Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-01-20
this spring We all thought Hatfield wa

cookin's, you know, an tried t tidy up
his house a bit. Well, he'd look at me
kinda funny all the time. sorta pitiful,
an yet I can't exactly tell how he
looked. I took it JUS tn same as any
nurse would a fever patient allow1n'
fur him, y know. An one day he said
he wished I could always be aroun' tibet
little cabin O. his'n, an the words scared
him, an he looked out at the rainy
peach blossoms for long spell, red as
any lamp shade. Another time he said
was the kind of woman that the
supreme intelligence intended the breed
Or somepin' like tibet. An then HE
cough eased up and he TUX to work, and
didn't 60 no more. Two or three times
he came here in tn evenin', but mother
TUX care of him, an I was allus pickin'
plums or cannin' peaches. An thet's
ALL"
Dudley laughed.
Il amt afraid of pore Hatfield a-cut-
tin me out" he said.
But be nice t. him t'morrer," the
woman whispered. hastily. Hes a
pore, sad Teller, an harmless as"
Harmless as a rabbit" Dudley I'm
ished.
A few minutes before four the next
morning, while it was still black night,
Dudley drew up his rig at Hatield's
gate. There was neither sound nor sign
Of light in the shanty, so the driver made
a huge noise and prepared to wait.
Scarcely 80 seconds passed before Hat
field appeared in the clothes he had worn
the night before. Dudley turned hi.
lantern upon the gaunt figure.
GO an git yer rubber BOOTS" he COM
manded, laughiEglv. Cant Go 'thout
EN-"
Hatfield obeyed silently, and two min
utes later was driven rapidly toward
Titman lake. The horse was fastened
on the high rail and Dudley led the way
to the cove.
you've got the best gum" the man of
experience explained-"12-gauge ham,
merless. Press down that little lever on
the left side an you cock her. :. No,
don't cock her yit. She's loaded"
They had a mile to walk. The day
was gathering.
"S-sh-h!" warned Dudley. *We're
purity nigh thar. We don't want t skeer
EN-! BY cripes, but ye're fool with a
gum"
"Did you say that you press this left
lever down to cock the piece-both bar
rels:" Hatfield gasped.
Sure" whispered Dudley. "The
lakes yonder. Dye see it,"
Titman was ahead. showing up pearl
gray in the dawning, like the mist which
hangs over a bog.
."S-sh-h!" warned Dudley. "Thar's a
flock down in the cove-hear 'em?
Well get bunch-fust shot"
They crept on. Dudley turned at last,
his body bent behind an artificial blind
in the edge of the bluff over the cove
His arm was raised to further command
silence.
Hatfield was crouched, too. The
nerves of the man wrung horrid scream
from his throat, before the crash of the
gun.
That instant it seemed that the whole
lake ratified and clacked, but the sound
was merely from the cove where the
vast flock was rising. .. Hatfield saw
the other sink upon his gun, his chin and
throat blotch of deep color
Two or three hours later Hatfeld's
brain assumed command of surviving
faculties. He was two miles away on
the far shore of old Silver He was
harboring world of ancient pas
sion - that of killing himself Th5
lake was there. but it did not ap-
peal. The knife in his pocket Mortified.
He wanted one more shell. Dudley had
given him two, but both barrels were
empty There were innumerable shells
on Dudley's body. He started back, run
ming.
The place was changed. Dudley was
not there! Other hunters had come to
the blind. Hatfield searched on his
hands and knees for one dropped shell.
Thus he was found by those who required
him.
The twelve wise men adjudged him in
sane after many days, but the woman
who knew most, yet who had done no
wrong-remained to weep. - Chicago
Tribune.