Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-11-21
III.
The House of Pain.

The House of Pain.
The man who waited on the outside
of the house in the clustering wind and
rain, while his messenger wen on his
errand, had but a little time to wait,
after all. Expecting some delay, he
had drawn himself up as snugly as pos
sible in the shelter of the doorway on
the, opposite side of the street; had
even made two unsuccessful attempts
to light a cigar, but had given 1t up as
hopeless.
81 wonder what they'll say to him."
he muttered, CHANGING across at the
lighted window of the house. What
message will his cousin have to send?
Ugh! This is not the ~pleasantest spot
in the world to wait in. I almost wish
that I had gone myself. l suppose If I
hadn't lived such a sel~f-centered life, I
should long 6 have cast off these sus-
picions and distrusts. How the wind
bowls! I'm nearly wet through"
Then, quite suddenly, into the dark
and dreary night. was shot forth a man
from the same gateway that had
swallowed up his messenger. But this
man came put as though fearful of
something behind ~him-dashed out
blindly, with one han half-covering his
eyes, and the other stretched out, CROP
ipgIy, before him, turned swiftly and
darted off down the street; turned the
first corner and was gone. Even as he
disappeared. another figure rushed
through the gate-looked in all direc-
tions, and ran swiftly in the opposite
direction; halted a moment, and looked
about: and then ran back again.
Scarcely realizing what he did, the man
who had waited in the doorway glided
out and ran at top speed otter the first
fugitive.
The man had a good start; and. as
the streets in that part were short and
were bisected, moreover, by narrower
streets, the fugitive had a good chance
of getting clear away. Indeed, it was
only by good luck that the man who
followed could ave hoped to come UP
with him. But luck happened to be on
his side; coming to the end of a street
and glancing to left and to right In
search Of his man, he saw him, a little
way down the street to the right, sit
ting on the steps of a building that
looked like a church, with his head in
his hands. The pursuer crossed the
road and made rapidly towards him.
He ives within a couple of yards of
him when the man started to his feet:
beat off the other with both hands, and,
with a cry Of terror, dashed away again.
The other set his teeth grimly. and set
tied down as grimly to the chase.
Street after street they traversed.
racing madly through the driving rain
sometimes in the roadways, sometimes
on the pavement-through pools Of wa
ter, owe heaps of stones, through M
over everything that came in the way.
And the first man maintained the lead,
even though he darted on, in that mad
fashion, crying to himself, and with one
hand covering his eyes partially, and
h other stretched out before him.
Then another sound grew out of the
niTht-a sound above the whistling of
the wind-above the noise of racing
feet. A great roar and rattle of wheels
and hoofs, the patter of many feet on
the pavement, the shouts and cries of
men who ran. The second of the two
men. with but a yard dividing him from
the man In front, glanced rapidly to the
left as he came to the end Of a street;
saw a cleaning. fiery thing, with brass
helmeted men upon 1t, sweeping down
towards them, and shouted frantically
10 the man VINO ran DefOre.
In the roar and rush and hurry of the
moment he saw and heard only two
things: saw the man In front dart
straight before the flying. swaying
monster, beat 1t with his feeble hands.
and go down under IT.; heard the shout
that went UP from many throats as one
of the firemen dropped nimbly off be-
hind, and h engine swung along on its
way. The crowd divided, some roaring
along in the wake OF the engine, some
gathering about the little group In the
roadway.
They picked UP the poor, broken.
bruised, soiled thing and placed Il ten
derby in a cab after some little DELAY.
the man who had been the Indirect
of the disaster had pressed for
ward and proffered his services: the
flremen had left them, and set off. run
ming In the direction the engine had
taken. leaving a policeman to take the
matter in charge.
Did you see 1t, sir?" asked this on
cial. turning to the man who stood be-
side him.
Yes. III was close behind him. He
The ran-right into the thing. It was
horribie'!'
Seems to have shaken YOU I'M n h,t