done it. |
am the one at done it. Bill he shot at
Adam, but he missed-Adam had done
shot at Bill fust, y'onderstand, Tom.
But l didn't miss. | don't never miss.
I'm plumb tombstone shot. They
allus rules me out at any shootin'
match. I'd ha' owned up to II yeste'-
day, but the thought O. Jail had me
skeered bad. jest CANT let as good
man as Bill Dale thar suffer TO a
thing l done myself. So you let him
out, Tom, and put the right man in
thar"
Flowers had a good heart, and this
touched it. But he was not very much
surprised.
"Tell US about it, Caleb" he re-
quested.
Caleb looked toward Dale, then he
faced the lord of Cartersville's little
prison again.
"Well shuriff, when seed Bill Dale
go off toward the trustle by hisself
and alone, / knowed right then he was
in danger O. bein' laywayed by some
O. them thar lowdown Balls and
Cherokee Torreys. SO l decides to
foller after him and gyard him, with
out him a-knowin' anything about 1t,
which same / done. When he met
Adam Ball"
He broke off abruptly.
Go on" urged Flowers.
81 reckon | won't" smiled Caleb,
and his eyes were still twinkllng. II
reckon won't do no more talkln' jest
now Yes. l reckon the proper place
60 me to do my big talkin' is in the
co,tehouse at my trial. Lock me up
will We Tom?"
"WeW see," said Flowers.
Forthwith he dispatched a deputy
for Judge Carter and Major Bradley,
who FASTENED to the jail.
An hour later OdleD hOTeidHu was
the occupant of the cell at the end Of
the whitewashed corridor, and Dale
was mounting his bay horse Fox to
ride back into the heart of the ever
lasting hills. He arrived two hours
after nightfal. The Mor1Iands were
glad to see him, and the Littlefords
we're glad to see him. There was re-
iojcing there in the broad valley that
lies between David Morelands noun
tain and the Big Pine. Everybody had
been expecting him, and many were
the pairs of eyes that had been watch
ing for him. He found himself sud-
denly wishing, with tightening at his
throat, that his father could know
how much bigger and how much bet
ter II was TO be thus esteemed than
to be wealthy.
Luke took charge of his tired horse
and led It away to the old log barn
and to some fifteen ears of yellow
corn. Luke's father escorted him
proudly, the guest of honor, in to one
of Addie Moreland's Incompatible old
fashioned suppers, which was none
the worse for being late. Several
Littlefords sat at the long. home
made table.