The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-09-02


the Littlefords all lost their guns just
as the Morelands did"
"The devil r.
The monntaineers began to crowd
about Dale.
"And who." asked their leader, "do
| We think done itY'
/ Bill Dale shook his head slowly and
threw out his hands.
How should l known He went
on: Babe told me about the LittlefOrd
/ guns disappearing. / saw her down
at the river she was fishing"
did she say anything pursued
John Moreiand, Sat sounded like she
knowed whar them guns went tot"
"She told me-" said Dale, "she would
| give her life to stop the fighting. She
seemed rather badly worked up over
| H."
/ From the cabins front doorway came
a woman's sorrowful voice:
.And me. too; I'd give my life to
stop this here fightin'. i had boy,
a big, strappin' boy"
John Moreland frowned toward his
wife and interrupted, NOW. Addie,
honey, don't do that"
II ended the talk.
Mrs. Moreland dried her eyes on q
| corner Of her freshly ironed gingham
apron, and announced the MONDAY
meal. The mountaineers dispersed.
Grandpap Moreland went away claw
ing at his long white beard and grum-
bling over the loss OF his beloved old
! Lancaster.
An hour later Dale cornered the
Moreland leader on the vine-hung
front porch and suggested that they
look over the coal property that after
noon. He was eager to go to work,
eager to be doing something worth
while, he told Moreland. The hillman
stood very still for what seemed to
the other a very long time, and had
no word TO say. Evidently the feud
had all his mind now.
When he did speak, he said simply:
"All right, Bill"
After half an hour of fighting their
way through thickets OF blooming lau-
rel and Ivy, they drew up before an
old and widowed cabin at the north
end OF David Moreland's mountain.
Moreland led the way In and pointed
to spot under a small, paneless win
dow.
THAR" said he, us whar we found
my brother David"
The two men turned for the point
at which the coal vein ran out to the
light of day.
Dale picked up a piece of the shin
ing black stun. Judging by the little
he knew and the great amount of de-
scrlption re had heard, the vein was
very large and the coal itself of the
finest grade.
lit was big find" he told his com
panlon, "a big find. 1t was pity to
let II lie here untouched for so long ;
and yet it's worth more today than 1t
was ever worth before"
His enthusiasm ran warm, and More
land caught It quickly, Together they
hastily planned out the little railroad
that was TO wind its way through the
wlids and connect with the big rail-
road at the Halfway switch,
II know I'm a-doin' right about 1t, !"
the mountaineer said twice for the
benefit of his conscience, II know
pore David he would want me to do
this eff he could know"
I'm sure of It." agreed Dale. "Ill
start for Cincinnati tomorrow. Eve
got enough money to take me there
and back l have very wealthy
friend there--hls name is Harris;
| 4 ush him
to finance the beginning Of this thing
!, And Ill buy locomotive and cars
and all the other necessary machinery
while I'm In Cincinnatl--unless | fail
TO get the money from Harris. wher
! get back. which should be within
eight days, Wen start the work. Al
guess, I'D say Wen need twenty
men. Can we get themT"
+. "Shore." nodded the mountaineer
. And all Morelands at that"
!. They turned homeward. At las
Y Bill Dale was happy. He had some
!. thing 10 do now--an aim in life., III,
q bad difficulties to overcome, obstacles
; tc remove, barriers to surmount--i
e was his big chancel
y
= 1t was almost shutdown when Dial,
returned from his visit to the Goa
d vein-Big Pine mountain hid the SUI
u at little after three In the afternoon
He borrowed fishing rod and min
=, now pail, which made his going 90 tn
river seem proper enough to Joil
d Moreland, and set out to meet Bah
lie Littieford. He was glad that nobod
re expressed desire to accompany him
lie lie found Ben LittleforFs daughte
1T where he had found her twice before
et sitting on a stone the size OF sma
7e barrel. She was fishing with an ur
baited hook, which was equal to fisl
80 al al AKA ,Y,o .+,o,,, a ~. =.