Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-23

herSelf behind n ciump or ooosofrdS
and watched them.
Granny Heck followed with Dale's
coat and hat. She chartered all the
way across the meadow
"Now what did | tell We, John and
sam? What did | tell ye? La. Ia /!
Wasn't it master fight, like / said
now wasn't it,"
Sometimes We make me n little
tired, granny-woman." MOreland re-
monstrated gently. The amt nOthn'
in forchune-tellin'. You've jest been
here fo so long at you know how 10
jedge the future by the past. And
you're tol'able good guesser, too,
reckon"
Granny Heck fared up quickly:
"Ain't nothin' in forchune-tellin'
Now don't go and fool yeself. John
Moreland. You listen TO me about
half minute. John. ] seed more in the
cup an told Mr.. Bill. i seed blood
and death. ! seed big fight atwixt
The Morelands and the LlttefordS :"
That's easy 10 guess nt." John
Moreland replied. You know. o
course, at Black Adam will do all he
can 10 bring trouble 10 MS on account
o Bill Dale a-stayin with Us. And
Won know II amt never impossible TO
hatch up war atween us and the Lit
tlefOrds. Jest run OF ahead. Granny
Heck. and tell my wife TO hunt up
some kind q good linifocnt TO Bits
1s..1
time a-lookin' Up any bandagcS. This
man here is like me he wouldn't wear
bandages. cause they look bad"
When Dale came back to state OF
consciousness, he was lying under
covers in the carved black walnut bed
Beside him stood John Moreland. who
held in one hand bowl containing
hot herb brew that his wife had pre-
pared. Granny Heck. her son BY, and
Mrs Moreland stood not far away
This here'll be good 70 We, ! think.
said Moreland, nodding toward the
put an arm around Dales shoulders
and helped him to sit up.
Dale drank the stuff with difficulty.
"Much obliged" he muttercd thickly.
"I-lets see. did | whip-how did it
end? He didn't lick me, did he-that
fellow Ball?'
lie shore didn't" smiled Moreland.
Not by a big sight. He fell out fust.
His own pap won't hardly know him.
Bill !"
News travels rapidly in the big hills.
The Morelands began 10 gather at the
home of their chief 10 see the man
who had whipped Black Adam Ball
every Moreland able TO walk came to
see Bill Dale. For three hours he was
lonized, but he didn't enjoy it; the
water had left many pains in his
his hands still felt as though the bones
were shattered in them.
Came n thundershower that after
noon, and the mountain evening fell
with n chill. A fire was made in the
wide stone fireplace in the guests
room. and when supper was over the
family gathered there with Dale, who
refused TO be kept in bed.
After few minutes OF silently
watching grotesque shadows fit across
the log walls, Dale said to John More
land:
IF your brother David could know,
don't YOU think he'd want you to get
the value out of the coal?"
|. John Moreland bent forward 10 rest
his chin in his hands. His sober grey
eyes stared thoughtfully toward the
fire.
81 amt never looked at it that
away" he said.
THAT'S the right way to look ut IT,"
declared Dale "But YOU shouldn't
sell the property as 1t is"
The mountaneer turned an inquir-
ing face toward his guest
How in thunder could l handle it
ef | didn't
"Why not let me develop 1t for
you?" Dale said earnestly, eagerly. II
won't charge You anything above eX-
penSeS. and | won't be extravagan,.'
It'd take considerable money 10 start
things a-movin'. Have you got it?'
asked Moreland
'No, but | can get it. Almost any
body would be willing 10 lend money
on so good thing as this. y'know.'
For a little while Moreand sat there
and looked squarely at Dale, who re-
turned his gaze without Il sign Of
finching. The hillman was trying 10
find motive.
How comes 1t at you, who amt
knOwed us but two days" he de-
handed. can be so much interested
in us?'
The question demanded a straight
forward answer Dale realized that
there was but one way In which he
could give a satisfactory explanation,
and that that was by telling the truth
but not the whole truth. as he
surmised 1t, for then his efforts would
60 for naught.
Moreland was speaking again, and
his eyes were brighter now.
81 agree at David would want us
to develop the coal, eff he could know.