The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-02-14

that you'd 60. back to- Patricia and
finish your education" IL 49,. !.
II keep my promises" was the quick
reply, "jest like every other Littleford
that ever lived, kept their promises.
would ha' went back this mornin',
ef Il hadn't ha' been" ~
And there she broke off abruptly.
After a silent moment, she continued
sadly, half. tearfully: "And yet-and
yet--tlle's not bit o. use in me
a-goin' back now" 1..~
"Why?" Dale was smiling, and she
was glad to- note that he did not ip-
pear to be 'srIevins over his misfor-
tune. . -.~... d, :. 49,
"'Cause the ain't," simply.
But youth go?" w.
YES. She said, ''in the mornin' Ill
co." ~. D., y
He bent toward her and held down
his hand. "Good-by. little girl. l. hope
it will come out all right, and l be-
lieve 1T Will" -. ~ " .....
Babe slowly lifted her hand to his.
Her eyes were downcast.
''Good-by," she told him brokenly.
"Aud hope it will come out all right,
too-God knows do, Bill Dale"
Thus they parted. Dale rode back
to the sheriff and. Major Bradley, and
Il minute later the three Of them start
ed for the ,lowland and Cartersville
Jail. -
When bend in the dusty ox-wagon
road had hidden them from view,
Elizabeth Littleford turned homeward.
Her mother followed her. :
The younger woman dropped to the
stone step ut the vine-hung front
porch with the air of one who is very
tired. plucked a full.blown marigold
T and Began absenuy 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 q narigold 2and began to
tear its petals slowly apart. 'Ef he
killed Adam Ball, it was to save HIM
self. He's good man, honey. think
he's about the best man / ever seed,
Babe" &.
"No, he never. killed Adam Ball to
save y, hisself,e even,'' Babe replied.
Hes fighter, but he amt no killer
Listen, mother, it, might ha' been this
away: ( -.~.- -
"He is ahind OF. a tree, and Adam IS
ahind OF another tree. Adam shoots
ut his hat, and he shoots at Adams
hat-which is the regular way OF
two-man fight, as you know. Well,
suddenly Adam he jumps up like he's
been shot, aud falls a-groanin' and
a-tvistin'. Bill Dale, a-thiukin' 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 to 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 it all sound natchel, mother:"
Il reckon it does" granted the Old
woman. but who was it shot Black
Adam?"
Somebody who Is friend O. Bill
Date's," said Babe. "Somebody who
was a-follerin' Bill with the idee O.
rertectin' him eff he needed it. Some
body who knowed it was dangerous
fo' him to, go off by hisself in the
woods that away. I've got it reasoned
ont jest like this. .s.-'. And Who
ever it 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 Bill
Dale from a-bein' hung. Whoever it
was at done it is skeered bad now,
but later on he'll shore tell it, ct it'll
save Bill. You jest wait and see,
mother. ~ Ia 81 ..-. ,.
II hain't never fo'got." Babe went
on. after moment, "about Black
Adam Ball a.tellin' me about a-workin'
that same trick on man over In
Nawth Ca'ilner-and he killed the
man. The law never found, IT out.
And We see what Black Adam got.
'Who lives by the sword shall perisl,i
by the sword It's in the Good Booli;.
mother. hone !; and everything in the
Good Book is God A'lnighty's truth, as :
you know" "A, -. .,.;5 49,, -; -
"Ef was pinned down to guess who
it was at. done it." drawled Mrs. Lit
,leford. "rd guess it was BY Heck.
He was plumb fool about Bill Dale.
His nav she says he talks in his sleep
about Bill Dale. He was allus a-fol-
lcrin' him around like a dawg."
Babe pointed to the meadow. An
aged aud stopped and witctlike wom-
an was limping slowly through the
clover. coming toward them.
Granny Heck" muttered Babe.
The ncighborhood's newsbearcr and
fortunc.teller limped on up to the
cabin. and dropped to the stone step
beside Hen Littieford's wife and
daughter. >-iss a,.s8 '...
Ia, Ia. lar, she painted. for the
days were warm. "And hain't 1t jest
t,,yrihle! I visit may die this min