The Mena weekly star., 1921-12-29

and all became dark to him; he pitched forward. gasping. and began to drift down the stream with the vanquished Ball
 Babe Littleford was standing in the water to her knees. When Dale sue cumbed to utter exhaustion. she start. ed toward him. to save him from drowning She felt strangely drawn toward the big, white, clean man whc had whipped the Goliath she had al- ways dreaded. But she had gone only few yards toward the center of the river when John Moreland and Sam Heck reached the unconscious figures.
 Heck dragged Ball to the Littleford bank and left him lying there, face downward, on the sand. Moreland half carried, half dragged Bill Dale to the l other bank. Babe Littleford waded out. She paid absolutely no attention to the worsted bully. She stood in- tently watching the limp form of Dale.
 "1s he dead, John Morelandr she called tremulously.
 ''No, Babe" Moreland answered, his voice not unkind; he ain't anyways nigh dead"
 He and Sam Heck took up Dale's dripping figure and bore it away. Babe Littleford ran to higher ground, hid herself behind a clump of sassafras and watched them.
 Granny Heck followed with Dale's coat and hat. She chattered all the way across the meadow
 Now what did tell ye, John and Sam7 What did I tell ye? La, la 1 Wasn't 1t master fight, like I said now wasn't it?"
 Sometimes ye make me a little tired, granny-woman," Moreland re- monstrated gently. The aIn't nothin' in forchune-tellin' You've jest been here fo' so long at you know how to Jedge the future by the past. And you're. a tol'able good guesser, too, reckon"
 Granny Heck fiared up quickly: "Ain't nothiD' in forchune-tellin' Now don't go and fool yeself, John Moreland. You listen to me about half minute, John. seed more in the cup an I told MT. Bill. seed blood and death. seed big fight atwixt the Morelands and the Littlefordsl"
 That's easy to guess at," John Moreland replied You know, o course, at Black Adam will do all he can to bring trouble to us on account O Bill Dale a-stayin' with us. And you know it ain't never onpossible to hatch up war atween us and the Lit tlefords. Jest run on ahead, Granny Heck, and tell my wife to hunt up some kind O good liniment fo' Bill's bruises. Tell her she needn't to waste time a-lookin' ID any bandages. This man here Is like me: he wouldn't wear bandages. cause they look bad"
 When Dale came back to state of consciousness, he was lying under covers in the carved black walnut bed. Beside him stood John Moreland, who held in one hand a bowl containing a hot herb brew that his wife had pre- pared. Granny Heck. her son By, and Mrs. Moreland stood not far away.
 This here'n be good fo' ye, think" said Moreland, nodding toward the bowl in his hand. He went over and put an arm around Dala's shoulders and helped him to sit up.
 Dale drank the stuff with difficulty.
 Much obliged" he muttered thickly. "l-let's see, did I whip-how did it endf He didn't lick me, did he--that fellow Ballr
 He shore didn't" smiled Moreland. Not by big sight. He fell out fust. Ills own pap won't hardly know him, Bill"
 News travels rapidly in the big hills. The Morelands began to gather at the home of their chief to see the man who had whipped Black Adam Bali: every moreland able to walk came to see Bill Dale. Fer three hours he was lionized, but he didn't enjoy 1t; the water had left many pains in his chest, and his head ached duly, and his hands still felt as though the bones were shattered in them.
 Came a thundershower that after noon, and the mountain evening feil with chill. A fire was made in the wide stone fireplace in 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 land:
 If your brother David could know, don't you think he'd want you to get the value out of the coal7'
 John Moreland bent forward to rest his chin in his hands. His sober grey eyes stared thoughtfully toward the fire.
 T ain't 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 it is."
 The mountaineer turned an fnquir- ing face toward his guest.
 'How in thunder could 1 handle It ef l didn't?"
 ''Why not let me develop it for youf" Dale said earnestly, eagerly. T won't charge you anything above ex- penses, and I won't be extravagant."
 It'd take consid'able money to start things a-movIn'. Have you got it?