Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1921-07-14

upon reaching the shelter OF the trees
that lined the banks or the river with
out being seen. The stream here was
more than fifty yards wide; this was
Blue Cat shoals. The two lines Of
trees stood back a rod or so from the
water, making the nnal shooting dis
lance some seventy yards.
Drawled Heck: LES set down here
and watch It; hey7"
Dale was silent. The very air was
filled with the spirit Of tragedy. The
farOf tinkIe Of a cowbell seemed
tragic; tragic, too, sounded the song
OF a bird somewhere in the tree
branches overhead.
Ibid ye hear me, BillT
II think" Dale muttered, ''that I'd
better not go away until tomorrow.
can't leave matters like this. Do
you know Of any way to stop that
down thereT
BY Heck shrugged his shoulders.
"DO you know O. any way to stop
the risin' and settin' o. the SUM-" he
| grinned.
They went back to John Moreland's
cabin.
-
1t was altogether by accident that
the Littleford chief found his weapons.
He had dropped a small coin through
crack In the floor. Babe was quick
to say that she would crawl under the
house and look for the coin, although
she had just put on freshly laun-
dered blue-and-whlte calico dress. Her
anxiety showed plainly In her face.
Her father questioned her sharply, and
she stammered in spite OF herself. Ben
Littleford's suspicious were aroused.
So he came out from under the cabin
floor with his hands full OF the steel
of rifle barrels, and with the money
forgotten. He placed the rifles care
fully on the floor Of the porch, turned
and caught his daughter by the arm.
who hid 'emY" he demanded grutiiy.
II hid EN-" was the ready answer,
defiant and bitter-''I, mel What're
you a-goin' to do about it?"
Littleford flung his daughters arm
from him. He was king. even as John
MOreland was king. His keen eyes
stared at the young woman's face as
though they would wither 1t.
"What made you hide 'emT he
growled. SAY, what made ye do lt?''
ITO try and save human lives, ats
why!" Babe answered. "That man
from the city-what'll he think O. us
a-doin' this-away, a-fightln' like crazy
wildcats"
"Ef he don't like the way we do
here, he can go back home" retorted
the angry mountaineer. HE amt tied,
is he?"
Babe smiled a smile that was sonic
how pitiful. and turned on.
1.-THE amt no use in a-argyin' with
you, pap" she said hopelessly. IL
might nigh wisht was dead"
At that instant the gate creaked
open. Babe glanced toward it and saw
coming that black beast of a man,
Adam Ball the Goliath, and he was
armed heavily; In one hand he carried
new high-power repeating rifle, and
around his great waist there was a
new belt bristling with long, bright
smokeless cartridges fitted with steel
! jacketed bullets. :
-
When Dale and his companion
reached the cabin, Addie Moreland met
them. Anxiety was breaking her
heart.
"Mr. Dale" she pleaded, II want you
to go down thar to the river and see
eff the's anything We can do to stop
1t afore it begins. You jest walk out
bold In the open and We won't be shot
at, and I'll be obleeged to We. Oh, l.
know the amt but one chanst in ten
thousand, but I'm a-prayin yen strike
that one chanst."
Dale knew that he could do nothing
toward bringing peace, and he knew
that John Moreland would, be angry
at his interfering. But he nodded and
went toward the river. He didn't have
the heart in him to refuse.
Theu there came the keen thunder Of
q rifle shot.
Dale halted for moment. Between
two sycamores on the nearer side of
the river he saw a pun Of smoke ris-
ing lazily from behind water oak on
the farther side; a Littleford had fired
first. Dale went on, moving rapidly
and trying to keep himself always in
plain view.