New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-09-09
CHAPTER II
In the Cup.

IN tHc SuP.
Tale found the humble home of his
i.,ountpineeI host a home in the fullest
~,iiSc of the word.
Al the MONDAY meal, he me Mrs.
AiorciAud aud the sons of the house
;,"id. and they were exactly ms he had
s.ictured them. Mrs. Moreland was
.'uirt. mntherly, always smiling, as
s,ru stt und real AS her husband. The
Sous. catch and Luke, were as much
.,iite ~ the fingers N your hands;
..iey rerr tall and broad- shouldered,
grey eyed and brown-halred.
iicfpre sund"wn Dale had become
acquainted with the rest of the More
',ads. and he liked them, every one.
t'c was Mt the cabin Of his hosts gray
I'D father and mother for q long time.
When supper was over John More
'snd lighted the big glass lamp Ia the
''cst room. and the family and their
2dest gathered there to spend the eve
-,iue, Then the lanky moonshiner n
','s mother came In.
Granny Heck mad the sharp features
nd the stopped, thin figure OF II witch.
ste wore II faded blue bandana about
.ner white head, and she carried a long
'Ackory stun: there was "A reed
siemmed clay pipe IN her mouth, and
'.er lark calico skirt had a tobacco
,",ckct In It.
'lcr son preceded her Into the room.
uc walked 10 the center table. faced
'i,out. and said with Il low and airy
>wpep of his right hand:
"mill. old boy. this here's NAV. Nav.
,t.r tells forclunps."
"So this here" creaked Granny
sleek. looking over the brass rims Of
',cr ,I'ectacles, rs Mr.. Bill, Well,
Hcil' | Jest thought to myself AT I'd
c,m' up aud see ye. Mr.. BIN, and tell
acre furchuue."
81" dropped INTO the rocker that
t'uiri, had placed for her.
"Addie." she said to the smiling Mrs.
AIorcisnd. twill We bring me a cup half
'nil . coffee %gr0undsf"
When the cup came, the fortune
letter took 1t nnd shook IL and patted
q. NIL the while muttcring mysterious
words that she had learned from the
I'D indian. Cherokee, Joe - which
served her purpose very well.
u ,ce." she mumbled more or less
-'tulclirally. n pow'ful good-lookin'
etuH in u calilet dress. with her hair
= tnnsin' away down her back. A bare
.''pied gyurl. with big. purity eyes.
sues a-standin' IN n low cliff. a-peep-
m 1t you through the l%aurels, Mr..
tan This * Ia the past.
IN the future" she went on slowly.
sp this here rs plain n daylight
,hr0ush u kno.lole; a awful big man.
sch curly black hair and curly black
'"nrd. aud with eyes like u cliff
''Hwi;'s aud | see YOU, too, Mr.. Bin
'"d I see u fight. IA master fight--Lord
~ musSy. what a fight But youil
carry the gyurl after all. Mr.. Bill"
Dale laughed. The old woman had
.'scri,ed Babe Iittlcford. But who
.ras the "big. dark man? Some fell
sew who had lost his heart 10 the
."untain girl. perhaps.
when the Iiecks had gone. John
Aioreiand teamed forward and touci d
IDS guest "u the knee.
THAT thar big man mentioned In
."iltn' yore f~orchune." he said. might
- been Black Adam BALL. Blnck Adam.
''e-Lvss with his pap and mother a
.ew miie up the river. As big as
8 slIiH"ed ho-s. he l.. and plumb m
-cdly strong Hes been a-beggin' Babe
= Hu,fprl tn marry him TO n year or
vo. aud she won't listen to I'm.
"Ef ever 81 do hat to fight Black
AlHm." John Moreiand went on, "ye
aant g., fight him With n twoeyed
reieun and buckshot. He's the mean
Il man Vn earth. ~Snake-broth and
f.'zeu vine T. religious aside o. him.
Eat anici - begin a-makin' love to
s:al,e IIiilrford. | reckon the amt no
.rngrr ~ lol a-havin' trouble with
s:iaci. Adam. aud sou amt Likely. /
IKE It. &" ;lake love to Babe"
"Blt Babes the best one o. the Lit.
t'cfords." declared luke.
Iohn NoneIand reached for the
'-atherbOund old family Bible. lie
aened the Book NJ random.
Its about time We was a-goin' 10
-ar rest. and well GO jest as soon as
.c've had prayers. Mr.. Dale"
when half a chapter from st. Mat
,.ew had been iaboriously out reve--
atty read. the Morelands kneIt at
t,,eir chairs. and so did Bill Dale. John
AcreIand's bedtime prayer was very
simple. aud very earnest. and II had
o. It more of thanksgiving than Of
sHppiicsti"h. And n Part Of IL certain
~ was uncommon
Hess the stranger with US here to-
.ight. and all . our kinfoIks. and all
. our friends. and our Inimies. the
flttiefords-specisiiy the LittlefOrds.
Dale was deeply impressed. lie
heard Mrs. HoreIsBj dImly when she
I'D him to bet her kDOw-she would
hear hisa IL ne csIled-If there wasn't
s-ssqgh RIVER for his bed. Then he