The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-04-27
CHAPTER xxIII.--tContinucd.,

4
abaek. But noting Dclia's sad, wonder
Ing face. rs her eyes wandered round the
neglected room and rested on the tattercd
portraits. | lost patience.
"Our business IL with Master Hanni.
bal Tingcomb." said sharply.
The straight-haircd man looked up
again. his mouth full OF ham.
"Hush"'--he held his fork up. and
shook his head sorrowfully. and ] won
dercd where I had seen him before.
Hast thcs an angels wingsy" he asked.
"why. no. sir; but the heavy boots
as you shall find IL be- not answered.
young man--young man." broke In
the one-eycd butler. 'our minister Is a
good minister. and speaks roundabout as
such: but the short n that my master Is
dead and in his coffin"
"Show him to US"
"Willngly. young man" lie lei the
/ way TO the very room where Master Ting.
comb and | had held our interview. As
before. six candles were burning there,
4 but the table was pushed into corner,
/ aud now their light fell on a long black
coffin. resting on trcstlcs la the center
| OF the room. The colin was closed. and
studded with silver nails: on the lid was
silver plate bearing these words writ
ltcny Hannibal Tingcomh MDCNLlli.,'
with n text OF Scripture below.
when do you bury himT"
Tomorrow forenoon. The spot is two
mile from here" lie blinked at me, aud
hcsitatcd for a minute. SIS Il your pur
! pose. sirs. 20 attendY"
BE sure 81 that" I said grimly. so
4 ~ E..l H. 80
pany"
"All thy. Dear sir. consider: where
are beds TO be foundI Sure. thy mari.
ncrs can pass the night aboard their own
shipr'
80 then" thought I. ZION haze been
on the lookout" but Della replied for
me-
II am Della Killigrcw and mistress OF
this honsc. You will prepare the beds
a. you are told" Whereupon what does
that dccrcpit old sinner but drop upon
his knees?
Mistress Della. Oh. goodly feast for
this one poor cyel on. that Master Ting
comb had seen this day.
| declare the tears were running down
his nose: but Della marched out. cutting
short his hypocrisy. In the passage she
whispered:
"yillaIny. jack
Hush" I answered. "and listen: Mas
ter Tingcomb Is no more in that cofiln
than l."
"Then where is hep
THAT is just what We are to discover"
About IL o'clock that same night !
crcpt out Of the house, and finding. as ]
suspected. hearse in front OF the door,
crept into II. along with Matt Soames.
whom I had summoned 10 help me.
BY colling out limbs we managed II.
but only just before caught the glimmer
OF light and heard two persons APP
preaching. They were my one-eyed friend
aud the good minister. They came very
slow. grumblng all the way. and OF
course | knew they carried the colin.
"All right. SimI' asked the minister.
aye" pipcd a squcaky voice by the
horses heads Ctwas the shuilling stable
boy. "aye. but look sharp. What sounds
I've heerd. The evil ones I the hearse
for sure
They raised the coffin and pushed Il
into the hcaSe. IL was a close squeeze
for Matt. The door was clapped 10. the
three rogucs climbed upon the seat in
front. aud we started.
hope may never be called TO pass
such another half hour as that which fol-
lowed. A. soon as the wheels left turf
for the hard road twas JOLT. jolt all the
way. Finally we turnd sharp 10 the
right with jolt that shook our 'e'th to-
gethcr. rn!rd for a little while over
smooth grass and drew M.
heard the fellows climbing down and
got my pistols out.
"Simmy." Growrd the minister.
"wh.rc's the lautcrnI"
There was a moment or so OF silence,
aud thea the swapping Of Hint and steel
and the sound OF pulling.
The handle or the door was turn'd.
and light flashed into the hearse.
Here. hold the lantern steady! Come
hithnr old Squeaks, and help WI the
end. Master Tingcomb Is still Twin and
In his own house awaitin' u.s.
BE SURE. his words were as good as n
slap in the face 10 me, For ! had count.
ell the hearsc 10 lead us straight 10 Mas
ter Tingcomb himself. I'm his own
house." too. 4 fright sciz'd me for Della.
But FIRST ] must deal with these scoun-
drcls. who already were dragging out the
coffin.
steady there" calls the minister. The
coffin was more than half way outside
levelVd my pistol and fcteh'd n yell 81
90 wake a ghost-at the same time let.
ting fy straight for the minister.
In the fash OF the discharge | saw
him, half turn'd, his eyes starting and
mouth agapc. lie clnpp'd his hand 10
his shoulder On top OF his wild Shrek
broke out a chorns OF screams. In the
middle OF which the coffin tilted up and
went over with crash. ''Satan--Sa-
tan" bawlcd Simmy. and, dipping the
lantern. took 10 his heels for dear life.
At the same moment the horses took
fright, aud before | could scramble out
we were tearing madly away over the
turf and into the darkness. had made
SD mess OF IL.
Leaving Matt To mind the horses,
caught up the lantern and looked about
me. As we'll as could be- seen. we were
In a narrow meadow between two hills,
whereof the black slopes ro's high above
us. Some PAGES TO the Hight my ear
caught the noise OF stream running.
turned the lantern on the coffin.
which lay face downward. and with
gasp took In the game those precious
rogucs had been playing. For. with the