The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-07-14
The
CLAN CALL
Continued from preceding page)

|NLAN GALL
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died with mothers arms and mine
around him. 1t was all We could do
TO him. was to love him. I've seen sis
ters watch their brothers die from
Moreland bullets, and ysung wimmen
watch their sweethearts die, and wives
watch their husbands die. :.
IL tell you, Bill Dale, them More |;
lands never misses when they have
even half'a fair shot. You'd be puff
fectly safe In a-lettin' any Of 'em shoot
dimes from atween yore finger and
thumb all day. And It's the same way
with the Littlefords. They're fighters,
too, every one, and they don't give in
any more than the Morelands does.
"Addie Moreland knows what 1t is
to take her dyin' boys head In her lap,
whilst blood run through her dress to,
her knees. His name was Charley,
and he was bad he'd drink. and oncet
he shot up Cartersville. But Addie,
she allus loved him better'n Gale or
Luke. Wimmen like her allus loves
need 1t the most, the worst boys does.
Its the wimmen that pays. Bill
Dale, when the's tightin' The wim-
men o this valley Is right now on
needles; they're afeard the menIl lind
their rifles. You can guess whar the
guns went to now, CANT YET The wina-
men hid 'em last night after the men
had gone to sleep! Ry good luck, they
had almost whole night TO 1t. You
must be shore to keep 1t to yourself
hut | know We will. Addie MOreland,
she started the idee. She got Granny
/ Moreland to spread 'he word amongst
the wimmen o my people. When the
! iightin' fever sort o dies down the
guns'll all be brought back and put
| whar they belong"
She arose and stood there smiling
| down upon him. He was staring ut
the Swirling water without seeing 1t
! at all.
Her voice brought him to himself.
"What'rc you a-thinkin' about Bill
Dale
Dale went to his feet. lie saw that
xhr was smiling. and he smiled. too.
Il wss thinking he said, "of the
Inference between you and some other
women l know"
Her clear brown eyes widened
"And I reckon seem purity no count,
don't III
mo, not at all. 1t is-er. quite the
opposite, Babe. You make them ap-
pear unreal, artificial"
Babe Littleford's countenance bright
! H.. u; 80 h,t ha nf
1t. He was not of the sort that fiat
tered. She began to like BIZ Dale at
that same moment.
! And Bill Dale told himself as he
went homeward that he was beginning
to like Babe Littleford. lie did moi
fight the feeling, because II somehow
made the world seem a better place
Early the following morning Dale
made ready for his journey to Cincin-
| natl. Having learned the evening be-
fore that he was going. BY Heck had
come to accompany him to the Half
way switch.
The two set out. They had three
hours In which to cross David More
| lands mountain before the arrival Of
Dale's train, and they walked lei
surely.
They had not gone zen rods
| when there came from somewhere
! down near the river the sound Of q
| rifle shot. Both stopped and faced
about quickly.
"Pll be dadgummed ef the Little
fOrds amt found their weeponsW ex.
claimed BY Heck. "They have, igod,
as shore as danpit 4"
How do you know7" Dale's voice
was troubled.
81 shore know" and Heck narrowed
his gaze "'At was Ben LittiefOrd's
old 40 Winch. I'd know that gun eff
j heered 1t at the nawth pole. The
bari it's been cut Off. and 1t don't
sound like other Wlnchesters"
caleb MOreland was down near the
river cleaning out the springhouse
ditch" Dale muttered, facing his CON-
panion. 81 think we'd better 60 back"
Together they went back 10 the
cabin. John Moreiand and his wife
! and their son Luke were standing at
the weatherbeaten front gate, with
their eyes turned anxiously toward the
river. Caleb was coming up through
'be ultduOW, huu he carried MS nat In
his hand.
'Who fired that shotT asked Dale.
"Ben Littleford." John Moreland an
swered readily.
Two minutes later Caleb leaped the
old rail fence on the other side Of the
road and approached them hastily. He
was breathing rapidly and his strong
young face was drawn and pale-with
the old hate.
WELL" said his iron father, what
is it?"
Caleb held up his broad-rimmed
black hat and ran finger through q
hole in the upper part Of the crowns
peak.
HE didn't missr snapped John
MOreland.
NO." quickly replied Caleb, "he
didn't miss. He don't never miss. You
know that, pap, as well as ye know
God made Hp dnna {f iacf IN ohoxu