The Belding banner-news., 1922-01-18

said TO John Moreland, who had crept
up beside him..
Jest give the word" Horeland
nodded.
A few minutes later, Bill Dale sent
the wings of his line down the noun
tainside, forming half-circIe Of his
force once more; then the whole line
rushed, surrounded the enemy and
called for surrender.
But the Balls and their kinsmen
wouldn't give in yet. They left their
cover and started to run, found them
selves facing Morelands and Little
fords in every direction, dubbed their
rifles and fought. II was not true
courage that prompted them TO offer
resistance thus: il was utter despera-
tion; they had never been givers OF
mercy, therefore they did not expect
mercy. Dale's men forebore 10 fire
upon them. which was at Daie's com
mand, and met them with dubbed
rifles. The woodland rang with the
sound of wood and steel crashing
against wood and steel. Everywhere
there were groans and threats and
curses from the losing side, victorious
cries and further demands for sur
render from the winners
Rill Dale. ever a tower of fair COM
bat threw down his repeater to gray
pie with big North Caroiinian whose
dubbed weapon had been knocked
from his hands. The two Fell and
rolled down the mountainside. h.cked
in each others arms.
And then one of the Balls struck
Pill Dale across the head with the butt
of his empty gun, aud Bill Dale slack
ened his arms and lay a. one dead
He was lying under cover in hand
carved black walnut fourposter. and
IL was night. when he opened his eyes
again. Above him he saw the bearded
faces of Ben Littleford and John
Moreland, and they looked haggard
and anxious in the oil lamps yellow
light. Suddenly Moreland spoke:
''Dead-nothn' = juhilantIy. Look.
Ben he's done come to! Ye couldn't
put him i'm cannon and shoot him
ag'inst cliff and Kill him. Ben! |
hope we're a-feeln' all right, Bill,
shore"
Dale realized everything quite clear
~. He put hand, TO his head; there
was a wet cloth lying over the swollen
place.
"He shore give We buster of a
lick" drawled voice that Dale in
stantly recognized as that OF his wor-
shipper. BY Heck. DANCED ef Gale
Moreland didn't might nigh IL beat
MIN to death, Bill y
Many men crowded TO the bedside
and smiled at him, and he smiled back
al them. Soon he asked:
did you capture the outft?"
Every burned one OF EN-" answered
John Moreland. They're all shet up
tight in the downstairs o. the office
buildin', Onder gyard. The ain't but
one Of 'em plumb teetotally dead. TO
a wonder; but the's whole passel Of
EN- hurt. I've done sent Luke to town
on hossback, after doctor 70 you
and Saul and Little Tom; and he can
tend Ia them crippled Balls, too,
reckon ef you think it's best. What're
we a-goin' Ia do with them fellers, Bill?"
Were going Ia take them To the
Gainesville jail Dale answered
promptly.
81 had different plan AN that
planned out. John said BY Heck.
winking at Ben Litteford. II had IL
planned out TO hang em all on a big
green hemlock as a Christmas tree 10
Bill, Some devilish rough Christmas
eve we're a-havin', Bill. old boy, amt
itT"
Rather" smiled Dale. He closed
his eyes. His head ached, and he was
somehow very tired.
Within the hour he went TO sleep,
and when he awoke II was daylight on
Christmas morning. Ben Llttleford,
Lalf dressed, was stirring the Goals
to life in the wldemouthed stone fire.
place. Dale felt better than he had
expected TO feel; he greeted Little
ford with. the compliments of the sea-
S0Il. dIONt anu hitrNtu lllllSfh.
Littleford had just gone with a
handful of kindling wood toward
the kitchen. when there was a low,
light tapping al the outside door OF
Bill Dale's room. Dale arose from
bis sheepskin-llned rocker before the
cherry log fire, went to the doCr aud
opened It. Before him stood slim,
barefoot boy In the poorest of rags;
In the pitifully slender arms there was
something wrapped rather loosely In
crumpled brown paper. Dale did not
remember having seen the lad before,
but he knew il was no Littleford.
Come in, son." he invited cordial
iy-"come In and warm yourself. My
goodness alive, it's too cold TO go
barefooted like that Haven't you any
shoes, SOM"
"shoes7" muttered the boy. queerly.
"Shoesf"
He was shlvering from the cold. His
thin face looked pinched and blue, his
eyes big and hollow. Dale stopped.
n A.