Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-07-19
CHAPTER XVIII.

The street, with a low bow-frsated win
dow, from which old Peter must have
seen me coming. He lurched out into
the middle OF the road and stood there
waiting for me like nothing 80 much ~
d great ~chimpanzce waiting an
10 attack. His back was bent with ara,
so that his 'eathery hands with their
crooked and snaried fingers hung bclow
bie knees, and to look up at me his mead
WAS thrown back. Summer and winter
ne wcrc q pea-jacket with 4 guernsey
underneath and q fur cap which spread
I'm ears outward and covered his Tore
hend His shirt wss tho color OF an old
tanned sail. between his protruding
check bones and lower jaw hts cheeks
Eel! 10, and his gree. beak OF q nose al
most touched his bristled UNDERLYING chin.
His legs were bower, apd he stood with
his feet well apart: altogether he was
the oldest specimen Of humanity yon
could well meet, and quite the most I'M
piensant.
His attitude was openly defiant, n
aremed to say Here ! am, and I'm not
afraid Of you. VIVA. have you got to say
to meT,
was not disposed to say anything to
him. That was not the place to bring
him to account for his misdeeds. ! was
anxious to get back to the cottage. his
presence alarmed MI for the safety OF
Psyche; for 1t was clear that her escape
Was NJ longer a secret from old Pcter,
who l 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, Erlnning.
I brushed past old Peter. and pursued
my course He overlook and kept pace
with me-, swinging along a colple OF feet
from my side with q queer plantixrnde
E~aft-setting his long foot nat on the
ground and rolling his bent body from
side 70 side. Ny pace vas about four
miles an houS, bat he kept up with me
IN d surprising manner, his features set
IN m expression Of dogged determination.
lseitAeT of us spoke n word till we were
clear Of TIE town and out IN the lonely
road then seeing tina. his purpose was to
dog me home and that ! must shake him
On By some means / stopped. Hc stopped
- well What do you mean by this!'
asked.
what % ! mean, you varmintT' he
srswered; why / mean to do what
like I've as good rights to walk along
this road and Etop when I choose as you
'nve. If you think you can prevent me.
hay~ q try He slipped his hand in the
pocket Of his pea-jacket and brought out
IN open knife. sim ninety-four, but
Tn wurth a dozen such as you. Have a
hys You'd rather not. You've got no
fight In you. You're only a sinking thief.
You're afraid on me, amt you? You
would like 70 call a policeman to help
You wouldn't ye? Why amt We set the
policeman on to me??. Because you'resgot
more reason to fear 'em an what I ave.
] amt robbed you; but you've robbed
me. I 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
VIXEN I've found where you've slowed
AWAY that gal i'm goin' to get her, dead
u alive. Now You know. Do what you
lie !; but say your prayers afore YOU try
to prevent me. /"
To old Peters disgust, l tacit..y dcclin-
I'd to be drawn into a fight, or even a
Hordy dispute. The distance to the cot
tnge was over three miles, and II seemed
q me that, extraordinary AZ the old mans
physical powers were, he gould never
ksSp up to my pace for more than half
that distance. l started afresh, increas
Ing the pace 40 / wont. The old man
with his bearlike tread kept BY my side,
md lost not m inch Of ground for the
hrst mile, with no visible sign of ex-
Anustion. determined to strike away
from the main roai and make for the
village Of Ecclesham, whence | could re-
turn ~ the footpath over the downs to
lie old London road doubling the dis
tanc to the cottagr, q coming to the
byroads, I turned on sharp. The pace
tried me, but still with indominable per-
tinacity old Peter stuck to my side. We
came In sight Of tie village, and here !
Jaw that i must make 4 yignrnne effort
to outstrip the Dreadful Old man, for IL
~ xetting through the village he found
me doubling 4 regain the aid road, he
would &C once conclude that Psyche was
there, and that I had simply rome ont
efg ~ Wy - nislead him.
Thefe was q pretty steep hill before
1s I put on . squirt. Old Peter kept
- wikA me for . hunarsd yard, and
then dropped, as II his strength had sud
ldenly given away.
Yen tAink you've DINE me, DO you.
/ - Mistake, old Pctcr takes ness
D04g1US 000 yUW GO BSv9 -
"a Nd disaupssred IRE the rsad
vhen turned round - the brow Of
- lii ~ look@tAckWas fairly ex-
lHausesd, and suDk down ~ - rsadside.
Whence I cenna1ded : vteN Ct The lin,
III ecpver. my breath md strength. A
spoea - \ was somewhat relieved, I ~.
cut through the village. And took the
1path SnreugA the cornAeids. The sun
M already sunk. and lie arst star
sfWlnkIed II The sky overhead. Judging
~ ~ ovn fatigue, I reckoned hat old
Peter would certainly give up the pur-
m lingering twilight was not yet past
When 1 reached the cottage. and TO my
o. tie road ii either direction. / UNI
leeked the door and entered closing il
bebfnd me.
We are safe for at least another
ri J thought
I called .sPsychcM There was no re-
spcase. II was unusual. AT the first
aas64a1 St my football at this hour she
S0culd scry To- me Brother 2! Going
SdeWu the pAssake toward the stairs Il
stopped abruptly at the angle facing
the eatrance Of tha back garden. The
de- was vide opeu. 1t wss easily &c,
counted Tor, I sid to myself. Psyche.
ftelne Il Tho usual hour and fndine me
Aot g Tie house. had unbolted the door
At rose out 70 ssh me in the garden.
IA6kzWas VIZ sAe had not responded to
~ eaA. But for Ill thar ii WIS with
n1aeyhe fear that 4 tan down the sar-