The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-04-14
CHAPTER TX.
By BOOTH HARRINGTON
Copyright. 1899. BY Doubleday @ Mcclure Co.
Copyright. 1902. By Mcclure, Pbi,I

CHAPTER TX.
a ILL morning horsemen had
I7] been galloping through Six
I6009Sj Crossroads, sometimes sim
Gss&&J gly, oftener in company. At
l o'clock the last posse passed through
on its return to the county seat, and
after that there was a long, complete
silence, while the miry corners were
undisturbed by single hoof beat. No
unkempt colt nickered from his musty
stall. The sparse young corn that used
to nod and chuckle greenly stood rigid
In the fields Up the Plattville pike
despairingly cackled one old hen, with
her wabbling, sailor run, smit with a
superstitious horror of nothing. She
hid herself in the shadow underneath
rickety barn and was still.
Only on the Windy farm were there
signs of life. The old lady who had
sent HAIRLESS roses sat by the window
all morning and wiped her eyes, watch
ing the horsemen ride by. Sometimes
they would hail her and tell her there
was nothing yet. About 2 o'clock her
husband ratified up in a blackboard and
got out the shotgun of the late and
more authentic Mr.. Windy. This he
carefully cleaned and oiled in spite of
its hammerless and quite useless con-
dlton, sitting meanwhile by the win
dow opposite his wife and often look
ing up from his work to shake his
weak fist at his neighbors' domiciles
and creak decrepit curses and denun-
Citations.
But the Crossroads was ready. 1t
knew what was coming now. Fright
ened, desperate, sullen, it was ready.
The afternoon wore on, and lengthen-
ing shadows fell upon a peaceful-one
would have said a sleeping-country
The sun dried pike, already dusty,
stretched it's serene length between
green borders fecked with purple and
yellow and white weed flowers, and
the tree shadows were not shade, but
warm blue and lavender CLOVIS in the
general pervasion of still, bright light;
the sky curving it's deep, unburnished,
penetrable blue over ALL with no sin
gle drift Of fleece upon it to be reflect
ed in the creek that wound along past
willow and sycamore, dimpled but IN
murmuring. A woodpecker's telegra-
ply broke the quiet like a volley of
pistol shots.
But far eastward on the pike there
slowly developed a soft, white haze.
1t grew denser and larger and grad
ually rolled nearer. Dimly behind it
could be discerned a darker, moving
nucleus that extended far back upon
the road.
A heavy tremor began to stir the air;
faint, manifold sounds, a waxing. in
creasing, multitudinous rumor.
The pike assembled long, slight slope
leading west up to the Crossroads.
From thicket of ironweed at the
foot of this slope was thrust the visage
of an understood girl of fourteen. Her
fierce eyes examined the approaching
cloud of dust intently. A redness rose
under the burnt yellow skin and COL
ored the wizened cheeks.
They were coming.
She stepped quickly out of the tangle
and darted up the road She ran with
the speed of a fleet little terrier, not
opening her lips not calling out, but
holding her two thin hands high above
her head; that was all. But Birnam
wood was come to Dunsinane at last,
and the messenger sped. Out of the
weeds in the corner of the snake fence,
In the upper part of the rise, silently
lifted the heads of men whose sallow-
ness became sickish white as the child
flew by.
The mob was carefully organized
They had taken their time and had
prepared everything deliberately, know
ing that nothing could stop them. No
one had any thought of concealment;
it was all as open as the light Of day,
all done in the broad sunshine. Moth
ing had been determined as to what
was to be done at the Crossroads more
definite than that the place was to be
wiped out. That was comprehensive
enough; the details were quite certain
to occur. They were all on foot, march
ing in fairly regular ranks. In front
walked Mr.. Watts, the man HAIRLESS
had abhorred in public spirit and be-
friended in private. Today he was a
hero and a leader, marching to avenge
his professional oppressor and personal
brother. Cool, unrufled and to out
ward vision unarmed, marching the
miles in his brown frock coat and gen.
erous linen, he led the way. On one
side of him were the two Bowlders, on
the other was Lige Willetts, Mr. Watts
preserving peace between the young
men with perfect tact and sang froid.
They kept good order and simili-
tude Of quiet for so many except far to
the rear, where old Wilkerson was
bringing up the tail Of the procession,
dragging wretched yellow dog by a
rope fastened around the poor ours
protesting neck, the knot carefully ar
ranged under his right ear. In spite of
every command and protest Wilkerson
hod mo oho1 tho vuholo WOW ,,0~eo.s