The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1899-12-14
e Sheriff Who Shirked.
lnt Down to Defeat at the Polls
ID Because He Didn't Do His
y Plain Duty.

rOIOftu DlHub nv h1'A
been staring and nodded toward the
rear of the house. The sharp whack of
a descending axe striking against hard
wood emphasized the boys nod. 1t
was now apparent that the sound Of
the chopping which had been break
ing on the still, heavy air at inter
walls since we began to descend the
hill originated on Leachs premises.
In response to the boy S silent request
to follow him, Tatman and | fell in
with the group of boys and girls and
dogs and went around to the back
yard. Once in sight of this dreary
spot, we came to dead stop. The
chopper was an old woman. Her fore
head was q network of wrinkles. Her
hair was a yellowish gray. There
was only wisp of it. This was
twisted into a tight little knob at the
top of her head, all except few thin
strings which had escaped the thrall-
dom of The comb and struggled down
around her bony neck. The woman's
cheeks were thin and creased, and her
eyes were sunken. Her thin, calico
gown displayed every angle of her
gaunt, ungninly figure. Taken all in
all, she was very homely, uncouth
woman, but somehow there was some
thing about her that made me feel
timid. Tatman saw my trepidation
and took the initiative. He stepped
forward and stood directly before the
chopper. She held the axe poised i'll
the air for moment, then let it sink
down easily on the hickory chunk.
She rested her hands on the handle
and bent her tall body slightly for.
ward.
We'll, she said, what you want?'
''Her steady look disconnected Tat
man, too, for minute, but he braced
up and came to the point without any
useless preliminaries.
Does Hiram Leach live here?' he
asked.
Yes, she said, stilfly.
SIS he at home?' continued Tat
man.
Yes, she repeated.
/" I should like to see him, said
Tatman.
The woman grasped the axe handle
tighter then and leaned over little
farther. What you want of him?'
she asked.
"Tatman looked at her Significantly.
I'm the sheriff, he said, bluntly and
cruelty. Perhaps you can guess the
rest.
"The axe dropped to the ground at
that, and the woman pressed her
coase red hands TO her cheeks, over
which snow flakes were drifting like
half-frozen tears. She made no audi
bic reply to Tatmans communication,
but the children who had gathered
close about us took alarm at the dread
word sheriff, and broke out into a
concerted wall of alright, as though
they had heard the crack of doom.
Are you Leach's wife?' said Tat
man.
No, his sister. His wife's dead.
Die | when this'n was baby, she
said, laying her hand on the head of
the smallest child which had essayed
TO take refuge in the folds of her scaut
skirt. My name is Marthy Leach,
she added, an afterthought. I've
stayed here ever since the children s
mother went and sort o. looked after
'em.
Again Tatman hesitated.
You understand my errand here,
I'm quite sure, Miss Leach, he said.
You have undoubtedly heard the ru-
mors that have been current for weeks
past concerning your brother. / have
duty to perform. / must search
your house.
"The woman's thin, hatchet-like
face grew more peak ed and haggard.
For n moment look of defiance
glowed in her eyes. Whom that died
away she lifted the smallest child into
her arms and started toward the
house.
-" Come on, she said. He's in
here.
"Tatman and ] followed her into a
long, low room, and the children and
dogs crowded in ut our heels. The
room was almost dark. T greater
part OF what poor light there was was
derived from fitful flame that leaped
up from the logs in the open fireplace,
for the windows, which were too small
to admit much light even in their
prime condition, were rendered almost
Opaque by the rags which were substi-
ed for the broken panes and the
swirls of snow that covered the few
remaining ones. A man sat at one
corner of the fireplace. He was cough
ing violently when we entered, and
noticed that the hand he held up to
his lips was almost transparent in its
thinness. The woman stood silently
before him until the paroxysm of
coughing had ended. Then she
spoke:
" Hi, she said, 'here's two men
come to see YOU
The man raised his hollow darl,
eyes and shook back his thick dark
hair. Tatman looked at me appeal
ingly, but | could give him no encour-
agement.
" They have n duty to perform, -
the woman went on, bitterly. III is
man, and she pointed to Tatman, is
he sheriff. He is going to arrest you
for stealing sack of potatoes, bag
OF corn aud slice of pickle pork from
Peter Fagin night before last. The
whole thing weighed hundred
pounds, mebbe. Peter Fagin lives
three miles from here. There was an
awful heavy rain all that night, and