New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-10-14


drills, and explosives. In the mean
time, you and l can stake out the
way for the track"
1t sounded ~businesslike, Dale
thought.
Within the hour John Moreland and
his son Caleb started for Gainesville
on foot. and in the older mans pocket
was money sufficient to buy the things
that were needed.
Dale and Hayes set out for the north
end of David Moreland's mountain,
and each of them carried a hand-ax
for making stakes.
1t was not often that the quiet Hayes
permitted himself to go into raptures
over anything; however, he went In
to raptures owe the Moreland coal.
1t was, he declared, one of the best
propositions he had ever seen. Ii
was determined 10 get possession OF
1t, he said.
Then they e to work.
BY shutdown two days later they had
tiiVoSh liz u " IL buubS
railroad and set stakes accordingly.
Hayes told his general manager that
with a good force of men the last rail
could be put down within two months.
During those two days they had
several times seen Henderson GOff in
company with Black Adam Ball and
some of his relatives. Once they had
come upon GOtf talking earnestly with
Saul LittlefOrd, the big, bearded, gaunt
brother of the Littleford chief. Hayes
reminded Dale of this, and said to
him further:
"Gon will have the Littlef0rdS on
his side the first thing you know!
Maybe some of the L%ittlefords, as well
as some of the Balls, knew about this
coal before David Moreland got his
mountain by states grant at a few cents
per acre. II you'll take my advice, Mr..
Dale, you'll make friends of these two
sets just as quick as you can"
Dale thrust his hand-ax inside his
belt and turned 10 The mining expert.
"D'you know, | was thinking of that
tii ann 'itb N'h Fl''h't nv ~
piled. And | believe | Fan manage it,
now that Miss L|ittleford's accidental
wounding has given the old feud such
II big blow. I'm fairly sure | can man
age it SO far ms Ben Littleford is con-
cerned; it's John that's going to be
hard to bring TO taw. lie should be
home this evening, if he's had good
luck, and I'll tackle him as soon as he
comes"
Together they started across David
M%orcland's mountain, walking rapidly,
with Dale leading.
Darkness anne down on them when
they had covered half the distance.
The great hemlocks and poplars
doomed spectral and gaunt in the early
starlight. The almost impenetrable
thickets of laurel and ivy whispered
uncanny things, and their seas of pink
and snowy bloom looked somehow
ghostly. Now and then there was the
pattering of some little animals feet
on the dry, hard leaves of bygone
years. A solitary brown owl poured
its heart in weird and melancholy
cries to the night il loved. There was
the faint, far-off baying of a hound,
and the soft swish of u nighthawk's
wings.
Men from the core of civilization
feel these things of the wilder
ness. .
Suddenly Dale drew back and stood
still. In the trail ahead, standing as
as the trees about him, was
the tall figure of a man. II was almost
as though he were there to bar the
way.
The two went on slowly. The figure
didn't move Dale spoke, and the form
came to life. 1t was by Heck he was
on the muzzle of his rife.
"lt's you, is it. Bill. old boyr" lie
sluggishly. 81 was a-waitin'
here fo' you. | reckon | must ha'
went t sleep %a-standin' here on my
I've got news. Bill"
"Out with it,"
"Iye been a-trnilin' Henderson Con
MI day" Heck said In guarded tones.
He's shore got them lowdown Balls
belieyin' they're already million
II knew that" said Dale. That's
rot news"
But that amt ALL" BY Heck went
m. "Goff's got Saul Littleford. too
ock, stock, BARI and sights. He owns
Saul jest the same as 1 own my Old
coon dawg Dime. Saul he
its him a job a-bein' mine boss. and
what other Littlefords at will stick a
jobs a-diggin' the black di'mont at
wO dollars a day. Asides, all of 'em !
to have a big lot o. money when J
he dividin'-up time comes, says Goff."
Much obliged to you. By" Dale ac- $
inowledged. Let's go; bout face.
I'm goin' to tie a hard knot In !
hat yillainous game OF Henderson
They reached John Moreland's cabin o
ess than an hour later. Moreland S
nd his son had just returned from !
'artersville, and Dale learned through
that the two hillmen had shown r
God judgment and some business v
in making their purchases. $
When the evening meal was over
bale drew John Moreland out to the
abin yard. where the many old-fash- il
med flowers made the night air sweet Z
their blended odors. for a mo- h
lent Dale stood looking toward the L
cry bright stars and thinking; then h
e told the big man at his side OF
+onrs plan concerning the LittIefords, v
nd strongly urged the making of q
-iendship between the two clans.
The snakei" mumbled John More q
nd. 8
He appeared to be worried about it. d