The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1907-06-22
CHAPTER XVIiI.

seen me coming. He lurched out into
the middle Of the road and stood there
waiting for me like nothing so much as
q great chimpanzee waiting an incentive
90 attack. His back YVES bent with age,
90 that his 9eathery hands with their
crooked and gnarled fingers hung below
his knees, and to look up at me his head
was thrown back. Summer and winter
nc wore a pea-jacket with guernsey
underneath and a fur cap which spread
his ears outward and covered his fore
head. His shirt was the color Of an old
tanned sail. Between his psotruding
check bones and lower jaw bis cheeks
fell in, and his great beak of nose al
most touched his bristled UNDERLYING chin.
His legs were bowed, and he stood with
his feet well apart: altogether he was
the oldest specimen of humanity you
could we'll meet, and quite the most un-
pleasant.
His attitude was openly defiant, and
Scemed to say: Here I am, and I'm not
afraid of you. What have you got TO say
TO me?" ....
was not disposed to say anything to
aim. That was not the place to bring
him to account for his misdeeds. l was
anxious to get back to the cottage. His
presence alarmed me for the safety of
Psyche for it was clear that her escape
was no longer a secret from old Peter,
who could not doubt had followed me
into the town and had lain in wait for
my return.
mind he don't bite ye, sir" said a
man at the door, grInning.
i brushed past old Peter, and pursued
my course. He overlook and aept pace
with me, swinging along couple of feet
from my side with queer plantigrade
Sait--setting his long foot flat on the
ground and rolling his bent body from
side to side. My pace was about four
miles an hour, but he kept up with me
in surprising manner, his features set
in an expression of dogged determination.
Neither of us spoke word till we were
clear Of the town and out in the lonely
road, then seeing that his purpose was to
dog me home, and that / must shake him
of by some means, | stopped. lie stopped
as WELL what do you mean by this?'
L asked.
what do mean, you varrnint?' he
like. I've as good rights to walk along
this road and stop when | choose as you
ave. If you think you can prevent me,
have try" lie slipped his hand in the
pocket of his pea-jaclet and brought out
an open knife "I'm ninety-four, but
I'm wurth a dozen such as you. Have a
Try. You'd rather not. You've got no
fight in you. You're only Sinking thief.
You're afraid on me, amt you? You
vonld like to call policeman to help
you, wouldn't ye? Why amt ye set the
policeman ON to me? Because you're got
more reason to fear 'em an what ave.
j amt robbed you; but you've robbed
mc. / don't want no one to help me;
I'm just going to do this business my
self. I'm goin' to hunt you down, and
when I've found where you've slowed
away that gal I'm goin' to get her, dead
or alive. Now you knew. Do what you
Ike; but say your prayers afore you try
TO prevent me-
: To old Peters disgust, tacitly declin-
seG to be drawn into a fight or even a
wordy dispute. The distance to the cot
tnge was over three miles, and it seemed
to me that, extraordinary as the old mans
physical powers were, he could never
l,ecp up to NY pace for moro than half
that distance. | started afresh, increas-
ing the pace as / went The old man
with his bearlike tread kept by my side,
and lost not an inch of ground for the
first mile, with no visible sign of ex-
haustion. / determined to strike away
from the main road and make for the
village of Ecclesham, whence l could re-
turn by the footpath over the downs to
the old London road; doubling the dis
rtance to the cottage, and coming to the
byroadS, l turned off sharp. The pace
tried me, but still with indominabfe per-
tiracity old Peter stuck to my side. We
came in sight of the village, and here
saw that must make vigorous effort
to outstrip the dreadful ord man, for if
OF getting through the village he found
me doubling to regain the old road, he
would at once conclude that Psyche was
there, and that / had simply gone out
of my way to mislead him.
There was a pretty steep hill before
us; ! put on a squirt. Old Peter kept
up with me for hundred yards, and
then dropped, as if his strength had sud
denly given away.
s'You think you've done me, do you,
We runnin' varmin," he gasped. "Don't
make no mistake, old Peter takes more
beatin' than you can give him."
He had disappeared from the road
when / turned round on the brow of
the hill to look back was fairly ex-
hausted, and sunk down by the roadside,
n.
to recover my breath and strength. AS
soon as was somewhat relieved, rose,
cut through the village, and took the
path through the cornfelds. The sun
AsA als<s&y sunk and ~ arst star