The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-09-16
lItriefola's ealln ny ss-s sAss sss

n EFFE. X q
iii was o simple thing that brpnsas
i us together. John Morelands htts@
nephew was lost tn the woods apd bis
mother was frantic. There ar# pam
Tiers. you know, and wildcats. rottlers,
and coppeFheads. was for unats
enough 10 6nd the boy. and carried
MIN nome. 1nat was all. They're y
6ne people. my boy. and so are the
LIttlcfords. Good old English bIOasi
that somehow wandered OF. Theirs
40 purer. cleaner blood In Ameyscs.
sir.
"And now--how are you gpsling
along with your plans for the sDens
ton Of the coal miner
.ExcelIentiy." answered Dale, ~W@
have the necessary finance; a gearsd
locomotive and cars and light stssJ
rails have been bargafned for"
Good r. Bradley gave Dale hearty
slap on the shoulder.
4 -srhere's something else wanted To
say, Mr. Dale" he continued, his
veice grave. You're nearly cerfsis
to have q barrel Of trouble with Q
shyster coal man named Henderson
GEO. He's villain, SIR, II ever there
was one! And he's quite the smooth
est article I've ever seen. He can
make you believe black IL white, IL
only you'll listen TO him long enough
els he-has he been here recentiyT
Dale wanted 10 knew.
He's here now" answered the ma.
jor. Hes bean here for three dmya
and he's beem working devilment fast
He was mp hsxe last summer, txyina
20 buy the Morssasd coal Ger song.
he knsws ali tine pespie. yeu see. 40
soeg - he landed here 90 this pres
emf trip. he found oas about sysur In.
sentions. Then, nj nsssG ne freed
Adam Ball from his tebacco earn pris-
en-, and went some with hin-.
swell, BY Heck followed them and
did some eavesdropping-p eof By has
his streng psintsl'' the major went
on aGoff learned that Adam Balls
father knew about the coal vein long
before David Moreland discovered II
and got lawful possession Of the noun
tain. Then Golf made the Balls be-
lieve that they wen. due a big share
Of the proceeds of the Moreland coali
II wasn't very hard to do, guess. The
Balls, this set, at least, were originally
lowlanders: they took to the noun
tains, | understand. TO keep from be-
ing forced to fight during the CiyR
war"
COTS idea" muttered Dale, ais to
get the Balls to scare me into selling
instead of developing, chr"
Exactly" nodded old Bradley.
sThen he wouln settle with the Balls
by giving them o dollar or two day
for digging csal; perhaps he would
put them Off until the mine was
worked cut for half of that, and then
skip. Anyway, Con- would come out
at the big end"
al see" said Dale.
"H there's anything that Can do,
at any time. you won't hesitate to let
me known said the major.
"You may consider yourself attorney
and legal adviser for the Moreland
Coal company. of which have the
honor to be general manager smiled
Dale, 'ff you WILL"
Major Bradiey's voice came happily,
"My. dear boy. ] am glad to accept
And there shat be no charge for any
service that may render"
They were not long in reaching the
green valley. which lay very beauti.
full and very peaceful In the warm
light Of the early July sun. The soft
murmuring OF the crystal river and
the low, slow tinkfing of the cowbells
made music that was sweet and pleas
Ing.
Suddenly John Moreland stopped.
uttered swearword under his breath,
turned and went back to Dale.
'"The's a man a-waitin on us ahead
thar, BILL" he drawled, "at We shore
want to watch like a hawk to keep
him from a-stealin' the eyeteeth out
O. yore head. His name is Hender.
son Goa, and he wants coal"
They went on. Soon they met a
"ANNt AZ SAotihhS anu Z.
made Dale think of stories he had
heard and read of Mississippi river
steamboat gamblers of the long ago,
His eyes were black. and as keen as
q pair of spear-pcints; his mustaches,
too, were black, and they had sharp,
upturned ends like those of Mephis.
70. The major had said that he was
smooth article; he certainly LOCKER
Ii.
He met John Moreland with an Oil,
smile and thrust out his hand Blu
Moreland wouldn't see the hand, a
Anything we've got to say ahout
coal,' he growled, we can say to Bin
Dale thar" pointing M.sn calousec
thumb. Bill he's the high light a.
the whole business; and when he
opens his mouth. sye can cock wore
In, ~ q