Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1921-08-12

you when you're happy; and when you
fight, I'll fight with you.
The Moreland chief arose, and Bill
Dale arose. The hillman put out his
hand, and Dale gripped it.
Il believe in We, Bill" said John
Moreland. go another thing, I've
seed We fight. You can work the coal.
He looked toward the closed inner
door and called, "Oh, Addie; you and
the boys can come back now"
Out of the night face appeared at
one of the small windows 1t was a
feminine face and handsome rather
than pretty. Two slender, sunburned
hands gripped the window-ledge nerv-
ously. The face pressed closer to the
glass, then disappeared. Soon after
ward the outer door of the guests
room opened, and Ben Littleford's
daughter entered. Her skirts were
dripping wet.
Mrs. Moreland arose and went to-
ward the young woman. She knew
that only something of great impor-
lance could bring Littleford into her
home in this fashion.
whats the matter, Babe?"
Babe Littleford gave no attention
to Mrs. Moreland. She went on to
Bill Dale, walking softly on bare feet.
BLACK Adam is a-goin' to kill you
tonight, Bill Dale"
"That SOP" Dale's smile was rather
grim. "How did you find that out,
Miss Littleford?"
81 found it out, all right. AS he
went off from the river this mornin',
| made fun Of him; and he patted the
stock of his rifle and said he'd git you
through window! He was at our
house this eVenin' to help fix pap's
gun, and when he left he started this
way. a-goin' by the blowed-down syca-
more. I waded the river at Blue Cat
shoals to beat him here. thought you
might want to know about it, SOS We
could mebbe save other folks the trou-
BILE O. maxim a funeral TO- ye."
She backed toward the door, her
eyes never leaving Dale's face. Another
second, and she was gone.
They were all on their feet now.
John Moreland gripped DaIe's arm.
"Over thar aside O. the chimbley,
Bill |" he ordered, his native drawl for
the moment absent. "Out, Addie
money! Luke, bring my rifle and hat
jump keen Gale, bring water and
drownd this here firer'
1t was done. Moreland took his hat
and the repeater and went alone into
the night.
When some fifteen minutes had
passed, there came to Dale's ears the
sound of shooting. There were ten
shots in such rapid succession that they
made almost a continuous roar. Then
came echoes and reverberations, and
then silence. Soon John Moreland let
himself into the dark room.
His wife's voice was low and filled
with anxiety:
'What happened, John?'
A dull thud came through the dark
ness as her husbands rif1e-butt struck
the floor.
"This is what happened Addie: As
/ passed the cawner o. the house, got
down that thar old oxwhip to take
along. went acrost the road and into
the meadow, and thar seen Adam
Ball a-comin'. / hid, and when Adam
was about to pass me, | jumped UP
and jerked his rifle from him and
busted it ag'in a rock. Then lights
in and thrashes him. with the oxwhiI
ontel he broke and run. And zen this
here happened, Addie:
II was a-watchin' to see eff Adam
had RELY went off, when seed a man
a-comin' toward me fast | thought
| it was Ball, o. course. So 1 up and
tells him to show me how fast he car
| run and commences a-shoOtin' over
his head to skeer him. But it didn't
happen to be Adam Ball-it was Ben
Littleford! He was a-follerin' Babe
to see what she was up to, O. course
"How do We know it was Ben, pap?'
Caleb asked.
"How do / known growled John
Moreland "When got through a.
shootin', he hollers at me and says
Tomorrow, John Moreland,' he says
well have a little Gettysburg O. our
ownr And | might mind We, Gale, al
he keeps his word the same as / do
"And Littleford meant "a" began
Dale.
''That the'll be big fight tomor-
row." said Moreland. "Bill Dale, in
a-malzin' this land yore land and these
people yore people, I'm a-feard ye're
agoin' to git more'n We expected, meb-
be more'n We can handle. Do We want
to back out of it and let the coal go
or are We one O. these fellers who
chaws what they bites off eff it's q
hoss's head?"
"Pll stick" Dale's voice came firm
| ly in the darkness. 'Pll stick
CHAPTER w