Cleveland County herald., 1921-09-01
his Iuornin',

a-goin back now!"
 "Why?' Dale was smiling, and she was glad to note that he did not ap- pear to be grievlng over his misfor- tune.
 "3Cause the ain't," simply.
 But you'll go?'
 "Yes," she said, "in the mornin I'll go.n
 He bent toward her and held down his hand. "Good-by, little girl. I hope it will come out all right, and 1 be- lieve it will.
 Babe slowly lifted her hand to his. Her eyes were downcast.
 "Good-by," she told him brokenly. And l hope it will come out all right, too-God knows I 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 yine-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, sighede smoothed back her gray hair with both hands, and sat down beside her daughter.
 "I wouldn't worry about it, Babe, honey," she finally said. Then she too plueked marigod and began to tear it's petals slowly apart. Eff he killed Adam Ball, it was to save him self He's a good man, honey. l think he's about the best man I ever seed, Babe"
 >"No, he never killed Adam Ball to save hisself even" Babe replied. He's a fighter, but he ain't no killer. Listen mother it might ha' been this away:
 "He is ahind of a tree, and Adam is ahind of another tree. Adam shoots at his hat, and he shoots at Adams hat-which is the reg'lar way of a tWo-man fight, as you know. Well, suddenly Adam he jumps up like he's been shot, and falls a-groanin' and a-twistin'. Bill Dale, a-thinkin' he's killed Adam, comes out from ahind of his tree. Havin' drawed Bill Dale out into the open by his trick, Adm gits cIa I-;I oS Adam is about to shoot, somebody else shoots and kills Adam and saves Bill Dale-mebbe the ain't time fo' any thing else. Now don't ye see? And don't it all sound natchel, mother?"
 q reckon it does," granted the old woman. But who was it shot Black Adam?"
 Somebody who is a friend O Bill Daie's." said Babe Somebody who was a-follerin' Bill with the .idee O pertectin' him eff he needed it. Some 1 body who knowed it was dangerous fo' him to go off by hisself in the woods that away. I've got it reasoned our jest like this. And who- ever it was at was friend enough to Bill Dale to kill man to save him will be friend enough to own up when the proper time comes and keep Bill 1 Dale from a-bein' hung. Whoever 1t was lat done it is skeered bad now, but later on he'll shore tell it. ef it'll save Bill. You. jest wait and see, mother.
 q haint never fo'got," Babe went on, after a moment "about Black Adam Ball a-tellin' me about a-workin' that same trick on man over in Nawth Ca'liner-and he killed the man. The law never found it out. And ye see what Black Adam got. Who lives by the sword shall perish by the sword It's in the Good Book, mother honey; and everything in the Good Book is God A'mightys truth, as you know"
 ''Ef was pinned down to guess who it was at done it," drawled Mrs Lit tleford, "Td guess it was By Heck He was a plumb fool about Bill Dale. His nav she says he talks in his sleep about Bill Dale. He was allus a-fol- lerin' him around like 3 tawg."
 Babe pointed to the meadow An aged and stopped and witchlike wom- an was limping slowly through the clover, coming toward them.
 Granny Heck" muttered Babe.
 The neighborhoods newsbearer and fortuneteller Hmped on up to the cabin. and dropped to the stone step beside Ben Litteford's wife and daughter.
 La, la, lal'' she panted for the days were warm. And hain't it jest turrible! I wisht I may die this min- ute ef I wouldn't might nigh as soon see my own son go to jail But 'en it'n all come out right yit, Babe. seed it in the cyards. and l seed it in the cup. Babe, honeydumplin" he never no more killed Adam 'an 1 killed him myself. I tell ye. the's been some awful ongodly work done, somehow. l know Bill Dale, and the shore hain't