Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-01-08


kim, KAINTUCK."
and he rose to his feet and stood un-
steadily looking, not at her, but at the
shifting sunlight on the floor.
Amt him got home yit?' he asked,
uneasily.
"Sethr'-she pointed long. lean,
yellow forefinger at him-''Sethw her
voice rising to shrek, ''hev yo' sold
Kaintuck?"
'Loard, no! wouldn't go to do no
sech thing; doan' talk foolishness,"
answered the man. shaking as if in fl
"Yo' hev. Liar an thief Yo' hev
sold the best frien' ever we he'd. He
were brung up with tn chillun like
their own flesh an blood. Yo' sold him
foh blood-money. He waur none Of
yo'se, fur fetcht him from Kaintuck
State, and he waur Civ to me. He's
saved We from revenoos an vigilans an
wuss. He waur wuth mo- than dozen
carcasses like yo. He's stole to keep US
from starvin', an ye'v gone an sold
him. Yo' hear the chillun? They're
cryin' fer Kaintuck."
"Him's follered the stranger. He'll
kim back. Him's been a-hoodooed off,
sure, certain. He'll kim back. Suke."
But he didn't come back. Seth went
the next day and bought his wife a red
and blue calico with yellow stripes
walked five miles and back to the
Forks, and she took the dress and
burned it on the log fire before his eyes.
Three months passed away and Seth's
wife lay at deaths door. There did not
seem to be so much of disease as
a total collapse of the system. Seth
had changed, too He had really
braced up and was taking care of his
wife and the children TO the best OF
his ability. But his heart was as heavy
as lead. He hadn't much conscience;
was lax of morals perhaps; but since
that mysterious going off of Kaintuck
he had felt himself modern Judas.
He wanted his dog, and he wanted the
money bad. He had followed the
stranger to dicker with him for the
hound, but he knew Kaintuck, and he
was sure he would find his way home
inside of twenty-four hours. Now he
knew he would never see him again.
1t was just the same as if one of the
children had gone instead of a dumb
crltter" His little scheme had miscar-
ried woefully. Kaintuck was three hun
dred miles away
This night Suke was carrying on
worse than ever. Seth knew she was
enough to go for the distant neigh bors
who at such times rendered assistance.
Worse, too, her mind wandered. She
thought Kaintuok was there.
II heerd him outside. Thar he ISL
she cried, starting up. "Yo' didn't sell
him, Seth, did yo?'
She had been up and out to look for
him every night since his going, listen
ing to hear him at the door. The chill
dren slept and only fretted for their
playmate in the daytime, but their
mother never forgot him, even in sleep
''Lissen!" she cried again. ''Doan yo'
hear him. Seth?"
'Thet's coyoty, faint nothin' else, >
answered Seth, humoly. But there was
long, low howl that was Enthusiastically
the howl of dog Seth started up.
He was mortally afraid.
faint no real dog, it's-it's-oh,
Lord! that howl means-means-"
Eyes, l reckon It's TO me. Yo'
needn't open the dore, Seth 'onder-
stan 'Tain't no Twin dog as makes
tibet noise. Doan' wake the chillun.
! Hole my han reckon it's lime | said
somethin' to yo. | doan' hole no spite
agen yo', Seth. 1t waur hard TO lose
the dumb critter | raised like babby,
but reckon yu're sorry I'm a-goin'
somewhat, an amt better'n yo', Seth.
| Give me yo han mines stun cole.
That was their parting Seth held
| the stone-coli hand till the stars had
| paled in the morning sky and a great
| white light shone down the wide chin
/ ney and settled on tho still face on the
/ bed. He had heard that unearthly
howl at intervals all night outside the
| door, but 1t was silent now Seth stepped
to the door and opened it and some
| thing lay there close TO it something
/ that did not move, stretched out stiff
and stark Yes, it was Kaintuck- BE
! had found the way nome at last Mrs
| NJ l. Rayne, in Detroit Free P-ess