Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-02-01
sCHAPTER XVIII.

Christmas day was made known 10
the Fanshaws chiefly by the fireworks
which were discharged by the negroes
on the Hasbrooke estate. The dawn
came in with a great footing of horns,
beating of old pans, the discharge of
guns, the bursting of inflated hog
bladders. There was to be cake
walk in the barn, a dance, a barbecued
OK. glorious feast, a Christmas tree.
The Fanshaws were not going to in
dulge even in an extra dinner. Ronald
had remembered his hands by pres
cnts OF money, but they were going
to spend it in town. Something, how
ever, did happen to mark the day as
en- eventful one. Old Jade Fanshaw
was brought home in Bud Tarbell's
dump cart, on a pile of wheat straw,
covered by an old quilt. This oc-
Cured about IL o'clock in the day.
Ronald remembered that it took place
just as the dinner bell rang at Carn-
leigh. Bud Tarbell told the little
group in the front yard that Jade
wasn't dead an they needn't be
skeerd." He explained that he was
driving along mountain road looking
for sticks of lightwood when he saw
Fanshaw walking ahead of him as
sound as dollar as far as he was
able to see. He looked away for a
minute and then he saw Fanshaw
down on his all-fours, crawling along
with head down like grazing cow.
cat fust I was afeerd of i'm, fur he
was actin mighty curis," observed
Tarbell, ''but terrectly his knee j'ints
seemed to flicker an he come down
kerplunk in the mud on his stomach.
Then 1 drive up an put i'm in my
cart"
Mrs. Fanshaw was always a calm
woman; she went out at the gate,
waddled up to the cart, and shook the
human heap on the straw.
"Looky heer, what's a-ailin' of you,
Jade?" she asked, seeing his eyes open.
Fanshaw sat up slowly, but he
looked like a man with only shadow
of soul in him; his eyes glared in
CHASTITY sockets and their whites had
turned red. AS he looked round at
the group he seemed to recognize
them, but a shifting look of terror
was in his glance. He began to work
mis- lips, to the edge of which his
stubbly beard grew, but only unin-
telligible sounds issued.
"His tongue is paralyzed," COM
mented his wife; ''look how that side
is drawed down to his neck. I de-
clare he's got a wad O. tobacco be-
twiXt his jaws clamped thar as tight
as cider press. Jade, spit that thar
truck out! Spit it out. I tell you'll"
And as he paid no heed to her COM
mands, she thrust her forefinger be-
tween his almost toothless gums as if
he were a child and pried out the
brown mass. ''Well!" she said, re-
signedly, 'weIl have to git i'm in the
house, Bud will want his cart. Come,
you boys" Ito Ronald and David)
"help lift i'm OUT
Dave sprang into the cart, and Ron
aid was about to do the same, when
Fanshaw's distended eyes fell on him.
The old man raised his hands as if to
ward off blow and cried in words
now easily understood: ''Take inn
away; he wants to kill mel"
Ronald paused, but Fanshaw's ter
ror did not abate. He got to his feet
quickly and springing from the cart
he ran. his knees knocking together,
across the road towards the woods
stop i'm, he's tryin' to kill me! He
wants me to tell i'm who he is, an
whar t'other is buried!"
A remarkable change came over Mrs
Fanshaw; she turned quickly to Ron
aid, and with an. uneasy smirk, said:
Don't you go nigh i'm, Ron; he's
clean out'n his senses, an thar amt
no tellin' what quar- otion might strike
| i'm
| Ronald stood wondering, as Tarbell
and Dave ran after the old man. They
caught him by his arms and began to
| half carry, half drag him towards the
| house. But Fanshaw's distended eyes
were still fixed on Ronald in alright and
he struggled and fought his captors like
a wild man.
| I'm not agoin' to have i'm put me in
! jail he snorted. Hes done reported it
to Reddin', an together they are agoin'
to have me swing for what l never
| done!"
Again Mrs. Fanshaw faced Ronald;
| this time she stood between him and
his father. A frightened look of cum
ming lay in her heavy-browed eyes
IF l was you, Rom she said, hurried
ly, I'D go upstairs; he's tuck quar-
notion somehow that you are ag'in i'm.
an l wouldn't aggravate i'm
| Glad OF an excuse 10 get away from
! the narrowing scene our hero went up
to his room. Presently he heard the
clatter of hob-nailed boots on the porch.
! The old man, now pacified, was being led
like dumb animal to his room. Then
| all was quiet below. The silence lasted
| till he heard Dawes voice outside
speaking through a broken window
| pane to his mother.
I'm a-goin' to ride fur a DOCTOR" he
was saying.
The floor complained of its burden
as Mrs. Fanshaw went out on the porch.