Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-06-01

pear 10 be grieving over his misfor-
tune.
cause the amt" simply.
"But you'll go?"
yes" she said, "in the mornin' I'll
GO"
He bent toward her and held down
his hand. "GOod-by, little girl. hope
ii will come out all right, and | be-
lieve il WILL"
Babe slowly lifted her hand to his.
Her eyes were dOwncast.
"Good-by," she told him brokenly.
"And / hope IL will come out all right,
too-God knows do, Bill Dale"
Thus they parted. Dale rode back
10 the sheriff and Major Bradley, and
a minute later the three of them start
ed for the lowland and Gainesville
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 10 the
stone step Eat the vine-hung front
porch with the air Of one who is very
tired, plucked a full-blown marigold
and began absently TO tear its petals
slowly apart. Mrs. Littleford looked
out across the meadows, sighed.
smoothed back her gray hair with
both hands, and sat down beside her
daughter.
II wouldn't worry about it, Babe
honey" she finally said. Then she
too plucked marigold and began TO
tear its 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 l ever seed,
Babe"
NO, he never killed Adam Ball to
save hisself even," Babe replied.
Hes fighter, but he amt no killer.
Listen, mother. II might ha' been this
away:
He is ahlnd of a tree, and Adam is
ahnd of another tree. Adam shoots
at his hat, and he shoots at Adams
hat-which is the reg'lar way OF
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. Adam gifts
ready TO shoot and kill him. Jest as
Adam is about.te shoot somebody else
shoots and kills Adam and saves Bill
Dale-mebbe the amt time TO any
thing else. Now don't ye see? And
don't ii all sound natchel, mother|
II reckon il does" granted the old
woman. "But who was it shot Black
Adam?"
Somebody who is friend o. Bill
Dale's." said Babe. Somebody who
was a-follerln' Bill with the idee O
pertectin him eff he needed 1t. Some
body who knowed il was dangerous
70 him to go off by hissef in the
woods that away. I've got it reasoned
out Jest like this. And who
ever il 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 BIZ
Dale from a-bein' hung. Whoever it
was at done IL is skeered bad now,
but later on he'll shore tell it, Of it'll
save Bill. You jest wait and see,
mother.
II hain't never fo'got." Babe went
on. after moment. "about Black
Adam Ball a-tellln me about a-workin'
! that same trick on man over In
! Nawth Caliner-and he killed the
! man. The law never found il out.
And We 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'mighty's truth, as
you know"
"Ef was pinned down TO guess who
IL was at done it," drawled Mrs. Lit
| tleford, I'D 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 a dawg."
Babe pointed TO the meadow. An
aged and stopped and witchlke wom-
| an was limping slowly through the
clover, coming toward them.
Granny Heck" muttered Babe.
The neighborhood's newsbearer and
fortune-teller limped on up to the
1 cabin, and dropped TO the stone step
beside Ben Littleford's wife and
daughter.
ia, la, la" she painted. for the
DAYS were warm. "And hain't II Jest
turriblel I wisht I may die tlds min
ute Of wouldn't might nigh as soon
see my own son go to jail But ZEN
It'll all come out right yt, Babe. I
seed Il in the guards, and I seed II in
the cup. Babe, honeydumplIn". he
never no more killed Adam AN killed
him myself. I tell We. the's been some
awful ongodly work done, somehow. I
know Bill Dale, and the shore hain't
nary burned drap o. killer blood In
him."
Babe spoke suddenly to her mother /:
"I've got TO go and wash and iron my
new white dress. Acause-because I'm
a-goln' back TO Mrs. McLaurin, like
promised I'd go. I'm a-goIn' In the
mornln', on the fust train. Ye might
as well inform pap to hatch up my