The Meridian times., 1921-08-26
ci4APTEh iii--contInusd.

tt WMGA AfWtS IulifS bnSk 10 BNAIE GT
raasciousness, he was lying under
cevers in the carved black walnut bed.
Beside him stood John Moreiand, who
held IA enc hand bowl containing
h@e herb brew shat his wife had pre-
p@Ted. Granny Heck, her son By. and
Mss. Moreland stood not far away.
~This here'll be good TO- We, think
aaad Moreland. nodding toward the
bswi In his hand. He went over and
pus an arm around Dale's shoulders
and helped him to sit up.
Dale drank the stun with difficulty.
-Much obliged he muttered thickly.
'F--iet's see, did / whiphow did II
endf He didn't lick me, did he-that
1sfIow Ballr'
sHe shore didn't" smiled Moreland.
mot by big sight. He fell out fust.
Ass ewn pap won't hardly know him.
nsiii"
News travels rapidly In the big hills
The Morslands began to gather at the
Aoane OF their chief TO see the man
WHO had whipped Black Adam Ball !;
every Moreland able to walk came 10
zee Bill Dale. For three hours he was
iioniEed, but he didn't enjoy IT; the
water had left many pains In his
chest, and his head ached duly, ard
his hands still felt az though the bones
were shattered In than.
Came a thundershower that after
noon, and the mountain evening fell
with chin. A fire was made In the
wide stone fireplace I'm the guests
room, and when supper was over the
family gathered there with Dale, who
refused TO be kept In bed.
After a few minutes OF silently
watching grotesque shadows fit across
the log walls, Dale said to John More
lsndt
III your brother David could know,
don't you think he'd wnnt you TO get
the value out OF the cwal7"
John Moreland benz forward to rest
his chin In his hands. His sober grey
eyes stared thoughtfully toward the
fire.
Il amt never looked at It that.
away" he SAID.
That's the right way to look at it,
declared Dale. "But you shouldn't
sell the property as 1t Is"
The n.ountaineer turned an inqulr-
Ing face toward his guest.
How In thunder could handle 1t
ef | didn'tf
why not let me develop It for
your Dale said earnestly, eagerly. II
won't charge you anything above ex-
penSss, and won't be extrayagant."
'Is'd take considerable money to start
things a-moyin. Have you got it7'
asked Moreiand.
'.No, but | can get ii. Almost any
Ioody would be willing to lend money
en- 80 good q thing as this, y'know."
For a little while Moreland sat there
and looked squarely nj Dale, who re-
turned his gaze without a sign Of
fiInching. The hillman was trying to
Aud motive.
Hog comes 1t al you, who ain't
,kRswed us but two days." be de.
@&@A1Nht NaA o% 81 thuNu iAt LCbtcu
ln uaf'
Tha question demanded straight.
fsrwAFd answer. Dale realized that
there was but one way in which he
could give q satisfactory explanation
and chat that was by telling the truth
but not tha whole truth, as he
sarmised IL, fos then his efforts would
ge fOs naught.
Moreiand was speaking again, aR6
his eyes were brighter now.
II agree at David would want ui
10 develop the coal, ef he could know
1t'm nks light a-breakin' to me. Bu
xhat coal is sacred TO US, Bill Dale
saaA afore ye go any fu'ther I'll hat
it@ ax ye to tell me all about yeself
"A city man up here In the wilderness
De dent look s'plcious, Bill, nebbe
lbwt--well, hopes ye can pardon m'
10 akin it, shore got to be keer
,faI about Brother Dayid's coal. Addi'
and the boys'I 90 out and leave jes
sas rwo in aere; and when ye're a.talk
81 10 me it's the same as tafkin 20 |
geslfstone - Ter as telliE' is ceo