Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-09-01

L1eI eyes Hlleu. OHc was ~ Sldu Lhdt
they, too, loved him. 1t was worth 60
| ing to jail to know that one was loved
like that! Not that it didn't hurt to
see him going to Jail, of course. Jail
and horror are words that mean the
same to the mountain dweller.
She went on TO tell him good-by
| She knew it would be hard, but she
| steeled herself; she would be a Little
ford, and strong. He saw her coming,
and he turned his bay horse and rode
to meet her, She stopped and clasped
her hands, with her arms down full
length, and tried to smile at him.
you promised me-" he said gently,
''that you'd go back to Patricia and
finish your education"
81 keep my promises" was the quick
reply, "jest like every other Littleford
that ever lived kept their promises. 1
would ha' went back this mornin',
eff it hadn't ha' been"
And there she broke off abruptly.
After a silent moment, she continued
sadly, half tearfuIly: "And yet-and
yet-the's not a bit O. use in me
a-goin' back nOwi"
"Why?" Dale was smiling, and she
was glad to note that he did not ap-
pear to be grieving over his misfor-
tune.
"'Cause the amt" simply.
'But you'll go?"
"Yes," she said, "in the mornin' I'll
60"
He bent toward her and held down
his hand. "Good-by, little girl. 1 hope
it will come out all right, and l be-
lieve it wilI.'
Babe slowly lifted her hand to his.
Her eyes were downcast.
"Good-by," she told him brokenly.
"And hope it will come out all right,
too-God knows 1 do, Bill Dale"
Thus they parted. Dale RODE back
to the sheriff and Major Bradley, and
a minute later the three of them start
ed for the lowland and Cartersville
Jail.
When a bend in the dusty ox-wagon
road had hidden them from view,
Elizabeth Littleford turned homeward.
Her mother followed her.
The younger woman dropped to the
stone step at the vine-hung front
porch with the air of one who is very
tired. plucked a full-blown marigold
and began absently to tear it's petals
slowly apart. Mrs. Littleford looked
out across the meadows, sighed,
smoothed back her gray hair with
both hands, and sat down beside her
daughter.
II wouldn't worry about it, Babe,
honey" she finally said. Then she
too plucked a marigold and began to
tear its petals slowly apart. EFF he
killed Adam Ball, it was to save him.
self. He's good man, honey. 1 think
he's about the best man 1 ever seed
Babe"
mo, he never killed Adam Ball tc
save hisself even," Babe replied
Hes a fighter, but he amt no killer
Listen, mother, it might ha' been thi:
away:
''He is ahind of tree, and Adam i:
ahind of another tree. Adam shoots
at his hat, and he shoots at Adams
hat-which is the reg'lar way of 6
twO-man fight, as you know. Well
suddenly Adam he jumps up like he's
been shot, and falls a-groanin' anC
a-twistin'. Bill Dale, a-thinkin' he.
killed Adam, comes out from ahind o1
his tree. Havin' drawed Bill Dale ou
into the open by his trick, Adam giti
ready to shoot and kill him. Jest a.
Adam is about to shoot, somebody elst
shoots and kills Adam and saves Bill
Dale-mebbe the amt time fo' any
thing else. Now don't We see? AnC
don't it all sound natchel, mother?"
Il reckon it does" granted the ole
woman. But who was it shot Blacl
Adam?"
Somebody who is a friend o. Bill
Dale's," said Babe. Somebody VIII,
was a-fOlerin' Bill with the idee O
pertectin' him eff he needed it. Some
body who knOwed it was dangerous
fo' him to go off by hisself in tn,
woods that away. I've got it reasoned
out jest like this. And who
| ever it was at was friend enough t,
Bill Dale to kill a man to save hin
, will be friend enough to own up whel
the proper time comes and keep Bill
Dale from a-bein' hung Whoever /
was at done it is skeered bad now
but later on he'll shore tell it, eff it'll
save Bill. You jest wait and see
mother.
h1
on, after a moment, about Blacl
Adam Ball a-telin' me about a-workin
that same trick on a man over IL
Nawth Caliner-and he killed tn,
man. The law never found it out
And We see what Black Adam got
Who lives by the sword shall perisl
by the sword It's in the Good Book
; mother, honey; and everything in tht
Good Book is God A'mighty's truth, a
you know"
EFF / was pinned down to guess wh'
it was 'at done it, drawled Mrs Lit
tleford, I'D guess it was By Heck
He was a plumb fool about Bill Dale
His NAV she says he talks in his sleeI
about Bill Dale. He was auus a-fol
lerin' him around like dawg"
Babe pointed tn the meadow. Al
aged and stopped and witchlike won
an was limping slowly through tn
, clover, coming toward them.
Granny Heck muttered Babe.
The neighbOrhOod's newsbearer ant
fortune-teller linn ed on up to tn,
cabin, and dropped to the stone steI
beside Ben Littleford's wife ant
daughter.
la, la, la" she painted, for tn,
days were warm. And hain't it jes
, turrible! l wisht ] may die this min
= ute eff l wouldn't might nigh as sool
see my own son 60 to Jail! But 'eI
it'll all come out right yit, Babe.
seed it in the cyardS. and seed it IL
: the cup. Babe, honeydumplin", h,
never no more killed Adam 'an 1 killed