Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-10-06
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Last Emit

1t was early in the morning, and
Bill Dale had just sent for Ben Little
ford. The hillman hurried to the Of
fee, for he believed he knew what
was in the air. He had already gone
to work at the mine, and his thick
beard, his face and his hands were
black with the dust of coal.
''Sit down, Ben," said the general
manager Were going to hold a
council of war"
Littleford took chair and crossed
his legs.
rs it the Ball outfit?' he drawled.
"Yes," answered the younger man.
and forthwith he told the other of the
news that By Heck had brought him
few days before; he had not given
the matter really serious considera-
ton until that morning. Now" he
finished, 81 want to know whether you
think there's any danger?'
Littleford tugged at his blackened
beard and frowned.
y BILL" he said. soberly. do you
rickollect what John Moreland told
you oncet about them Balls? He told
ye at you wasn't safe, and at he
wasn't safe, ontel they was dead and
buried didn't he? l believe he did.
BY Heck says the's a whole big passel
o. them Nawth Ca'liner Turner's; he's
shore them and the Balls'n outnum-
Der US more'n two TO one Yes. the's
danger, Bill, and specially to you.
They think it was you killed Adam,
and they don't think the law handed
'em a square deal at the trial.
'Then listen to this plan,' said
Dale.
''Pll keep BY Heck up the river
watching for them. He will have
three sticks of dynamite tied together
and capped and fitted with a fuse. If
he sees them coming this way in any
thing like a force, he will fire off the
dynamite SIS signal to US. Our men
will gather here in the upstairs of this
building, and bar the doors
"Oh, Bill" moaned the old fighter,
you shorely don't think we'd ever let
'em git to the doors!'
II hope they don't, certainly -
smiled Dale. where are your rifles,
Bin?"
"At the mine," said Littleford. "Ye
see, Bin, we've been a-lookin' TO
trouble"
Dale went on: "At By Heck's sig
nal, I'll get on my horse and ride to
the lowlands for the Morelands. | can
get them a lot quicker than / can get
competent help from the law. What
do you think of it?"
Its good plan, l reckon
growled Ben Littleford, "only 1 DOM
cotton very easy to the idee o. Us
a-runnin' from the mine. to this here
buildin'. 1 never did like to run from
any man wO'th durn, Bill"
"But that wouldn't be cowardly,'
Dale protested. 1T would be purely
strategic move, and it would save
lives for us. For, when the Balls ant
their kins1hen come, you'll have to de
liver me into their hands or you'll
have to fight like the very devil, that:
sure; and, according to By Heck's fig
ures, they outnumber you more thar
two to one"
"All right" LittlefOrd replied, will
a shrug of his huge shoulders. what
ever you say, that same Wen do"
So By Heck was sent for, and short
ly afterward he sneaked into the lau
aIc o1F 81 hn 10
ment of the Balls. In the crook of his
arm he carried his rifle, and inside his
shirt he carried three pieces of dyna
mite all ready for the match-and ht
chose every step with great care fol
fear of jarring the explosive too much
He had not been gone an hour wher
Bill Dale heard a dull, smOthered rOal
from somewhere to the northward
Dale sprang up from his desk, ran tt
his ready and waiting horse. mounted
lOwland.
Dale arrived at John MOreland's big
white farmhouse u little before tn,
middle of the day, and hallOed Justify
at the gate. John Moreland and hi:
two sons hurried out in response tt
the call. Dale waved aside all greet
ings and inquiries after his health
and told that which he had come Il
| tell. The elder Moreland turned quick
| ly to his two stalwart sons
'@Guns and hosses, boys! It'n bt
our last fight, and les be at it anC
make it a good fight"
Less than five minutes later tht
three erstwhile mOuntaineers rode on
at the barnyard gate with full belts o
cartridges around their waists ant
with repeating rifles across the pom
mels of their saddles, and joinet
Dale. The four haStened to the home