Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1904-02-27

5M[SEa@NS lHe roduS SettaS sharp pace
- SsSsSzy rs they turned eastward OF
the pike toward home.
They'll make the eight miles ir
three-4uarters of an hour" said judge
Briscoe proudly. He turned from hi.
daughter at his side to Miss Sherwood
who sat with Mr.. Fisbee behind them
and pointed ahead with his whip
"Just beyond that bend we pass through
Six Crossroads'
Miss Sherwood leaned forward eager
~, what did you mean last night
after the lecture" she said to Fisbee
when you asked Mr.. Martin who was
to be with Mr.. HarkIess?"
WHO was watching him." he an
swered.
"Watching him? 1 don't under.
stand"
'Yes; they have shot at him from
the woods at night. and
"But who watches him?"
''The young men of the town. He
has a habit of taking long walks after
dark. and he is needless of all remon-
STRANGE. so the young men have organ
lied a guard for him, and every even
Ing one of them follows him until he
goes to tile office to work for the night.
1t is a different young man each night,
and the watcher follows at distance.
SO that he does not suspect"
'But how many people know Of this
arrangements"
''Nearly every one in the county ex-
sept the Crossroads people, though it is
net improbable that they have discov-
erred it,
''And has no one told him?
''No; he would not allow it to con-
41nue. He will not even arm himself"
sThey. follow: and watch him night
after night. and every one knows and
me one tells him? Oh. must say"
seEied the girl. Il think these are good
peepie"' ~.
The blackboard turned the bend in the
RoaA. and they entered squalid settle
ment built raggedly about black
tRmith shop and saloon. I'D hate to
have breakdown here Briscoe re-
marked quietly.
Half a dozen shantie clustered near
s&he forge. few roofs scattered through
sfhe shiftlessiy cultivated fields, four or
i've barns propped by fence rails, some
sheds with gaping apertures through
which the light glanced from side to
side, squad Of thin razorback hogs.
now and then worried by gaunt hounds,
and some abused looking hens cropping
about disconsoately in the mire, a
broken topped buggy with twisted
wheel. settling into the mud of the
middle of the road there was always
abundant mud here in the driest sum-
,mer,; dim face sneering from bro
ken window-Six Crossroads was for
bidding and forlorn enough by day
The thought Of what might issue from
1t by night was unpleasant. and the
legends of the Crossroads. together
with an unshapen threat easily fancied
In the atmosphere of the place, made
Miss Sherwood shiver as though cold
draft had crossed her.
+, %'It is so sinister" she exclaimed
~And so unspeakably mean! This is
where TREY live, the people that hate
him, is it? The White Caps?
'They call themselves that" replied
Briscoe. Usually White Caps are
vigilance committee in a region where
the law isn't enforced. These fellows
aren't that kind They got together to
wipe out grudges and sometimes didn't
need any grtdge-just made their raids
for pure deyilment. There's feud be-
9Feen us and them that goes back into
Daoneer days. and only few of us old
felix's know much about it,"
"And he vas the first to try to stop
them?' ..
well; You see. our folks are pretty
leag suffering" said Briscoe apoIoget-
lcaIly. wed sort OF got used to the
Of the Crossroads. It took
4 stranger to stir things up. and he
lid. He sent eight of them to the peni-
beattary. some for twenty years
As: they passed the saloon a man
stepped into the doorway and looked
1t them. He was coatIess and clad in
garments ,;Nsosn tes% the color Of dust
His bare head was cHriously maIform-
ID. higher on one side than on the 9th
r. and though the blackboard passed
rapidly and ut a distance this singular
was plainly visible to the
sccHpants. iending an ugly Significance
10 his meager. yellow face He was
laH, lean. hard. powerfully built. He /
ayed the strangers with affected Ian
guor and tIien. when they had gone by.
9roke into sudden loud laughter.
'"That was Bob Skillet. the worst of
he lot" said the Judge ..Harkless
DeAt his son and Que brother to prison.
md it nearly broke his heart that he !.
couldn't swear to Bob
When they were beyond the village
Ind in ttiee7open road again Miss Sher-
goOd took deep breath. II tlrink /
breathe nior' freely That was a hid
GUS laugh, he sent after u.s.
The judge glanced at his guests face
nd chuckipd Il guess we won't
rigllten you much,' lie said. Young
ady. don't believe you'd be afraid of
many things. would you? You don't
Dok like it. Besides. the Crossroads h