Cheyenne Wells record., 1921-12-01

| Ana there she broke on apruWy.
| tt.r . silent moment, she continued
sadly half tearfully: "And yet-ano
vet-the's not . bit o use In no
a.goin' back nowl"
"Why?" Dale was smiling, ana sne
was glad to note that he did not ap'
near to be grieving over his mistof'
tune.
",Cause the amt" simply.
..But you'll gor ~,
"Yes" she said, ''in the mornin' I'll
60" .,u,
hts hand, "Good-by, little girl. nope
II will come out all right, ana DO
lieve 1t will"
Babe slowly lifted her hand TO hs'
Her eyes were downcast.
"Good.by," she told him prokeniy.
"And hope 1t will come out all r'sh''
too-God knows do, BIZ Dale"
Thus they parted. Dale rode back
to the sheriff and Major Bradley, ana
n minute later the three OF them start
ed for the lowland and Carters'ilie
Jail.
When a bend In the dusty ox-wason
road had hidden them from Fiew'
Elizabeth Littleford turned home"ar".
Her mother followed her.
The Younger woman dropped to the
stone step at the vine-huns front
porch with the air of one who Is very
tired plucked n full-blown marigoid
and began absently to tear Its petals
slowly apart. Mrs. Littleford iookeo
out across the meadows. sigheu'
smoothed back her gray hair win
both hands, and sat down beside hef
daughter.
81 wouldn't worry about 1t, Babe.
honey" she finally said. Then she
too plucked n marigold and began to
tear Its petals slowly apart. "Ef ne
killed Adam Ball, 1t was to save MN
self. He's a good man. honey. l think
he's about the best man l ever seed.
Babe"
"No, he never killed Adam Ball to
save hisself even," Babe replied.
Hes a fighter, but he amt no killer.
Listen, mother, 1t might ha' been this
away:
HE is ahind of a tree, and Adam IL
ahind of another tree. Adam shoots
at his hat, and he shoots at Adams
hat-which Is the reg'lar way OF a
twoman fight, as you know. Well.
suddenly Adam he jumps up like he's
been shot, and falls a-groann' ana
a-twistin'. Bill Dale, a-thinkin' he's
killed Adam, comes out from ahlnd OF
his tree. Havin' drawed Bill Dale out
into the open by his trick, Adam gifts
ready to shoot and kill him. Jest as
Adam Is about to shoot, somebody else
shoots and kills Adam and saves BIZ
Dale-mebbe the amt time TO- any
thing else. Now don't We seer And
don't 1t all sound natchel. mother?"
~ reckon It does" granted the old
woman. "But who was 1t shot Black
Adam"
Somebody who is friend o BIZ
Dale's," said Babe. Somebody who
was a-follerin' Bill with the idee O
pertectin' him ef he needed 1t. Some
body who knowed 1t was dangerous
TO him to go of by hisself In the
woods that away. I've got 1t reasoned
out Jest like this. And who
ever 1t was at was friend enough to
Bill Dale to kill a man to save him
will be friend enough to own up when
the proper time comes and keep Bill
Dale from a-bein' hung. Whoever 1t
was at done 1t is skeered bud now,
b,,< Ia o,, hosI1 sh1ra toll of ft'n
save Bill. You Jest wait and see,
mother.
II haIn't never fo'got." Babe went
on. after moment. "about Black
Adam Ball a-tellIn' me about a-wOrkin'
that same trick on man over in
Nawth Ca'liner-and he killed the
man. The law never found 1t out.
And We see what Black Adam got.
Who lives by the sword shall perish
by the sword It's In the Good Book,
mother. honey; and everything in the
Good Book is God A'mighty's truth, as
You know"
"Ef was pinned down to guess who
1t was at done it." drawled Mrs. Lit
tleford. "Id guess 1t was BY Heck.
He was plumb fool about Bill Dale.
His nav she says he talks in his sleep
about Bill Dale. He was allus a-fol.
lerin' him around like dawg."
Babe pointed to the meadow. An
aged and stopped and witchlike wom-
an was limping slowly through the
clover, coming toward them.
"Granny Heck" muttered Babe.
The neighborhood's newsbearer and
fortune-teller limped on up to the
cabin, and dropped to the stone step
beside Ben Littleford's wife nnd
daughter.
La. la, Ia" she painted, for the
days were warm. "And hain't It Jest
turrible! I wisht I may die this min.
ute eff I wouldn't might nigh as soon
see my own son go to jail But 'en
It'll all come out right yit, Babe. I
seed 1t in the cyards, and seed 1t in
the cup. Babe, honeydumplin", he
never no more killed Adam AN killed