Taiban Valley news., 1921-11-11
CHAPTER v-contlnued.

Then came puff of white smoke
and a report from one of the More
land rifles, then shots from both sides
= and the battle was on. Dale heard
the nasty whine of a bullet in full
flight; he heard the coarse .'zzz" of a
half-spent ricochet. He knew that he
was In some danger now, and he was
surprised to find that he was not
frightened.
When he halted again it was on his
knees behind the big white sycamore
that sheltered John Moreland.
Back, are ye?" frowned the noun
taineer. And with the grimmest hu-
NOR, Il reckon ye had a fine, large
time in Cincinnaty. Yore friend Har-
rls was we'll, l hope. Git that money
from him?"
Cut that out" said Bill Dale. ut
doesn't get us anywhere"
A bullet threw particles of sycamore
bark to his face, interrupting. John
Moreland pointed to green furrow In
the side of the tree.
ben Littleford hisself," said More
land. He's ahind o. that water oak
acrost thar. Don't stick yore head
out !"
The mountalneer turned his gaze
over Dales shoulder and his counte-
nance seemed to freeze. Dale looked
around quickly and saw Babe Little
ford, less than ten feet behind him
She had crept up through the tall
grasses and weeds. In one hand she
carried white flag made of a mans
handkerchief and willow switch. She
halted and sat up.
Babel !" Dale cried out. 'What are
you doing hereT'
Babe gave him a pale smile. "Ef
pap'd shoot me, a-thinkln l was a
Moreland, mebbe it'd stop the ever
lastin' tightin'." she said.
John Moreland stared, and Bill Dale
stared. They were in Presence, and
they knew it. Babe went on:
I've come to save all O. yore lives;
but eff | do 1t, yen haf to make yore
men quit a-tightin' right now-jest or
DER 'em to stop a-shootin', and hold
up this here-and | promise We on a
Littleford's word at pap'll call ye
better man AN him cause we done
It"
She tossed the white flag to him.
The amt no time to lose, John More
land; hold up the flag Ef ye don't,
yen every one be killed, cause ye're
every one in trapw
Il don't believe We, Babe" snapped
the Moreland chief "Yore people can
hold up a white rag Jest as we'll as
we can"
Babe went paler. There was sud-
den burst of firing from the Moreland |
rifles, and she crept little nearer to |
John Moreland in order that he might
hear plainly that which she had to tell |
him next.
"Pm a-goin' to tell We o. this dan
GER" she said, land trust to you a-beln,
man enough to do what l axed We to.
Black Adam Ball, he's got new-fash-
loned rifle and smokeless cartridges
and steel bullets; and in few min
uteS he'll be hid in a clum O. sassafras
back thar In yore meadow, whar he
means to set and pick Off you More
lands one by One-and you and Bill
Dale fust, count O. the beatin's you
two put on him But pap had nothln'
to do with 1t, and rickollect that Now
I've saved all o. yOre lives, cause We
couldn't ha heerd the sound o. his rifle
In all O. this noise; and We couldn't
ma seed the smoke O. his gun, cause
It don't make no smoke. Hold up the
white flag, John Moreland-hurryI"
Babe thoughtlessiy arose to her feet,
and one side OF her brown head ap,
Deared before the sights of her fathers
Rine-her father fired quickly, too
quickly for a perfect aim--the bullet
Burned its way acrOas her temple and