The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1922-04-13

folks"
ers. which had been bought with a
'coonhide, were redder than fire; his
rundown cowhide boots seemed ridicu-
lousy short because Of the great
length of his slender legs.
When he had reached a point some
three yards from Dale, he halted,
placed the butt of his rifle carefully
between his toes, and leaned on its
muzzle; then he deliberately began to
take eye measurements Of the new
conner.
Dale didn't like the stare-to him 1t
was impudent.
"Well, what's the verdict?" he asked
sharply.
"Spoke like q man." drawled BY
Heck. 81 reckon you must be up here
a-lookin' TO- coal"
slow did you reach such conclu-
sion as that?"
"Jest plain boss sense" The droop-
ing mustache mutiied the words some
what. 1.-THE amt but three things at
can bring city man here, mister" he
drawled on, 'and them's moonshine
stills, bad health, and coal. You shore
ai'nt got bad health, and you amt got
the cut Of revenuer, though few
minutes ago thought mebbe We was"
"And you shot at mel" said Dale.
NO." objected Heck. 81 shot at yore
hat. l allus hits at what shoots at,
mister. wanted We to turn yore face,
SOS could see 1t, and We did. AS TO-
that coal
"rhe Morelands, they owns the coal
In David Morelands mountain, and
they won't sell 1t TO- no mount o.
money. They lives over In the settle
ment, them and the Littlefords.
They're every DANCED one fine folks.
I'm a-goin' over thar now. Want to
60 long? Say-dang my picture ef l
didn't fo'git to OK what might be yore
name, misterl"
"Bill Dale" came quickly-"Bill
Dale. Settlement? Surel Lead the
way, BY Heck. Who's the young wom-
an 1 was talking with when you came
up?"
"Who7 Her? That's old Ben Little
ford's gyurl. Her names Babe. That's
what they call her. She's got another
name; but 1t ain't been used TO so
long It's been fo'got, reckon. She's
the youngest one o. old Ben's children.
She hain't like none O. the rest O. the
Littlefords. BY gosh, she's awful high
headed. She can read good, Babe can.
Old Major Bradley, from down at Car
tersville In the lowland, he spends his
summers up here TO his health, and he
teached Babe how to read. Fine fell
Ter, Major Bradley. Lawyer. Babe
she has done read everything In the
whole DANCED country. The's sev'ral
Bibles, and book about a Pilgrims
Progress, and Bakers Hoss and
Cattle Almaneck, and q Evolutionary.
"But we'd better light out TO- the
settlement, Mr.. Bill, or We'll miss din
ner, mebbe. I'm plumb DANCED fool
about eatin'. ct twenty-five biscuits
o. tiour-bread this mornin' TO break
fus', asides whole billed hamshank,
and other things accordin'. It's the
dyin' TRUTH Come on, Mr.. BILL"
They went down to the creek,
crossed 1t on stones, and began to
climb the low cliff.
After an hours travelling Heck
stopped in the trail and put the butt
Of his rife to the ground.
"From right here, BILL" he said, we
can see every house In the whole
DANCED settlement"
They were standing on the crestoor
David MOrelands mountain. Below
them lay q broad valley checkered
with small farms; and each farm had
it's log cabin, it's log barn and its apple
orchard Beyond 1t all rose the grea'
and majestic Big Pine, which was
higher and more rugged with CLIFFS
| than David MOreland's mountain.
"The Morelands lives on this side o
the river, and the Litt,efords lives on
yam side," drawled Heck. "They don't
never have nothing to do with eacn
other, but they don't hardly ever night
they're all strappin' big men, and they
fights so DANCED hard 1t don't pay. MY
gosh. Bill, every man of 'em can shoo'
q gnat's eyelash OF at four hundred
yards--I wisht l may drap dead 81
they cain'tl Do ye see that big cabin
right plumb In the middle o the nign
half o. the settlement, Bill? Well, the
boss o. the Morelands he lives thar
John Moreland. That's whar you want
! to go, Bill, sence ye've got oncyor
able case q the disease kncWed e.