Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-10-06

4
Six Crossroads lay dark and steam
ing in the sun that morning. The forge
was silent 5he saloon locked mp. the
roadway deserted even By the pigs.
The broken old buggy stood rot;ias in
the mud without 4 single lean little old
man or woman-Such We're the chill
dren Of the Crossroa d<-.o play about
it. Once. when the deputy sheriff rode
through alone. tattered black hound.
more wolf than dog. half emerged.
growing. from beneath one of the
tumbledown barns and was jerked
back into the darkness by his tail. with
q snarl fiercer than his own. while
gun barrel shone for second as it
swung for stroke on the brute's head.
The hound did not yelp or whine when
the blow fell. he shut his eyes twice
and SUNK sulienly back to his place.
The shanties might have received a
volley OF two from some of the mount
ed bands, exaspTated by futile search
ing, had not the escape Of Horner's
prisoners made the guilt Of the Cross
roads appear doubtful in tie minds Of
many. As the morning waDed the ad-
vocates of the theory that the gam
blers had made away With Harklee
grew in number. There came tele-
gram from the Rooen chief Of police
that he had clew to their Whereabouts.
he thought they had succeeded in
reaching Rouen, and 1t began to be
generally believed that they had es-
capped by the / O'Clock freight train.
which had stopped to take on some
empty cars at a side track u mile nor::..
west of town. across the fields FROM
the Briscoe house. Toward noon a
party went out to examine the rail-
road embank1nent.
Men began to come back into the vii
lage for breakfast by twos and threes.
but many kept on searching the woods.
not feeling the need of food or caring
If they did. Every grove and c.ump
of underbrush, every thicket, was ran.
sacked. The waters of the creek, shall
low for the most part. but swollen
overnight, were dragged at every pool.
Nothing was found There was not a
sign.
The bar of the hotel was thronced
all morning as the returnin. citizens
rapidly made their way 1hi,hcr. and
those who had breakfastel and were
going out again paused for internal as
we'll as external Reinforcement The
landlord. himself returned from a long
hunt. set out his whisky with lavish
hand.
He was the best man we had, boys"
said Lands as he poured the little
glasses full. Wed ort -of sent him to
the legislative halls of Washington
Ion. ago. He'd Of done US honor there.
But we never thought of doin any
thing fer him. Jest set round and left
him build up the town and give him
empty thankEes. Drink hearty. gem
tlerle,." he finished gloomily II don't
grudse no liquor roday-except to Lice
Willetts.'
"He was q good man. said young
William Todd. whose nose was red. not
from the whisky. 1--WE about give
up
Its goin' to seem mighty empty
around here said Ross Schoheld.
whats goin' to become O the Herald
and the party in this district: Where's
the man to run either of 'em now:
Like as not he continued desperately.
it'll go against us in the fall"
Dibb Zane choked over Lis four fin
gers. I'VE nights we'll bust up the
dab busted ole town eff he's gone.'
Il don't know what's come over that
Cynthy Tipworthy." said the landlord.
"She's waited table on him last two
years. and her brother Bud works at
the Herald office. She didn't say a
word. only looked and looked and
looked. like a crazy woman; then her
and Bud went off together to hunt in
the woods. They jest tuck hold Of
each others hands like
Il reckon there amt many crazier
than them two Bowlders. father and
son." interrupted patron. wiping the
drops from his beard as lie set his
glass on the bar. They rid into town
like couple Of wild Indians. the old
man bcatin' that gray mare O. theirn
IAA SuS w d. OuS U4S Will. anu 1le 0lu
hatchery no cruel man either. l ex-
pect Lige Willetts better keep out Of
Hartley's way"
Il keep out Of no mans way" cried
q voice behind him. Turning, they saw
Lige standing on the threshold Of the
door that led to the street. In his hand
he held the bride Of the horse he had
ridden across the sidewalk and that
now stood painting, with lowered head
half through the doorway, beside his
master. Lige was hatless. splashed
with mud from head to foot; his jaw
was set, his teeth ground together, his
eyes burned under red lids, and his
hair lay tossed and damp on his brow.
II keep out Of no mans way" he re-
peated hoarsely. Il heard you, Mr..
T1bbs, but I've got too much to do,
while you loaf and gas and drink over
Landis' bar. I've got other business
than keepin' out Of Hart Bowlder's
way. I'm lookin' for John Harkless.
He was the best man we had in this
ornery hole, and he was too good for
~, and 20 we've maybe let him get
S,sIn~A >-A .nmoS>o Vs., 81 I,1nvnn Y1,,k