Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-06-29


so very mel0dramatic And yet, It
was so grimly real, and his hopes
seemed so thin.
The Morelands and the Iittlefords
would eventually learn the truth and
make the Balls and Torreys pay a
dear price, no doubt, but that-that
wouldn't give him back his life!
The men were divided into two
watches. The first was to remain
awake and on guard until midnight,
and the other was TO go on duty from
midnight until dawn. The second
watch, with which was the factions
leader, had a nghtcap OF the vitriolic
whisky, flung itself sprawllng on the
ground and straightway went to sleep.
The first watch sat around the
cracking brushwood fire and played
cards for chews Of tobacco, cartridges
and pocket knives, sang strange and
outlandish songs and drank more
whisky. One very drunk Torrey gam
bled away all his tobacco, all his cart
ridges, his knife, his rifle and his belt,
shirt-and offered TO bet his trousers
and his ears on the turn of a single
card II was funny, and it was dis
gushing, too. 1t was all the work of
whisky, which Bill Dale had always
hated because it made men fools, made
them mouth their secrets and made
them commit murder. &. .
After some two hours Of these worse
than bacchanalian orgies the first
watch, heavy with drink, STOPPED play
ing cards and singing outlandish
songs, forgot all orders and began TO
nod. Then it was that Dale thought
Of the man who had been his faithful
guardian for many days. the lanky
BY Heck. Why hadn't he thought of
Heck before? He wondered if Heck
had followed him to the trap, if Heck
was near him even then, If Heck had
gone for help.
By Heck had not followed Bill Dale
TO the little basin. But he had fol-
lowed Henderson Golf, and Henderson
Golf had followed Dale TO the little
basin. Golf had returned 10 the Big
Pine Mountain country only that day
and he knew nothing Of the plans Of
the Ball-Torrey faction until he wit
messed the mockery of a trial. Golf
was now crouching In the darkness on
the low lire Of cliffs to the eastward
from the walnut tree; and not far
behind him, we'll hidden in the black
Iaurels, watching him and watching
Bill Dale. crouched BY Heck.
Dale's guardian had not gone for
help. because he feared TO leave Dale
utterly unprotected in the hands of
the gang Of cutthroats. He believed
that he could rescue Dale himself.
When the first watch became a little
more drowsy. he would steal up be-
hind the tree and cut the cotton rope.
Then he realized that Goff had dis
appeared entirely. He crept forward
silently, his eyes alert, and moment
later he saw Golf stealing toward the
walnut tree. He climbed nolselessly
down over the face of the cliff and
followed Goff like a shadow. When
COTS hands touched the tree, BY Heck
was within ten feet Of ii. Heck made
sure his rifle was ready and took an
other step forward, watching, listen
ing.
The shyster coal man leaned around
the tree TO the left. In the glow OF
the low-burned fire the blade OF O
small knife I'm his hand cleaned dull
red. He whispered cautiously:
you're in n fix, Dale. And It's
none of my doing, either. Give me
your word that I'll get that coal prop
erty for fifteen thousand, and I'll slash
the rope. How about It? Sick OF
this country, aren't your