Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-09-22

Torreys on suspicion and took them
away without trouble.
The two Balls and the two Torreys
we're lodged in the Gainesville jail
and offered their liberty and exOnera.
ton from all blame in the dynamlting
affair if they would give the names
of the other guilty parties and appear
against them. The mountaineers de-
cIared stoutly that they knew nothing
whatever of the matter, and when
pressure was applied they grew sullen
and refused to talk at all.
1t was plain to Flowers that they
did know something about it. and he
finally ordered that they be kept in a
cell on a diet of bread and water until
their tongues lOosened. At which the
Balls and Torrcys swore loudly and
swore that they would rot in Jail
first-unless their kinsmen came and
shot up the town and liberated them
by force!
ITO me that is proof that you four
are guilty." grimly smiled the sheriff.
.'And if your folks want TO try storm
ing the Jail, let them. a full conf
pany of militia can be rushed here
within an hour, at any time, and We'll
give your folks all the fun they want"
1t may be recorded that the four
hilImen never confessed.
Bill Dale, closely Swallowed by one
Ianky Samuel Heck with his Inevitable,
ever-ready rifle went among the work
ers with a cheer that he did not feel.
For Caleb Moreland was in Jail. and
Caleb Moreland was innocent. But
there was one sincere delight for
Dale: Hayes was driving the little
railroad ahead with all his might and
all the might of his men. Hayes was
in high favor with those under him;
they worked even harder when he was
absent than they worked when ne was
standing over them.
The days ran on, and there was no
sign of hostile demonstration from
the Balls and Torreys Judging from
appearances, they were wholly satis-
fed with Caleb Moreland's being in
jail.
Henderson Golf had disappeared.
Dale hoped that he was rid Of the man
for all time, but he wasn't Golf was
not so confident as was Major Bradley
that he could establish his innocence
in the matter of the dynamiting of the
two buildings and the trestle. He
wished very much to steer clear of
arrest, for reasons of his own, and he
WIS bidlng his time in a little town
In western North Carolina. When the
dynamiting affair had blown over, he
would go back and try again, perhaps
by an altogether new scheme, to get
himself into possession Of the More
land coal.
Then there came to the neighbor-
hood man whom no Moreland, and
none of the Littlefords, had ever set
eyes upon before. He was very un-
couth mountain man, with long black
hair and shaggy beard; his clothing
was outlandish and ragged. He had
not much to say; there was about
him, somehow, an air of mystery.
Two days after his arrival, in the
afternoon, the stranger met Dale mid
way between the Halfway switch and
the opening of the coal vein, and
stopped him with an unpraised hand.
do you know good coal when ye
see it?" he drawled.
"Why?' asked Dale, on his guard.
The stranger looked sharply in all
directions, as though he wished to
make sure that no person was within
earshot of them. Evidently salts
fed, he drew from a trousers pocket |
a shining black lump of coal, which |
he held out for Dale's inspection.
.What do We think o. this here?" he
wanted to know.
Dale took the lump and examined |
Il closely. 1t was apparently as good
as the Moreland coal, which had sent
the expert Hayes into raptures. Dale
then looked closely at the stranger.
lie appeared to be- honest; his gaze
was steady, and seemed very inno-
cent.
"where did sou get thisi" Dale
asked.
The alert eyes narrowed. do We
think this here vein you're a-fixin' tc
mine is the only vein In the whole
"where did you get this?" Dale re-
peated.
"Do We think" drawled the other,
sat I'm plumb fool enough to give
my find away 70 nothln'7 l been pore
Ill O. my life, misterl"