Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-23

After the first spurt they paid np heed to the whip and fairly crawled Mary lyn, tired, gave way to passional e com blaming. Dallas folded blai ket in the bottom of the wagon and coaxed her sister to lie down upon 1t, her { face shielded by the seat. Tc further dishearsen the elder girl Ben and Bet ty showed signs of sore footedness. Guided out upon the grass they trav- eled better.
 It took three precious hours to gain the summit The afternoon was then far gone. Across the wide valley dark clouds were piling upon the western range. They added to its height and augured the days early closing. When the Throat gaped alongside, the feecy horizon had rolled still higher, and be- meath 1t the setting sun showed through like harvest moon, blood red.
 Swiftly the day withdrew and the stars came out. Then the breeze lull- ed and mist rose from the coulee's wooded bottom. From it came the 1 tremulous call of an owl. Dallas slip { ped to her feet and yielded the black snake vigorously. The mules shot forward for wagon . length. The sudden jolt awakened Marylyn. She got to her knees-and there were the cottonwoods with the laden boughs!
 "Spunky little sister," encouraged the elder girl and helped the other to the seat.
 The road was so dark now that 1t took on the aspect of a standing man, who was no sooner overridden than he rose again in the lead. This was a beginning for all manner of fears. Dallas fought her own. But she could not conquer them, for they enlarged enormously end changed to premo- , hilton that ran riot. Listening and watching, she had suf- fered the previous night. Yet that suf- l fering was nothing compared to the agony that stole into her heart and held it-till she forgot Marylyn's pres ence. She seemed to see figure skulking through the dusk about the shack. It entered the lean-to and crouched in hiding. She saw 1t come forth again, keeping close to the logs Its eyes shone in the dark. Her father was beside the door where she had left him. He was gag ing straight ahead, as if he expected the enemy to approach only from the ' front, as if he had no thought o1 treachery. His figure was relaxed wea rily. His face was drawn. But his eyes-like the other's-were strangely luminous.
 N An, the figure was creeping toward him noiselessly step by step!
 GO in! Go in, daddy"
 The cry was torn from her, thougf she strove to keep it back. The strafr of the past night and day was telling Frantically she begged Ben and Betty to hasten. Knowing home was not far they ebeyed her voice and presently were setting back in their collars tt block the descent of the wagon, were ~ spashing through the backwater a the coulee crossing and jerking thei
 load out upon the level. Eastward thu shack stood out dimly in the starlight They made for it at trot.
 But all at once they stopped and he
 gan stepping this way and that, as i
 ready to leap the tongue. Dallas an; WI Marylyn recoiled, forsaking the sea
 for the shelter of the box.
 There was a moments wait in still
 ness as vast as the prairie. The mules
 sidled to the left. shifted their loni
 ears nervously. The girls listened, th
 younger shielded by the elders arms.
 Then acr3ss the bend from the de
 serted houses of Sharsy Town sound
 ed the long, soul chilling howl of
 dog.