Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-04

BY FRED LEWIS PATTEE
Copyright. 1905. by Henry Holt Coz

! for half a mle?"
| What's the user" he answered hotlJ
They didn't go through that gap, and you
know it. Taere hasn't been any tracks
! through that gap since the rain
Mmmml So 1 hear. And you hain't got
nobody up round the Farthing house?
pretty efficient sheriff We've got In this
| county What have yer been doin'? Con-
sulting the authorities on pow -wowin'
swami, | believe I'll run for sheriff myself
| next fall"
a large man was approaching rapidly
| IL was Allen Farthing
| Lem Fisher started from his seat and
| stole into the back store as If the devil had
come. The sherih arose but said nothing
| All looked with hanging jaws as If the
| man held a cooked revolver In either hand.
| II understand, gentlemen" he began at
| once, that you have been in search of me.
| was over in the Wild Meadows until six
o'clock. When l got home 1 learned about
your visit and came down as
could get away. Now, gentlemen, what can
do for your"
| It's lie! The words came from the
/ squire in a smothered heap. We've got
a dozen men who saw you in the gap this
| afternoon, and you run over the ridge
| That talk don't go here.
| L arrest you, sir in the name of the law"
| said the sheriff Electrically" Hold out your
| hands,
| There's no need of irons, Mr.. Sheriff;
| shall not resist try to escape"
Hold en- OUT he ordered sharply. The
man obeyed without word. and the sharp
'cIick-click' was distinctly heard by all.
| Did l understand you to say you were
not with the boys this afternoon when
| they ran over the ridge?" asked Amos
| elbowing his way to the prisoner.
| mo, sub, I was not You scared my
wife almost to death, but she had sand
| enough to follow the mob. and she said
| the boys and somebody else that looked to
| her to be a woman ran down into Roaring
| Run and got through the gap. 1 don't
| Know
| squirmed uneasily at the mention of the
| escape through the gap.
| What did the boys run for?" cross
| questioned Amos.
| i don't know moren you do. They
probably got into panic, and from what
| my wife says there was reason for it.
They Il come back; they'll be here in
time for the hearing. And here, Squire
| Hartswick, l demand a hearing tomorrow
| morning. Ind l wish some body'd be
kind enough. TO run up and stay with my
| wife. She's all alone and frightfuly nerved
up. Won't somebody do it?''
IN co. volunteered Amos quickly.
Glad TO go. Don't you worry one mite,
Mr.. Farthng.''
Il won't forget this, Amos" said the
man feelingly. Amos arose and left the
store.
Got a place for him, squire? I've got a
guard There was business ring in the
sheriff's voice.
Yes. oh, yes. This way" The squire
hustled out into the darkness, followed by
the sheriff and his prisoner. The men
from Sugar Valley arose and fell in behind.
For a time there was a silence among
the little group huddled about the store
door. Then the voice of Lem Fisher was
heard from behind.
Il see 1t. It's c'earer'n mud now. Al
-Farthing wants to get into that house still.
He's going to spend the night there. Jest
you mind what comes of It, s'pose you can
tie hacker with handouts? Nosuh. The
devils in it. There'll be dead body in
that house against tomorrow still. You
notice what say
1t was fully 10 o'clock when Amos
finally started up the turnpike for the Far
thing place. The summer night lay dark
and sultry upon the valley. There was
the threat of thunder storm: the heat
lightning played in ghostly fickers across
the south; and the clouds lay in snaky
swaths, with here and there livid patches
where the stars struggled feebly through.
Save for the nervous notes of whip-poor-
will in the near meadow, and the steady
drone of the waters in the Run, the night
was silent.
Then Amos caught another sound, and
Strengthened up to listen,-the sound of a
horse and buggy approaching at furious
rate. The horse was evidently speeding
as on racetrack and he coming
nearer every instant. Automatically Amos
stepped into the ditch and held up his
lantern. A moment and the wild whirl-
wind was right upon him. then it was gone
and the hoof-beats and roaring wheels
came fainter and fainter from the dis
| lance. II was Oare-QeV1l rlClng IN a night
like that. The lantern had showed him a
single figure in the buggy, but whether a
man or woman he could not tell. Who
could 1t be plunging into the night in that
mad fashion? Life indeed was becoming
strenuous in the little valley.
He poked ahead again. AS he came near
to the Farthiing place he caught the CLINT
of a light in the yard, and made out a
figure beside ia woman.
Hello. there he shouted reassuringly.
| g Apnng Ia rI' RI
work and get scairt."
"Oh, it's you, Amos?' Mrs. Farthing'
voice. I'm awful glad you've come. I'm
worried most to death. Where's Allen:
Is he all right?" She came close and
looked into his face.
"Snug's a bug" he explained jovially.
They up and arrested him, but he's jest
as safe as I em-jest exactly. Don't you
worry about him" His CHEEKY manner
was reassuring.
II can't understand it, she went on rap
idly. Jim came in jest a minute ago on
the run after the colt. He said he was
going to Gum Stump after DR.. kuack He
said Tom was all right, but must go
quick as I could down to Miller's, for Loney
was Jest alive. Then he hitched up the
colt and drove off the next minute"
"Sho! What spose he meant? Say, I'd
better harness right up hadn't l p
Eyes. 1 think you had. I'll run In and
get my medicine box I'll be ready when
you are" He hustled into the barn and
in five minutes they were driving down the
pike.
81 van, Ms. Farthing." he began. This
| whole thing beats the Dutch, now, don
it?'
whats 1t all about, Amos?" Her voice
| had a culver In it. TT come so sudden. I
can't think or straighten 1t oft. Seems
| like some kind of nightmare"
oval, I'll tell yeh, Ms. Farthing; It's
lest like this" Thereupon he detailed with
| fuIness all that he knew of the matter
| from the first. Before he had finished, they
| were driving up the crazy road to Poppy
| Miller's house.
The door was open and light was shin
ing out Then a voice, eager and anxious,
| came from the darkness:
| rs that YOU motherT'
| "Yes-are you all right, Tom?"
| "Oh, I'm glad you've come Right in
| this way Don's stop for anything" He
almost lifted her bodily from the seat and
| they rushed together into the house, clos
ing the door behind them.
At once all was dark and silent. Amos
sat for a moment gazing blankly at the