Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-02-23
CHAPTER VIII.

CHATTER VIII
T7HE rain fell thiekly until mid
night / awDke before dawn
A listening to The wind roam.
u around the caves.
Ny landlord. Timothy Boyd was a.
ready astir below. ana presently h'
came up the ladder wiia dish ~ por
ridge fos me--a kindness. indeed ~
had thought TO set OCT for the l2yae
castle on an empty stomach. / .e.E ~
pack with Boyd com sndine ii TO ais
care, and tie rugged Old man nof ed
placidly. bidding me rest assured OF iu'
safety.
'There is foul company ut The Great
house inn." | ID as we descended lie
ladder to tie taproom below Gre +
house received four guests an hJ.lr
ago. Mount bade ne warn you, sir l4f
said you would understa na.r
] understood at once Butler, Wrax-
all. Toby Tice and tie fourth member
Of the band had arrived in Cresap's
camp
lis Mount sleeping?" asked.
:. The old m.ln laugiei.
4 IL have sever seen him sleep" lie
said. Il know him we'll but have
never seen i'm sleep He Is ont son
der somewhere. proving"
And Shemuel AM CaGe ReAardT'
inquired.
"ShemueI Is on his Way 10 pittsbarg
Renard houses WISH Mount"
To gain the river vAcnce the tr1n
ran northwarl to the Cayuaa camp /
was obliged to pass lie fort AMI CON
sequently tile Greathogse inn.
Shutters were drawn aud bolted over
every window. but candlellght stream
I'd through loophoIes in the tapf0oln.
and could hear men SINGING. Noslng
the house delicately. | perceived odaes
OF cooking, Of rum toGdy and or to-
bacco smoke. Clearly Buffers eompa.
ny were supplng after their long jog
IN the back trail from Fortress Pitt.
Satisfied that all was safe. had al.
1ently begun skirting the road ditch
Swallowed by the fence. when dagk
heap, which had taken for stump
IN the road, moved. rolled over, moan
~
! stopped. frozen motionless. After
: moments wary accommodating creDt
forward again along the ditch. eyes
fastened on the dim shape ahead. a
human form lying In the black shad
~ows Of the road.
When came closer understood. At
my feet, In drunken stupor. sprawled
! young Cayuga girl. limbs plastered
with mud. body saturated and reek.ng
with the stencil OF spirits. Her black
hair foated In pool OF rain which
spread out, rejecting stars, One help
less hand clutched the mud.
lifted the little thing and bore her
to the shadow OF the fence: but here
70 my amazement. lay drunken
nquaw. doubtless her mother, stii
cIinging to an empty bottle; aud. aloug
the ditch and fence, flung In beastIy
breathing heaps. | counted seven more
barbarians. old and young. from the
Infant Of ten to the young buck OK
twenty. all apparently OF the same
family and all In sodden swoon.
There WIS nothing could do for
these victims or Greathouse: no aid
within my power to give them. Heart
nick. I turned away and. quickenIng
my steps, passed swiftly down the
muddy trail.
Z The Cayuga trail was broad ANA
plain, and ] took 1t at wolf trot
thoughtfully reading its countless signs
Nv the yellow dawn ais went along
marks Of white men. marks OF moe,
cnsins, imprint OF deer and cattle. trail
of rabbit and following fox ana tie
hand-llkc traces of rambling raCuoons.
And now d thread Of blue smoke.
drawn far down the trail. set my nos
4ils wide and quivering 4 flare on
binding yellow turned the world into
gold. had met the sun 81 the cayu
~ camp. The tryst had been kent.
hanks 10 the Lord.
Dark uncertain forms loosued up III
<he eye of the sun; tail groups that nev.
~ moved as drew nlgh; men who
1ood naotionless as tbs Plies where the
os1licil flrp smoked ana dashed IKE i
&uH Jewel N The stii.
I,eacer" said, hating with ap
&o1eed band. ~leace. Won wise men
IId racheIns'''
f'eaceI repeated low voice.
eacc bearer of belts!'
4 4 1o1sI nearer. head high, Vet see.
y....