The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-02-02
l(Continued from last issue}
CHAPTER u
In the Cup.

III kHC SNPs
B. Dale found the humble home Of his
mountaineer host home in the fullest
sense of the word. ~....sr.-, ~
At the monday meal, he met Mrs.
AIOrcland and the sons of the house
hold, and they were exactly as he had
pictured Them. Mrs. Moreland was
quiet, motherly, always smiling, as
straight and real as her husband. The
sons, Caleb anu Luke, were as much
alike as the fingers on your hands ;
they were tall and brond-shouldered,
grey-eyed and brown-laired.
Before shutdown Dale had become
acquainted with the rest Of the More
lands, and he liked them, every one.
lie was at the cabin Of his hosts gray
old father and mother for a long time.
When supper was over John More
land lighted the big glass lamp in the
best ROOM. and the family and their
guest gathered there to spend the eve
ming. Then the: lanky 'mOOnshincr and
his mother came in. ~ i. =.
Granny Heck had the sharp features
and the stopped, thin figure of'a witch.
She wore faded blue bandana about
her white head, and she carried n long
hickory staff; there was a: reed
stemmed clay pipe in her mouth. md
her dark calico skirt had a tobacco
pocket in it. 49,. .. ' -.
Her son preceded her into the room.
He walked to the center table, faced
about, and said with Il low and airy
sweep of his right hand:
'Bill. old boy, this here's nav. Nav,
she tells forchuncs.'' 49,. ~.
$50 this here" crcaked Granny
Heck, looking over the brass rlms Of
her spectacIes, lis Mr.. BILL We'll.
well! i jest thought to myself lat I'd
come up and see ye. Mr.. Bill, and tell
yore forchune." .%..f'.s y ..
She dropped into the rocker, that
Caleb had placed for her. :. ;, sd
'"Addie," she said to the smiling AIRS.
Moreland, will We bring me a cup half
full o. coffee grounds?" -, ,.-.
When the cup came. the fortune
teller took 1t and shook 1t and patted
it. all the while mutterlng mysterious
words that she had learned from the
old Indian, Cherokee which
served her purpose very well.
Il see," she mumbled more or less
sepulchrally, "a pow'ful good-lookin'
gyurl in caliker dress. with her hair
a-hangin' away down her back. A bare
footed gyurl, with big. purity eyes.
She's a-standin'. on a low cliff, a-peep-
in at you through the laurels, Mr..
BIZ. This Is in the past. =. -
IN the future" she went on slowly,
II see this here as plain as daylight
through n knothole; awful big man.
with curly black hair and curly black
beard. and with eyes like Il cliff
hawks; and I see you, too, Mr. Bill ;
and I see fight, master tight--Lord
la mussy, what fight! But you'll
marry the gyurl after all. Mr.. Bill"
Dale laughed. The old woman had
described Babe Littieford. But who
was the big, dark man? Some fell
low who had lost his heart to the
mountain girl, perhaps. ..I- ,-..
When the Hecks had gone, John
,Moreland leaned forward and touched
his guest on the knee. :.
THAT thar big man mentioned In
tellin' yore To- hume" he said, mi ht
ha' been Black Adam Ball. Black Adam,
he lives with his pap and mother a
few mile up the river. AS big as
a skinned boss. he IS, and plumb on
cody strong. He's been a-beggin' Babe
Littleford to marry him TO- u year or!
two, and she won't listen to Inn.
''Ef ever We, do hat to fight Black
ADAM" John Moreland went on, .'ye
want to fight him with twoeyed
shotgun and buckshot. He's the mean
est man on earth; snake-broth and
plzen vine Is religious aside o. him.
But ol,tel ye begin a-nlakin' love to
Babe Littleford, reckon the ain't no
danger % you a-havin' trouble. with
Black Adam: and you amt likely, /
take it, to make love to Babe"
''But Babes the best one O. the Lit.
tlefords," declared Luke. Is Il a.
; John Moreland reached for tile
Battle-Ground old family Bible. He
opened the Book Mt random. \
Its about time we was a.goIn' to
our, rest, and we'il so jest as soon as
We've had prayers, Mr.. Dale
When half a chapter from st. Mat
thew had been laboriously but rever-
emily read. the Mnrelands lsnele nj