The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-30
old tunblsr will hold them if you give it a steam

mo. I'd rather have some sleep"
You're not going to bunk down without tell
ing me all the newsa"
HNo," said the fat man slowly. 'What news
could we scare up, doyou reckon, though, in the
two weeks you've been gonel'
'sBut you were crashing about ruffianly
gangs. There haven't been any horse thieves
throughl
Secrist uttered negative grunt sitting on the
side of his couch.
II was only thinking of old Hiram Dixon"
mo one has killed himi"
mo-" responded Secrist, with dissatisfied
shuttle.
II know it's your silent, ceaseless petition that
| somebody will kill him." chuckled the doctor,
| dipping up his oysters from the white mortar
| with a broken handled pewter spoon. "Raishy,
| these are a comfort in adversely You better
| have some"
Everybody says he killed man once" con-
| tinued Secrist, leaning forward and resting his
arms on his knees. RUBY Strings husband
| and him went North together, and Stirling was
| never seen alive afterward."
.'Yes, I've heard you tell that story dozen
| times said Brotherton, applying himself to his
| soup with the zest of a hungry man. but Ruby
! doesn't believe it. Strings body was found
| whole and untampcre6 with at a hotel. Heart
| disease congestion, mans misuse of himself
| that fools don't know how to describe with
| name. And If you men suspected Dixon, why
didn't you haul him up before the courts and in
| vestigatef
sit was talked Of" replied Secrist, despond-
emily But he had his explanation ready. Old
man Dixon is smart"
"Rubys well, is she?"
AS Brotherton made this inquiry he threw a
| quick side glance at his partner.
Il thought heard somebody knock" said the
| druggist turning his head on his palms and
listening.
| The fire whispered Without the frosty wind
| the vastness of the prairie. There was sudden
squeal and scampering in the wall behind Broth
| erton.
Its nothing but that old rat" said he. "Youll
| let that old rat live to his childrens chill
dren to the last generation before you'll give him
| button"
II wish somebody'd give me button thatd
| make me sleep tonight" exclaimed the drug
| gist II amt shut my eyes since dusk"
you were so drowsy you could hardly open
the door, declared the doctor
II was pretendin' to be easy you like" ex
planned his partner, painfully. Jerome, there
whats" inquired Brotherton, feeling his
| temples expand with large pulse beats. 1T
isn't anything about old Hiram Dixon-or
Ruby9r
,.r Was you in downright earnest about her.
II intend to marry her, that's ALL" answered
the doctor, antagonism coming to the front in
| his face.
doc, Ruby's dead"
'She isn't!" exclaimed Brotherton leaping up.
doc, she's dead"
| Automatically Brotherton rubbed his finger
through the rings which his soup bowl made
upon the counter. Ruby's delicate, aquiline face,
flushed the color of blush rose filled his vision
| He did not believe it was now clay white; that
| her innocent mouth was set in death. He did
not upbrad his partner for sappressing the
news. There were no means by which Secrist
| could have reached him more quickly unless he
| had driven out to meet the hack.
Secrist's voice, proceeding in recital, grew in
volume upon his ear
Blame old Hi Dixon's picture! He would
have put her in the ground twelve hours after if
| it hadn't been for her Aunt Ruby Ann and the
| neighbors."
Brotherton grated his nails against the wooden
| counter.
when did she dielr
| IA Friday morning five days ago. I said you
ought to of been here all along" pronounced
Secrist impressively gazing with commiseration
| at the pallid young man. They say it was like
this: She was playing with little Nate and toss
| ing up ball When the ball went into the air
| she was alive and we'll, and when it touched the
| floor she was dead woman. Doc, the color
| didn't go out of her cheeks and she stayed warm.
They put her between feather beds and all the
other doctors in town tried their best to bring
her to, but it wasn't no use. don't believe
| they knew what it was"
''She hasn't been -" demanded Brotherton
| quickly, coming forward and setting his foot on
| the pedestal of the stove.
| The boot leather smoked and he watched it as
| if his hopes were exhaling in the smoke.
mo, not yet But old Hiram Dixon says he
won't keep her any longer than early tomorrow
! forenoon. He says he's kept her longer now
| than anybody ever was kept in Millport."
| HE won't have funeral while there's the
| slightest doubtW
mo, he won't have any more funeral than he
| can help. He'll just pop her in the ground and
| be done with it. He's helping dig the grave to-
night to save expense and nice, easy job they
have of it the way the grounds froze. The
women say he bought the cheapest coffin that
could be bought" continued Secrst dropping
his facts like pebbles into Brothertons boiling
mind. "Ruby's boy will come into his hands
| now. And by the time that boy is twenty-one
years old, if Hiram Dixon hasn't the rest of
| Strings property besides what disappeared
| when Stirling died, then amt acquainted with
Hiram Dixon. It's most all in land, and easy
| to trustee out of the hands of minor heir. I'll
| 60 up with you, Doc"
mo. you go to bed and sleep" replied the doc
| tor who, having muffed himself, was changing
medicines in his pill -pags for others on the
| shelves.
''Tl go up with you," said the fat man. bring
ing forth his own garments. You'll have a
and she isn't dead, he'll bury her anyhow"
| The wind blew out of the north like mobile
| and invisible ice. Secrst tied his red wooden
comforter in another knot under his chin Be-
| fore some houses lay narrow frosty board as
causeway, and across this they walked singly to
avoid the rough, frozen mud. hut of logs,
opening by latch-string, and q weather-boar
| domicie, with the door at the rear, were close
neighbors. There were two or three brick
houses of some pretensions inclosed by palipgs,
and barred and silent general store,
which in daylight divided patronage
with one at the other end of the vii
lage. On rising ground stood the tavern;
| hating place where the traveller might brace
himself for the bleak ride northward. How
many cutting day had Brotherton taken to
that narrow road in his jumper, his horse breast
ing an unstirred ocean of snow. Then how
ever, he carried cozy, warm thoughts within his
wraps and furs, which kept him exhilarated.
Tonight the north road was the bleakest track
he had ever seen. Wanderers on the prairie
would be sure to perish; or should they escape,
| what comfort could they find in tomorrow, any
howl
| Opposite the tavern, across small ravine, and
| upon HILL stood the largest house in the town
4 road curved around IL and yulad 70