Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-05-22
instant later the barred door era shed
do,un and there nressed inxua I'd a hl,,>

of powerful shoulders and pitiless
black faces, hot with cruel greed.
Marion staggered little; the music
thrilled on, in leaping ripples under
her cold hands. The men stopped and
glared at her. She read awe as we'll
as question in those wolfish eyes. But
the leader pushed to her side.
1--WE wants that money" he snarled.
''Pete, he tole us it's here; so give over,
my lady missy!"
Marion smiled back at him without
speaking. The violin shrilled into a
high tremolo.
I'VE wants that money, say!" he
lifted menacing fist. eve ain goin'
hurt you, but Yves got to have it,"
a murmur arose from the crowd at
the door. An older negro stepped to
the LEADERS, side.
''She's done 'stracted," he said, in an
awed whisper. ''Don' you tech her.
They's no tellin' who done it. Heah
dat music!"
well get it anyway" said the lead
er, backing off sullenly. "Here, you,
go to work! We's only an hour, tel the
boss gets back"
The men obeyed, painting. They
emptied trunks and boxes; they tore
the clothing from the beds and
searched the mattresses; they flung
china and tinware from the cupboards,
cropping into every Granny. Marion
played on and on, still smiling. The
men rolled their eyes toward her like
suspicious dogs as they shuffled about
the room. The doors and windows
were packed with gaping faces. The
very air seemed blackened by their
heavy, loathsome breath. Hell must
be something like this thought Ma
rion. She shifted her violin, and
struck louder measure.
Baffled and angry, the men gave over
their search, and turned to her again.
Not one of them dared approach her
unsupported; they shambled across
the cabin in grotesque phalanx, each
man struggling to thrust his neighbor
to the front. They stopped yard
from her, as though repealed by a wall
of glass.
eve wants that money!" The lead
er's voice broke in furious gutteral.
''We goin' send you down the river
lail we did the foreman, eff you dom
give it up. An you better be quick, my
lady missy!"
Marion looked at the row of demon
heads beside him. His own face was
that of vengeful ape; the sweat
drenched forehead, the blood-shot
eyes, the savage, froth-streaked
| mouth, drew closer and closer. She
| shook her head and swept an extra
! flourish.
There rose a yell of rage from the
men behind. stake the fiddle way
from her!" shouted voice from the
door. "Mek her give up dat money!
She amt got no hoodoo!"
The leader laid brutal hand upon
her shoulder; the mob pressed closer
closer. Marion flung herself back
ward and drew one last frantic dis
cord from her violin.
The mob fell back as though the
note had smitten them to stone.
''Lordy mercy" shrieked an old ne
gro. Hits the Conjur tune! Hit
brings all the Night Doctors, ridin' on
the Wife Bats! Lemme got" He
fought for the door through the mass
of bowling, panic-stricken men. Above
their yells and imprecations rose the
| scream of the violin, beating their ears
like the trumpet of doom. Yet higher
than that rang another sound-again
and yet again-the echoing crack of
revolver shots, punctuating the babel
of terror with merciless itera ton.
ooh, father, father!" Marion CROPPED
! for his tender grasp. She could not
lift her head nor open her eyes, but
she felt his kisses warm upon her
| lips.
"You're not hurt, my darling, only
| frightened. The men are all gone,
running for dear life, with the sheriff
and a posse at their heels. But the
loss Of the money is nothing, so long
as you are safe. 10 think of your hold
ing the superstitious brutes at bay so
long, with that folklore music! My
dear, brave little grill"
'You needn't worry about the
| 1uOucJ, Sic spoke between weary
pauses. cts in the violin case But
what became of the foreman?"
eve picked him up on the river, as
we were coming back from town. He
isn't badly hurt, but we feared that
something terrible might have hap
pened to you. So captain-I mean, the
Manila Letter-went ashore, and tore
up here ON horseback, firing his re-
volver to let you know
| "The Manila letter."
| Someone else's arms were close
about her now. She tried to lift her
head and look at the dear, bronzed
face, but it was altogether too near to
admit of a distinct view.
''Oh, Lucien!" she whispered, after
a little. "That you should have come
to me now, just when needed you so!
-Lucien, dearest, how did it happen?"
| Lucien laughed. But there were
queer breaks between his words, too.
II don't know, sweetheart, unless
unless it was the doings of the Coniu
| Tune"
The kiss That VIII Never Return
I