The Adair County news., 1921-09-27
CHAPTER XIV.
Tried,


Two days before Bill Dale was tried
In court at Gainesville the new Eliza
beth LittlefOrd alighted from an after
noon train at the Halfway switch. She
was dressed in a smart and neatly
fitting suit of dark blue, with lacey
white at her throat and at her wrists !;
she wore a hat of dark blue relieved
by touch of white. In one of her
strong and well-shaped, gloved hands
she carried a travelling bag Of black
leather
A big and sunburned young man in
boots and corduroys FASTENED to her.
He raised his broad-rimmed hat,
smiled, took the bag, and pressed her
hand as though he was very glad to
see her.
'Bill Dale!'' she cried joyously above
the roar of the passing train. Bill
Dale, it's you!"
"Sure, it's me-" laughed Dale. "How
good you look! I can hardly believe
it's you"
"Bgt it is" she smiled. "Tell met
trial is going to beF'
Dale noted that her English had i'm
proved, and it was gratifying to him.
AS for the trial
II don't know" he said. But Ma
jOr Bradley thinks I'll come clear. He
believes that somebody that was hid
den on the moutainside above us shot
Ball to save me. By Heck hinted that
| hn ic fho
he intimated that would stand bet
ter chance of acquittal than anybody
else would stand, and that if I re-
ceived a sentence the right man
would come forward with a cOnfes-
sion. 1 have an idea that By Heck
himself killed Adam Ball-that is, If
didn't do it."
"And Gale Moreland-wasn't 1t fine
for him to do what he done for you.
Bill Dale? How are you gettin' along
with the miner"
First rate" Dale answered, bright
ening at once. "We're shipping now.
And we're getting a smashing price
for every ounce Of it."
81 see," said the young woman. He
went on:
"An of the boys and girls of the
Morelands, except the very little ones,
are in school at Gainesville, and
they're learning fast. When our bor-
rowed capital is paid back, the More
land families are going to buy farms
lying near Gainesville and go to them.
A big lowland farm close to good
schools and a good little town-well,
there are worse places on earth. Pity
poor David MOreland can't know about
it."
I'D say!"
She hung her head. She was think
ing, as she had so often thought be-
fore, of her own benighted people.
And the Littlefords?" she muir
INJURED. 1t had slipped past her lips.
Dale and the Morelands owed the Lit
tlefOrds nothing.
Dale understood. and he gave her
a sympathetic glance.
"A few of the boys and girls of the
Littlefords are going to school in Car
/! tersville, perhaps one from each fam
ily," he told her. 1T is rather ex-
pensive, you know, on account of the
!! boarding, and they can't afford to
send all their children. However,
thnk-ultimately-y people will
have their chance for education. too. :.
But it won't do much good to edu,
J cate one out O. each family" said Eliz,
abeth. They'd come straight back
here when they got through with their
schOOlin', and soon fo'git-I mean for.
get lit all. If they make their learn
in pay 'em anything, they'll have to
stay where they can use it"
She began to stare absently toward
her well-shod feet.
"Are you ready to gO?" Dale asked
Elizabeth LittlefOrd raised her head
with a slight jerk and said rather awk
! wardly:
HAS the valley changed much?"
"Not very much," answered Dale
There's a new log church, where al
old minister named Ashby Gross
/ breaches the gospel of straight walk
ing and human kindliness every Sun
} day. Henderson Golf isn't here an!
I more, but he sent me his address il
/ case we wanted to sell the mine! Tit
. Torreys have gone back to Jerusalem
!: cove and Hatton's hell, and the Ball:
s are as quiet as mice. These, believe
I are all the changes worth mentioning.
Together they set out and walked
without saying much, to the crest O.
; David Moreland's mountain, and there
they halted The autumn sun, a grea
: red ball of fire, was just setting beyond
!; the majestic Big Pine.
I Dale pointed to long, mOss-covereC
! slab of brown sandstone.
| Lets sit down there and rest" h
suggested. you're tired, Babe,
/ know. Don't mind my calling yol
Babe do your
She looked at him as though sh'
/ were surprised at his asking that. The!
I sat down.
!: Bill Dale suddenly leaned toward he
I and took one of her hands; and h
I didn't take it as Jimmy Fayne hat
done-as though he were afraid OF il
] "You know 1 love you, don't yoI
II Babe?"