The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-14

even fearfully-hlS hand mOtiOnl0Sl
on the rolls of money. -
AOnly the wind, Amos, only che
windr' said the short, stout man, impa
tiently.
But he, himself, was disquieted the
next moment when y horse neighed
shrilly.
That amt my beasts, Amos, nor vii
yoNrn!' he cried, starting up.
1t air the travellers. We solder
ijit! said Brierwood, lifting his un
conth foot and giving him = iocose kick
But the short man was not satisfied
He rose. went outside. ard Jim could
hear him beating about among the
bushes. Presently he came in again
'"Twar the travellers critter, / reckons
an that critter an saddle oughter bt
counted in my sheer.''
lie had turned once more to 90, but a
he swung his lanturn round, his mali
cious eye fell upon the poor little plato
bat sticking against the wall
He stood in the door staring dumb
founded for a moment. Then he
clenched his fist, and shook it tiercely,
:. !. How did ye happen ter be hyar this
V4AlV tuO Al2HU, v0 lLXuOs u0 VA4Ous
Dunno" faltered poor Jim.
The other man had returned, too.
"Waal, sir, eff that thar boy he'd been
q .copper-head now, he'd hev bit us,
suren'
"He mought do that yit." said Amos
Brierwood, with grim significance. ''He
hev been thar all this time-'kase he
air tied thar, don't We see? An he hey
eyes AN he hev ears. What air tel
hender?"
The other mans face turned pale,
and Jim thought that they were afraid
he would tell all he had seen and
heard. The manner of both had
changed, too. They had sku.king,
nervous way with them now in place
of the coarse bravado that had charac
terized them hitherto.
Amos Brierwood pondered few min.
utes. Then he sullenly demanded
whats yer name?'
'.It air Jeemes Coggin," quavered
..Cogg;n, heyr' exclaimed Brier.
wood, with q new idea bringing back
the malicious twinkle to his eyes. He
laughed as though nightly relieved
and threw up his left hand and shook il
exultingly.
The shadow on the dark wall of that
MANNED hand with only the stump of q
thumb was weird, horrible thing ia
the child. He had no idea that his con.
slant notice of it would stamp it in his
memory, and that something would
come Of this fact. He was glad when
the shadow ceased to writhe and twist
upon the wall, and the man dropped his
arm to his side again.
whats a-brewin', Amos?" asked the
other, who had been watching Brier-
wood curiously.
They whispered aside for few mo-
ments-at first anxiously and then with
wild outlaws of satisfaction and self
graduation. When they approached
the boy. their manner had changed once
more.
"Waal. l declar, bubby," said Brier-
wood. agreeably, ''this hyar fix ez We
hev got inter air sateful fur true! 1t
air enough ter sot emmy boy on the
mounting car-a-wampus.. 'Twar good
thing ez we-uns happened ter KEN by
hyar on our way from the lanyard way
down wander in the valley whar we-uns
hev been ter git paid up fur workin' thar
some. Wen let ye out. Who done yer
this hyar trick?'
'Dunno-witches, I reckonsr' cried
poor Jim, bursting into tears.
"Witchesr' the man exclaimed,
''the woods air a.roamin' with 'em this
time O the year-bein', We see, ez they
l. 20, fooI -
He chuckled as he said this, perhaps
at the boys evident terror-for Jim was
sorrowfully superstitious-perhaps be-
cause he had managed to cut unnoticed
large fragment from the end of the
comforter. This he stuffed into his own
pocket as he talked on about two witch
es, whom he said he had met that after
noon under an oak tree feeding on
acorns.
AN now, KEN ter remind. myself
that them witches war inquirin' round
'bout'n boy-war his name Jeemes
Coygin? Let's see! That boys name
was Jeemes Cogg'nr'
While Jim stood breathlessly, intent
ly listening. Brierwood had twisted
something into the folds of his comfort
err so dextrously that unless this were
united it would not fail-it was a silk
handkerchief of style never before
seen in the mountains. and he had made
a knot hard and fast in one corner.
~ THAR now!n he exclaimed, holding
up the fragment of knitted yarn, II
hev tore yer comforter. Never mind,
bubbv--'twar tore afore. But it'll do
ter wrop up this money-purse what
b'longs ter yer dad. He le1' it hid in
the thinking O. the wall over yonder
close ter whar l war sittin' when fust
KEN in. I'll put it back thar, 'kase yer
dad don't want nobody ter know whar
it air hid
He strobe across the room and con-
cealed the empty pocketbook in the
chinking.
"Ef ye won't tell who teched it, I'll
gin a good word fur We ter them witch
Is what war inquirin' round fur ye ter
day." .-...
Jim promised in hot haste, and then,
the rain having ceased, he started for
home. but Brierwood stopped him at
the door. -:... .--rs.ys
Hold on thar, Bub-I KEN mighty
nigh furgettin' ter let We know ez seen
yer brother ALI awhile back, an he
axed me ter git ye' ter 90 by Tom
Brent's house, an tell Tom ter meet
him up the road q piece by that thar
big Sulphur Spring. VIII ye gin Tom
that message2 Tell him ALI said ter
come quick"
Once more Jim promised.
The two men holding the lantern out
in the porch watched him as he pound
ed down the dark road. his tow hair
sticking out of his battered black hat,
the ends of his comforter Haunting in
the breeze, and every gesture showing
the agitated haste of a witch-scared
boy. Then they looked at each other
significantly, and laughed loud and
long. ~'.
HELL tell sech q crooked tale ter
morrer that ALI Coggin an his dad will
see sights along O. that travellers mon
ey!' said Brierwood, gloating over his
sharp management as he and his &C.
complete mounted their horses and rode
off in opposite directions.
When Jim reached Tom Brent 8
house. and knocked at the door, he was
an ahaOrhad In hia torrOra fhof 40 Il