Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-23
Illustrations by Irwin Myers
Copyright. BY Doubleday. Page = Co.

country where l wouldn't be consld-
cred IA savage. yknow.
II went out to the train-shed, and
] hadn't been there minute when
Bobby McLaurin came. asked him
how he knew where to find me. lie
said:
~ thought you wouldn't care to
stay here after doing what you did,
and l wanted TO say good-by, BILL lie
always called me that. and it made
me feel like a man. Then l put my
bag down and took him by both Shout
ders and told him this:
look here, Bobby, I'm going to
give you some advice, and you take
It. You steal Pat and marry her. Steal
Pat and marry her II you have TO live
In hole in a hillside. You're as good
rs any of them, and lots better than
most OF them. You can work your way
10 a better salary. You see,' ! told
him, I'VE get about what we deserve
in this world. Most OF us don't deserve
much
II asked him II mother was badly
cut up He safd she was; that she had
tainted. Dad swore aloud. he said,
there In church. / told Bobby good-by
and got aboard the train without say
ing anything about where | was go
ing-but | didn't know myself where
l was going. at the time.
Now you've heard II. Every word
was truth. If you'll trust me with the
coal, I'll make this land my land, your
people my people. I'll suffer with you
when You suffer, and be happy with
you when you're happy; and when you
fight, I'll fight with you"
The Moreland chief arose. and Bill
Dale arose. The hillman put out his
hand. and Dale grlpped 1t.
II believe in ye, Bill" said John
Moreland. go another thing, I've
seed ye fight. You can work the coal"
He looked toward the closed inner
door and called. "Oh. Addie; you and
the boys can come back now"
Out OF the night face appeared at
one OF the small windows 1t was a
feminine face and handsome rather
than pretty. Two slender. sunburned
hands gripped the window-ledge nerv-
ously. The face pressed closer 10 the
glass. then disappeared. Soon after
ward the outer door OF the guests
room opened. and Ben Littleford's
daughter entered. Her skirts were
dripping wet.
Mrs. Moreland arose and went to-
ward the young woman. She knew
that only something of great impor-
tnnce could bring Llttleford into her
home In this fashion.
"What's the matter Babe?"
Babe Littleford gave no attention
to Mrs Moreland. She went on to
Bill Dale. walking softly on bare feet.
'Black Adam Is a-goin' to kill you
tonight, Bill Dale"
THAT sou Dale's smile was rather
grim. How did you find that out.
Miss Llttleford?"
II found IL out, all right. AS he
went of from the river this mornln'
I made fun of him; and he patted tho
stock Of his rifle and said he'd git you
through a window He was at our
house this evenln' TO help fix pap's
gun. and when he left he started this
way, a-goin by the blowed-dOwn syca-
more. / waded the river at Blue Cat
shoals to beat him here. thought you
might want to know about It, SOS We
could mebbe save other folks the trou-
BILE o. maxim a funeral TO We"
She backed toward the door. her
eyes never leaving Dale's face. Another
second, and she was gone.
They were all on their feet now.
John Moreland gripped Dale's arm.
"Over thar aside o. the chlmbley,
Bill !" he ordered, his native drawl for
the moment absent "Out, Addie
honey Luke, bring my rife and hat
jump keen. Gale. bring water and
drownd this here fire"
Ii was done. Moreand took his hat
and the repeater and went alone into
the night
When some fifteen minutes had
passed, there came to Dale's ears the
sound OF shooting. There were ten
shots In such rapid succession that they
made almost continuous roar. Then
came echoes and reverberations, and
then silence. Soon John Moreland let
himself into the dark room.
His wife's voice was low and filed
with anxiety:
"What happened, john"
A dull thud came through the dark
ness as her husbands rife-butt struck
the floor.
This Is what happened. Addie: AS
I passed the .cawner o the house. got
down that thar old oxwhip to take
along. Invent acrost the road and into
the meadow, and thar ! seen Adam
Ball a-comln'. / hid. and when Adam
was about to pass me. l jumped up
and jerked his rifle from him and
busted II ag'In rock. Then lights
I'm and thrashes him with the oxwhip
ontel he broke and run. And 'en this
here happened. Addie:
II was a-watchln' TO see ef Adam
bad RELY went of, when / seed q man
a-comin' toward me fast. / thought
Il was Ball, o. course. So I up and
tells him TO show me how fast he can
run and commences a-shootin' over