Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-10-06


fight, and a fight for a good cause,
and every man of it was eager for
the fray.
Bill Dale bore himself proudly, and
he rode like IA man born to the sad
die. He found Il queer joy-a JOY
that frightened his steel-grey eyes
and flushed his sunburned cheeks, a
joy that he didn't even attempt TO
Understandable the thought:
For this one day am clan chief;
l am leading my own people against
n foe. in my own country"
And so overwhelmingly did the idea
take hold of him that he wished. even
then, for the repeater that awaited
him at his office back in the heart of
the mountains. Once his conscience
asked him questiOn-and he an
swered it with another question. Was
he doing that which was right? Might
not the LittlefOrds all be killed by
those drunken cutthroatS while he
was waiting for the arrival Of a COM
pany of militia from city miles dis
tant?
Anyway, the militia would fight. His
clan would do no more than that. He
satisfied his conscience quickly.
When they had reached the lower
end Of the cleared valley, there came
to them the sounds of slow firing, the
firing of snipers. Each man kicked
his horses flanks and rode faster,
When they came in sight of the he
sieged building, they saw puffs of DOW
ter-smoke rising lazily from the upper
windows and from the mountain side
above and to the right Again they
kicked the fianks of their horses and
rode faster.
At John MOreland'S old cabin they
dismounted hastily and turned their
horses into the drab meadow. With
Dale still leading, they hurried on foot
to the rivers nearest bank and went
rapidly, under cover of the thickly-
standing sycamores, to point within
seventy yards of the office and sup-
| plies building. Then they made dash
across the open space. and Ben Lit
| tleford, with one arm bound I'D in a
red-stained blue bandana, opened the
door for them.
who else is hurt?" painted Dale.
Little Tom" answered Littleford,
"and Saul. Little Tom, he got a bull
let onder the shoulder. Saul, he got
one in might nigh the same place.
They've riddled the whole t'other
| cido ~ +ha bo,1co to cy,Jin+ore 1,bo,-,,.a
a-callin' fo' you"
They'll get all they want of me, "
Dale growled.
He turned and ran I'D the rough
stairway, and Ben Littlef0rd and the
! Morelands followed close upon his
heels. At the front and side windows
behind anything they had been able
| to find that would stop bullet, 4knelt
Littlefords with rifles in their hands
patiently watching for human target
to appear on the mountainside above
Saul and Little Tom lay in a corner
where they were fairly safe from
chance bullets. Hayes had bound uE
their wounds as well as he could with
the material at hand. They were
both white and helpless and suffering
but still full of the old LittleforG
fighting spirit.
Dale seized his Winchester ant
belt of cartridges from the hands OF
the man who had brought them tt
him, and turned to the others. A bul
let crashed through the wall anC
lc-%,,,, all 1T l. l.
no attention to it.
Listen to me. boys" Dale wal
buckling his cartridge-belt with rapid
steady fingers. From where they ar,
hiding, the Balls and Turner's cal
hardly see the lower story OF thi
building. Wen go downstairs, opeI
the front door, and run to the edgt
of the laurels at the foot of the noun
tain. Then We'll turn to the right
make a wide detour, and get abovt
the Ball outfit; We'll be fighting down
hill instead of uphill. Get me? Ar
you all ready?"
To a man. they were ready.
They reached the thick under
growth without being seen by the en-
emy While the Balls and Turner
fired more or less aimlessIy at tn
building, drank white whisky an,
called drunkenly for the surrender t
them of Bill Dale, >Bill Dale and hi
men were making their way steadil
in a wide half-circle up the side o
David MOreland's mountain.
| Half on hOI1T. flor. +har ho1 Iaf+ r.,
Office building, Dale had stationed hi
men, deployed as line of sl1irmishers
behind Sheltering trees some two huI
dred feet above the Balls and thei
. kinsmen.
John Moreland, Ben LittIeford an
Bill Dale were not far apart. Its
shame TO do it," said Dale. II sweal
we can't shoot men in the back lik
| this!"
John Moreland, twisted his mout
into a queer smile of contempt, an
so did Ben Littleford. They knew
far better than their leader, the way
[ of that people without principle. TIL
Balls and Turner's wouldn't hesitat
to shoot them in the Dacki
Well" John Moreland replied, an
it was almost a sneer, I'VE might G
down thar and give 'em some cand!
and kiss 'em, and ak 'em won't the
, please surrender ~
Dale leaned around his tree, a grea
gnarled chestnut, and called boldly:
you've got a chance to surrende
now-and you'd certainly better tax
it quick" !"
One of those below yelled surprised
ly: Whore yOu?" Then they a
whipped TO the other side of thei
sheltering timber.
The answer came at once: I'm Bi
Dale, and I'm peeved! You're at tn
mercy of the finest hill clan that eve
looked along rife barrels; will yo
surrender, or fight it outf"
You said it-Well fight ii out