Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-02-22
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
DESERTED
POGRAM'S

~T wonder what's the matter at Po-
grams" said Dave bingham to his
wife one morning as he stood in front
Of the house looking down over the
corn TO the rear of Pogram's farm.
''Thar hain't no life about the place no.
how, an thar hain't been none since
Thursday"
You jist mind your own business,
Dave bingham, an let other peoples
alone. You know the trouble you got
into by investigating the Partridge af-
fair. Like enough Pogram's gone
a-shootin' or somethin'"
But thar's such deathly look about
1t. Pogram never leaves his place 'cept
at regular times. He lives thar all
alone an is jist in Il condition fur Il
first class murder Now think of it,
night afore last heared a shot in that
direction right in the middle of the
night, an somehow 1 felt as eff a ghost
had passed"
well, why don't you go down an see
about it?"
Reckon / hain't got 10 time"
The truth was that bingham was a
superstitiOus man, with Il horror at
coming upon anything ghostly. He
could have gone down TO Pogram's
as well as not for all the work he did
on his farm, for he was as lazy as he
was upcrstitious. Instead of going to
work, he went over to talk to Steve
Blackburn, who owned the next farm,
and endeavor TO interest him in the
matter. Steve was picking berries, but
paused in his work and heard Hing
ham through, then said deliberately:
Reckon 1 hain't got no less TO do
than you" Then he turned to his ber-
ry picking. He was well aware of
Dawes laZincss.
Dave went the round of the farms
that morning, spreading the news Of
n tragedy at PoGram's. The farmers
could all lCok down on the deserted
place. for Pogram's was in the valley
an open space through which the road
ran-and knots of them gathered on
the hills and speculated as to what
was the matter. The Pogram farm
had indeed an uncanny look about IL.
The gate was open, as we'll as the back
window: also the door of the stable
where Pogram kept his horse and bug
gy. The overloOkers compared notes
as to when they had last seen Pogram.
latest. three days before. when he had
met POgram walking along the road
very much detected. After the dea-
cons testimony the theory was chang
ed from murder to suicide.
Still no one had yet been found with
sufficient nerve to go down and face
the corpse. The white curtain in the
rear window continued to flap. as much
as to say, "Why don't you Gomez" But
the better the groups looking down on
Pogram's understood the invitation the
more disinclined We're they to accept
1t. Finally it was agreed that some
one should go. and the choice fell up
ON Dave bingham.
"Oh. / don't take no interest in the
matter" said Dave, blanching. I'm
goin' to work"
But Dave had called attention to the
tragedy and dwelt upon it aud stirred
it up till his neighbOrS began To hold
him responsible. Ike Merton and Tom
Markley boldly told Dave that, since
he had first noticed the stiffness about
Pogram's. he was the person to inves-
tigate the cause. Dave tried to crawl
out Of it. but the two men insisted,
agreeing to back him up.
SERVES you right, Dave" said his
wife. who understood his natural dis
inclination at facing unpleasant scenes.
EFF you hadn't said nOthin' about it,
you'd "a been let alone"
The three men started down the HILL
Dave in advance. He wanted the rear
but Ike Merton had concluded to take
his revolver. to be ready in case of an
emergency. and playfully pointed it ut
the chosen leader. infusing into him
the necessary stimulus. The inveSti-
gators proceeded. climbing the fence:
OH their route. watched by the group
of people on the hill. When they came
TO the rear of .Pogram's farm, they
halted n moment for observation. The
willow tree hung mournfully over the
woodhouse; the tin cup rested immov-
able on the pump: the curtain tapped
from the rear window.
Reckon you'd better go ahead with
the shOotin' iron, Ike said Dave.
"Thar mought be some OF the murder
ers thar yit."
You take it," said Ike, handing him
the revolver. II hain't no shot nohow."
Dave staggered on, pausing at the
stable door. Pogram's horse and bug
gy. the only occupants. were gone.
They've cleaned out the stock shore
enough" said Tom Markley.
"See the tracks of the buggy" said
Ike.
"Go on, Dave" said both, seeing that
their leader was inclined to turn back.
Thus urged. Dave staggered to the
house, and. after several Intellectual eff
forts to gather sufficient courage to
approach the open window, he at last
did so and, white as sheet, looked In,
his two companions peering over his
shoulders.
"Whoopr'
There were shouts from up the road,
and the Investigators, turning, saw
POgram's buggy, followed by several
teams, coming at full speed. Pogram,
r-kc. LrnsS,L i., Lis l.,.t Sunday.