Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-06-15

vho hastened to the jail.


was mounting his bay horse Fox. to
ride back into the heart of the. ever
lasting hills. He arrived two hours
after nightfall. The Morelands were
glad TO see him, and the Littlefords
were glad TO see him. There was re-
joicing there in the broad valley that
lies between David Moreland's noun
tain and the Big Pine. Everybody had
been expecting him, and many were
the pairs Of eyes that had been watch.
ing for him. He found himself sud.
denly wishing, with tightening at his
throat, that his father could know
how much bigger and how much bet
ter II was to be thus esteemed than
to be wealthy.
Luke took charge OF his tired horse
and led 1t away to the old log barn
and TO some fifteen ears OF yellow
corn. Luke's father escorted him
proudly, the guest OF honor, in TO one
OF AddIe Moreland's Incompatible old
fashioned suppers, which was none
the worse for being late. Several
Littlefords sat at the long, home
made table.
John Moreland turned up the light
q little, and cracked worn but time
ly joke; then he looked toward one
of the men whom he had fought
throughout many years, and muttered
into his thick brown beard:
saul, friend, will ye do us the IA
vor o akin the blessin', eff ye pleaseY'
Shore, John, o course"
Saul Littleford, the very illiterate,
laced his big fingers together across
his plate, bent his head, and told the
good Almighty that they were all
very much obliged to Him for the fine
supper they had before them, for Adj
die Moreland who had cooked it, for
peace, and for Bill Dale.
1t was almost midnight when the
visitors left. They had been sitting
outside, on the honeysuclkle-scented
front porch and I'm the cabin yard. At
last Bill Dale and John Moreland
were left together on the porch.
There's a thing that has puzzled
me since the moment 1 got here this
evening"" said Dale. "Why is it that
nobody seems TO be grieving over
Caleb's being in jall?"
The big hlllman's answer came al
most sharply: mo Moreand ever
grieved over sacrifyce, BILL
Dale SAT- up straight. "a sacrifice
What do you mean?"
This time the big hillman's answer
came slowly. 81 mean at Gale he's
a-takin' all O. the load off o yore
shoulders at he can. Gale he's a-takin'
yore place in Jail ontel the trial comes
off, whichll be at the October term
O. cote. He trusts you TO come back
and set him free on the day o the
trial. O. course you'll do It; we haint
never doubted that TO one little min
ute, Bill. But it wasn't all done 70
yore sake. You're the hope O. the
Morelands, and you can do a heap
more here an Caleb can"
He leaned toward Bill Dale and
went on in a confidential tone:
"And 1 can tell We this here. eff
you're found guilty O KILN Adam
Ball. and sentenced TO even one year,
the Morelands and the Littlefords is
a-goin' TO take we from the officers and
turn we loose with good, long start
on the law"
wouldn't that be rather"
Dale broke off because he had seen
the tall figure Of a man appear In the
open gateway. 1t was BY Heck, and
he spoke.
Hello, John Morelandw
Hello yeself!" growled Moreland,
who was not at all pleased at the in
terrupuon.
Heck advanced, carrying his rife
by its muzzle He halted with one
foot on the stone step.
"Tve got news 70 We, Bill" he said'
recognizing Dale even in the dark.
ness. "rve been a-eavesdrappin' up
at old Balls house, and l had 10 choke
about ten dawgs TO do It. Bill, old
hoy. them Balls has done swore by
everything on earth and In Heaven
and in Torment at they'll kill you ei
the law don't. Igod, ye'd better watch
out, Bill"
John Moreland rose from his chair.
'Much obleeged to We, BY. And good
night 10 we. Les go into the house
Bill. ! didn't think them ID pole
cats had that much narye-and ] don't
hardly believe 1t yit. 1t might ha' beer
white ticker a-talllln. Their kind o
white Ticker amt hawnest, like by
Heck's is. though his'n Is bad enough
| Their kindll make man resurreci
his dead inemies out O. the graveyard
and shoot 'em UP all over again. II
niu't a.gein' TO do great deal o harm
Bill. ef We don't light no lamp when
We 90 TO bed. a man CANT never tel
fest what's a-goln' to happen"
"And the Ball-Torrey outfit" Dale
began, when the Moreland chief cut in
"Ef the BaIl-Torrey outfit posters
you. they're every one purity burned
ant 10 die with what Is knowed genial
~ in this section as the rifie-bullet dis
ease."
Something Wrong Somewhere.