Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1921-07-21
CHAPTER v.
At the River Again.

II learned" was the answer, "that
the Littlefords all lost their guns Just
as the Morelands did"
1.-THE devilw
The mountaineers began to crowd
about Dale.
And who" asked their leader, do
We think done It'll"
Bill Dale shook his head slowly and
threw out his hands.
/ "How should / known" He went
on Babe told me about the Littleford
guns disappearing. saw her down
at the river she was fishing"
did she say anything" pursued
John Moreland, "'at sounded like she
knowed whar them guns went tor
"She told me-" said Dale, "she would
give her life to stop the fighting. She
seemed rather badly worked up over
it."
From the cabins front doorway came
a woman's sorrowful voice:
And me, too; I'd give my life %
stop this here tightin'. | had q boy,
O big, strappin' boy"
1 John Moreland frowned toward his
wife and interrupted, "Now, Addie,
honey, don't do that"
1t ended the talk.
Mrs. Moreland dried her eyes on a
corner of her freshly ironed bingham
apron, and announced the MONDAY
meal. The mountaineers dispersed.
Grandpap Moreland went away claw
Ing at his long white beard and grum-
bling over the loss of his beloved Old
Lancaster.
An hour later Dale cornered the
Moreland leader on the vine-hung
front porch and suggested that they
look over the coal property that after
noon. He, was eager to go to work,
eager to be doing something worth
while, he told Moreland. The hillman
stood very still for what seemed to
the other very long time, and had
no word to say. Evidently the feud
had all his mind now.
When he did speak, he said simply
"All right, Bill"
After half an hour of fighting theii
! way through thickets OF blooming lau'
rel and ivy, they drew up before an
! old and mildewed cabin at the NORTH
end of David Moreland's mountain
Moreland led the way in and pointet
to spot under a small, paneless win
dow.
THAR" said he, sis whar we found
! Imy brother David"
The two men turned for the point
at which the coal vein ran out to TAI
light OF day.
, Dale picked up piece of the shin
ing black stuff. Judging by the LITTLE
. he knew and the great amount OF de
scription he had heard, the vein was
very large and the coal itself OF thu
finest grade.
: ut was a big find," he told his com
! panion, "a big find. 1t was pity Il
let 1t lie here untouched for so long
and yet it's worth more today than !
was ever worth before"
His enthusiasm ran warm, and More
land caught it quickly. Together they
hastily planned out the little railroad
that was to wind It's way through the
wilds and connect with the big rail
road at the Halfway switch.
II know I'm a-doin' right about 1t,
, the mountaineer said twice for the
benefit of his conscience. Il know
, pore David he would. want me to DC
=
} Pm sure of it," agreed Dale. III
start for Cincinnati tomorrow. I've
got enough money to take me there
and back. have very wealthy
friend there-his name is Harris;
think / can borrow enough from him
J to finance the beginning of this thing
land I'll buy locomotive and cars,
and all the other necessary machinery,
while Pm In Cincinnati-unless ! fall
TO get the money fror' Harris. When
! get back, which should be within
eight days, we'll start the work. At
, guess. I'd say wen need twenty
men. Can we get them?' =
"Shorep nodded the mountaineer.
| "An0 all NJ tudes
They turned homeward. AT last
BilI Dale was happy. He had some
, thing to do now--an aim In life. de
had difficulties to overcome, obstacles
!, to remove, barriers to surmount-it
was his big chance!
/.
: 1t was almost shutdown when Dale
returned from his visit to the coal
yein-Big Pine mountain hid the sun
at a little after three in the afternoon.
He borrowed fishing rod and min
now pail, which made his going to the
river seem proper enough to John
Moreland, and set out to meet Babe
I,ittieford. He was glad that nobody
expressed a desire to accompany him.
ne found Ben Littleford's daughter
where he had found her twice before
sitting on a stone the size of small
L.rroI Che was fishing with an I'M