Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-04
CHAPTER XVII.
The Hour of the Powers of Darkness.


pa ssed their childhood amid the dark WINS
behring's of witchcraft and the evii eye ana
OF unseen preseilceS which TURK TO uo eFi
can imagine the terror that zen upon man ny,
throughout the region after the event at
Roaring Run. The group that met at tWi-
light at Squire Hartswicks store was smah
but select. The sheriff and the sugar ' AZ
lev deputies. who were to spend the Htsht
at Hartswick Hall. were sitting glum ana
surly on boxes about the door. The squire
was in chair in 1.-The doorway, silent ana
moody, smoking his corncob; Lem -f1sher,
to whom the world pre- -ented as many devils
as ever it did to old Cotton Mather was
center and spokesman, warmly seconded by
Ulie Dribelbis and old Jake Kisterbock.
The powers of darkness were having their
hour
do you-uns s. pose one minute that three
grown men could hide themselves in the
rocks of that little hole SO that hun
dred couldn't find EN-? Heigh? Is that
reasonable wunst? They couldn't get out
of there; you know that. Ebner Moritz
was right clost to 'em still and he knows
they didn't go down the run. 1 tell you a
hacker like Farthing don't get ketched less
he wants to. Nosuh."
What did he run for?' asked Amos
quietly why didn't he stand jest where
he was peeling bark and hack the whole
gang? What was the use of running HIM
self half to death? Why didn't he jest drop
out Of sight in his tracks and save all the
hard work of runnin over the ridge?'
HUH That's all a Yankee knows. wy
that's clearer'n mud still. He run cause he
didn't have nothing to hack with. A hacker
has to have tools jest as much as black
smith. They must have locks of hair and
pieces of Bibles, and keys, and blood, and
what not. Now can't you see it? If it had
been you or we, wouldn't we have struck
for the Wild Medders instead of goln' it for
a man-trap like the run? l tell yeh he was
strikin' for Grammar Miller. While you
uns was a-fooln' round she had time enough
to hide a nation"
Vas, and why did she stop you off at the
door and make yeh get a warrant?" broke
in Ulie wal, I'll tell yeh why He closed
one eye and nodded his head knowingly.
she had to have time to work her spell.
Did you see her weavin that branch? l tell
ness we'd be scairt. Something awfuls
comm. We don't know who's turn it is
next, but it's one of u.s.
"Yessuh, he's right" Lem Fisher took UP
the argument with JUNCTION. THAT brauch
meant death. I've saw it twdcet in my life
ready and what's twicet is thricet. There's
goin' to be an awful death in this valley
until the twenty-four hours still You-uns
take notice of what say"
An awed silence fell over the group. At
length old Jake Kisterbock spoke with fall
tering voice.
Let me tell you-uns somesing wunst
When / got hum this afternoon. my woman
comes to the door with face like a dish
clout still, and she sayes, sayes she, almost
yammerin', Come in here wunst.' Then
she takes me into the bed room and sayes
grave. And then-oh my Lord!" He leaned
far over the group, his eyes glittering like a
child's The death watch was tickin' there
in the wall. Tick ick-tick- tick tick right
by the headboard It's death, sayes the
woman, fallin' over on the bed and cryin
like as If the life was goin' out of her still
It's death, death, DEATH Yessuh, I've
heard it before, and it always brings death
In this valley until twenty-four hours"
II don't want to scare yeh, squire" Lem
Fisher spoke deferentially, but the signs
do pint at YOU
"Humph," he grunted.
"Recollect that apple tree that blowed late
last fall in your yard? Recollect how the
pee-wee few into the store here? Recollect
how, down to Karl's funeral, the wagon
clipped right in ahead OF yeh in the pro-
cession? Then what have 1 told yeh about
these Farthings? You go this VERY night,
squire, and do what 1 told yeh. 1t may be
too late now
He made no answer.
Say, Lem" spoke up Amos IF Al Far
thing can do all you claim he can, then
why's he workin' every day on that old
FARM"
"Oh, his far1nin' is Jest a blind I'll bet
he's gut money like water in the creek.
Now II there ain't no haexin' about this,
where did the Farthings go? You tell me
that"
II amt explainin' Jest yet, but there's an
explanation all the same and it's comm
out. Al and his boys are pretty wide-awake
| chaps; they've hunted all over these ridges
| and they know every square rod. They
knew how to get through the run, that's all.
You fellers was so excited you didn't know
| what you was doin. You can't come any
| OF your miserable witchcraft on me-"
IF the Farthings was innocent, why did
| they rum
''They showed horse sense by runnin'
| When crazy, hot-headed crowd of lunatics
| gets after yeh, run say, for dear life, and
| do your explainiu next week"
| AN innocent man don't run, I'll tell you
hot SnlItra E1llenlV How are
| you going to account for that stuff in his
| barn?''
II amt going to give my verdict till the
| evidence is all in. But there's a good deal
to be cleared up yet fore I'm satisfied, I'll
tell you that. Say, Mr.. Sheriff" He turned
| about suddenly and faced the man: What
are you goin to do tomorrow? How are
you plannin' to ketch EN-. Gut watch set
round their house, 'spose."
why, no; l hain't."
Wal now, that's kinder strange. Say
wouldn't 1t be sort O. natural for some on
'em to sneak back there tonight for some
thin to eat? What are yeh dom to ketch
EN-? All can see is you are settin' right
here listenin' to old woman's stories about
pow wown', while they're hustling out of
the region Iyely-that is If they want to-"
What can you do when men disappear
into the air?'' argued the sheriff.
Say that's a smart question for sheriff
of a county to ask, now amt it-a regular
old womans question. If they've disap-
peared then it's your business to find 'em
and not squat down here listenin to witch
stories. If you're that cut, you won't be
elected next fall; I'll tell yeh that. We
want n man for a sheriff, not an old
woman"
Perhaps you'll condescend to enlighten us
Just a little" answered the sheriff with
whitening sarcasm. Perhaps you'll be
gracious enough to do the county the favor
OF dropping few off-hand little hints as
to what the officers ought to do in this
case
Sure. No trouble at ALL he answered
serenely. You left a guard round Roarin'
run, I 'spose? You are ready to swear, you
say, that they didn't get out of there, so 1t
stands to nature they must come out some
time. Got a right smart guard all around
It, 'spose."
why, no"
Went through the Run gap, 'spose, and
looked for tracks up and down the banks