Cleveland County herald., 1921-09-22
CHAPTER Xiii-Continued.

and the other was to go on duty from midnight until dawn The second watch, with which was the faction's leader had nightcap of the vitriolic whisky, flung itself sprawling on the ground and straightway went to sleep.
 The first watch sat around the cracking brushwood fire and played cards for chews of tobacco, cartridges and pocket knives, sang strange and outlandish songs and drank more whisky. One very drunk Torrey gam bled away all his tobacco, all his cart ridges, his knife, his rifle and his belt his coat and his hat, his boots and his shirt-and offered to bet his trousers and his ears on the turn of a single card 1t was funny, and it was dis gusting, too. It was all the work of whisky, which Bill Dale had always hated because it made men fools, made them mouth their secrets and made them commit murder.
 After some two hours of these worse than bacchanalian orgies the first watch, heavy with drink, stopped play ing cards and singing outlandish songs, forgot all orders and began to nod. Then it was that Dale thought of the man who had been his faithful guardian for many days, the lanky By Heck. Why hadn't he thought of Heck before? He wondered if Heck had followed him to the trap, if Heck vas near him even then, if Heck had gone for help.
 By Heck had not followed Bill Dale to the little basin. But he had fol lowed Henderson Golf, and Henderson Golf had followed Dale to the little basin. Golf had returned to the Big Pine Mountain country only that day and he knew nothing of the plans of the Ball-Torrey faction until he wit messed the mocllery of trial. Golf was now crouching in the darkness on the low line of cliffs to the eastward from the walnut tree; and not far behind him. well hidden in the black laurels, watching him and watching Bill Dale. erouehed By Heck
 Dales guardian had not gone for help, because he feared to leave Dale utterly unprotected in the hands of the gang of cutthroats He believed that he could rescue Dale himself When the first watch became a little more drowsy, he would steal up be- hind the tree and cut the cotton rope.
 Then he realized that Golf had dis appeared entirely. He crept forward silently, his eyes alert, and moment later he saw Golf stealing toward the walnut tree. He climbed noiselesSly down over the face of the cliff and followed Golf like a shadow. When Goff's hands touched the tree, By Heck was within ten feet of it. Heck made sure his rifle was ready and took an other step forward. watching, listen ing.
 The shyster coal man leaned around the tree to the left. In the glow of the burned fire the blade of small knife in his hand gleamed dull red. He whispered cautiously:
 "Youre in fix, Dale. And it's none of my doing, either. Give me your word that I'll get that coal prop erty for fifteen thousand, and I'll slash LHt rope. TOW dDOul IL. t9ith VI this country, aren't you?
 There came few seconds of silence save for the lusty snoring of the sleep CTS and the musical tinkle of the little creek, after which Golf muttered dis appointedly:
 Well. then, hang Y
 And Heck knew that Dale had re- fused to sell the Moreland coal for song even to save his life. As Goff stepped backward, the muzze of the tall hillmans rife went against the small of his back, and the tall hillman whispered hoarsely, through teeth tightly clenched:
 Slash at rope, d--n yore soul Slash 'at rope, or I wisht l may drap dead eff I don't shoot yore backbone into four thousand pieces, igod Slash iti"
 Golf strengthened in surprise. The rifles muzzle went harder against his back and he knew it for exactly what it was He moved hand upward, then downward and the cotton rope was severed in half dozen places.
 ':Stiddy thar now!' whispered By Heck. and he began to back away. Come along wi me, ye dadslatted, banjer-belled skunk. Bill he'll foller.
 The three of them hurried into the deeper shadows. Soon Heck halted Golf ant turned to Dale.
 Starch him fo gun. Bill old boy"
 Dale lifted from Henderson Goff's rigbt-hand coat-pocket blued and stub-nosed magazine pistol
 Dang my eyes and blast my for rard!'' Heck exclaimed in muf1ed voice. Hes plumb death on them little popguns, ain't he? Say, Golf, ef ever ye shoots me with thing like that and I find 1t out, danged ef l don't spank ye ontel yore nose bloods; Now, les go. you'uns. And ef ye jest cheep out noise, Mister Golf, the buzzards will pick Che meat offen yore bones afores tororref hightu
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