The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-10-20
CHAPTER xIII-contlnued.

..h.s. The first was to remain J
and on guard until midnight, l
mo other was to 60 on duty from
.s.,oht until dawn. The second
~ with which was the he factions actions
- had nightcap Of the IT, Vltrlo Die
~, flung itself sprawlins on the
I'D and straishtway went 10 sleep'
sse first watch sat around the
.rsling brushwood fire and played
4, for chews Of tobacco, cartridges
4 uocket knives, sang strange ana
.,,ndish songs and drank more
Ssstv. One very drunk Torrey gam
q away all his tobacco, all his cart
~. bis knife, his rifle and his belt
coat and his hat, his boots and his
k,,t.-and offered to bet his trousers
h,s ears on the turn Of single
An Il was funny, and 1t was dis
,ting, too. 1t was all the work OF
hIsky, which Bill Dale had always
ted because it made men FOOLS made
"a mouth their secrets and made
n commit murder.
Alter some two hours of these worse
: bacchanalian orgies the first
,tch. heavy with drink, stopped play
cards and singing outlandish
nss forgot all orders and began ITO
4 Then It was that Dale though
ne man who had been his faithful
ardian for many days, the lanky
Heck. Why hadn't he thought OF
r. before? He wondered If Heck
4 followed him to the trap, If Heck
Z near him even then, if Heck had
he for help.
Il, Heck had not followed Bill Dale
Inc little basin. But ne had fol-
I'd Henderson Golf, and Henderson
n had followed Dale to the little
IN Golf had returned to the Big
81 Mountain country only that day
4 he knew nothing Of the plans of
Ball.Torrey faction until he wit
Led the mockery Of a trial. Golf
now crouching in the darkness on
low line Of cliffs to the eastward
q the walnut tree; and not far
lind him, we'll hidden in the black
ufela watching him and watching
Dale, crouched BY Heck.
Dsle's guardian had not gone fol
because he feared to leave Dale
nv unprotected in the hands o
sang Of cutthroats. He believed
1 he could rescue Dale himself
"a the first watch became littl'
II drowsy, he would steal up be
IA the tree and cut the cotton rope
4hn he realized that Golf had dis
elred entirely. He crept forwar
ntly, his eyes alert, and a momen
= be saw Golf stealing toward tn
hut tree. He climbed noiselessl
ID over the face Of the cliff an
sWed Golf like a shadow. Whe
II hands touched the tree, BY Hec
! within ten feet Of 1t. Heck mao
his rifle was ready and took al
R step forward, watching, liste'
NE shyster coal man leaned aroun
tee to the left. In the glow
low.burned FIRE the blade OF
In knife in his hand cleaned du
he whispered cautiously:
& You're In q fix, Dale. And II
~ Of my doing, either. Give n
= word that I'll get that coal pro
b for fifteen thousand, and I'll sla
y rope. How about it? Sick
y = country, aren't you?"
There came a few seconds OF silen
y w for the lusty snoring of the slee
j and the musical tinkle Of the lit
lek, after which Golf muttered q
polntedly:
We'll, then, hang!"
And Heck knew that Dale had
Ia 10 sell the Moreland coal for
~ even to save his life. AS u
lpped backward. the muzzle OF
hillman's rife went against
IN of his back, and the tall hiiln
l1pered hoarsely, through te'
ntly clenched:
Hash at rope, d--n yore so
~ 1t rope, or l wisht ] may q
Il l don't shoot yore backb'
! four thousand pieces, igod! Sl'
8e6 slaughtered in surprise. !
h muzzle went harder against
i and he knew It for exactly "
~. He moved a hand upws
= downward and the cotton r
severed in half dozen place.
n. iddy thar, now!" whispered
= and he began to back av
80 along WI me, ye dadslat
kbellied skunk. Bill he'll foil
~ three Of them hurried into
~ shadows. Soon Heck ma
and turned to Dale.
arch him TO a gun, Bill, old b
IA lifted from Henderson G
inland coat.pocket a blued
kaosed magazine pistol.
lns my eyes and blast my
{ Heck exclaimed In a mu
"He's plumb death on I
\ popguns, amt he? Say,
9sor ye shoots me with thing
Z and | And II out, DANCED ef I
ye ontel yore nose bloods;
"a you'uns. And eff ye Jest c
. noise, Mister Golf, the buzz
plck the meat often yore b
!. tomorer night"
luve, shyster" frowned
Heck led the way to the Ill
y the westward. They