Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-06-17

mans sharp drawn face took on an ex-
preston Of tenderness as she hurried
toward him and laid her hand gently
on his long black hair. SKI
Father" she said, heres gentle
man come to see you"
A fit of coughing overlook the man
and cut short the "howdydo'' with
which he began to greet the sheriff.
The officer sat down near the window,
where an old dress skirt did duty as a
pane of glass, and looked at his pris-
oner. 1t was all so different from what
he had expected 1t to be. Juan Nelson
had been described to him as a des-
perate thief, and he had been on the
point of bringing two deputies with
him. Having changed his mind in that
particular he had expected to walk
straight up to the man, clap the mana
cles on him and say: Juan Nelson,
you are my prisoner" But, somehow,
even that part Of the programme was
changed. He felt that he would have
to lead up to his errand easily.
Mr.. Nelson he said, II have had
frequent communications from your
neighbors recently. I am sorry that
they bring grave charges against you.
l, as the sheriff of Clarendon county,
find it my bounden duty to Investigate.
What have you to say for yourself?"
Another fit OF coughing shook the
mans slight frame.
II will answer for him." said the wo-
man. He is innocent
I am afraid you will have hard
time proving that" said the sheriff.
The case, as I understand it, is this:
The farmers hereabouts have been sus-
tanning heavy losses Of meat, flour and
other provisions for the past three
months. The thieves have been track
ed, and on more than one occasion the
footprints have led them to your house.
What do you say to that? If you are
not guilty you are undoubtedly in COL
fusion with the ones who are. Besides,
it takes a good deal of food for such "a
large family and three dogs. The gro
GERS state that they have not sold you
enough stuff this winter to keep soul
and body together in one man. Yet you
have eaten. Where did you get it?"
The woman stepped forward between
the sheriff and her husband.
Where did we get it," she cried.
passionately. "Ah, that's the question,
or, rather, it would be the question if
we had had anything. But we haven't.
Look here" and she pushed up her
thin sleeve, do you see this shriveled
muscle, dried up skin and large bone?
Do you see how emaciated and hollow
eyed he is? Do you see the rags of
the children? Now, ask where we got
1t? See here" and she strobe toward
the cupboard and threw back the door.
Here's little cornmeal and piece
OF pork. We had corn-meal yesterday.
We've had it every day for month.
And We'll have it again tomorrow. We
get that for the work do at the barn
yonder. Somebody has been losing
hams and chickens and bread and pre-
serves Do we look as though we have
been living on such fare? But it amt
my fault that we haven't" she added,
ffercely. IF it hadn't been for Juan
I'd have done my best to get my share
OF the Doodle. We've got the name:
we might just as we'll have the game.
Juan Nelson is innocent, say. Look
at him." and her voice grew soft and
tender once more. docs he look like
man who would be able to walk six
miles on winters night, carrying the
plumber they claim was stolen?"
tSR1,f no foofe&orc o.-..es ~
sheriff"
"Ah, the footsteps. know nothing
of them"
'"The evidence that can be produced
against you is overwhelming" said the
officer. II must make the arrest. If
you are innocent you will undoubtedly
be able to prove it at the trial. Tell
your lawyer
"Our lawyer" interrupted the wo-
man, bitterly. Lawyers are apt to do
SO much for such people as we are!"
The sheriff clasped the handouts on
Juan Nelson's thin, blue-veined wrists
and wrapped round him an extra horse
blanket he had brought for that pur-
pose. They neared the door, The chill
dren wept aloud and started toward
their father, but the woman waved
them back. Her lips twitched, but she
was calm and rigid and made no out
cry. Juan stopped on the threshold
and kissed her.
"Good-by, mother" he said, broken
ly, May God have mercy on us all.
If ever get out
He coughed again. That spell being
ended the sheriff assisted him in walk
ing across the yard and helped him get
into the buggy. The woman went
slowly after them. Once she made
movement as if to speak, but the words
died away unsaid.
The buggy crept slowly away from
the little house in the valley. At the
top of the hill the sheriff and Juan Mel
son looked back. The woman, with
the children clinging to her skirts, was
still standing near the corner of the
house, looking after them through a
swirl of snow.