Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-12-04

I'm tell them you've gone to London
and try to put them Off the SCENT she
said. ooh! what"
For there was the sound of many feet
and the hum of voices outside In the
lane.
Caught" the man said wildly. He
made an uncertain step towards the
back, but there was the hum of voices
there also. He was in a trap. "Where
can I hide?'
His trembling grasp was on her arm'
his bloodshot eyes were shooting fur
lively from side to side. There was
not a cupboard, not a chest, anywhere.
The sounds came nearer. Above them
all could be heard a hysterical woman's
voice, speaking loud and fast.
Mary's sense reeled for a moment.
Then she was strong again.
"Upstairs,' she said, and snatched
the baby out of its cradle. The man
obeyed, wondering what her idea was.
He soon understood.
The bed that stood in the little up
stairs room was of the old-fashioned
variety, fitted with a feather mattress
that had belonged to her mother. a
mountainous thing into which one
might sink and be almost lost to view.
"Under it," she said. keep your
face pressed down to the Stats. You
will be able to breathe through the tick
ing somehow. You must!
lie scrambled on to the bedstead and
she pressed the mattress over him, beat
ing the feathers all to the sides and
smoothing 1t over. Then she luna a
sheet over and arranged the pillows.
"Can you breathe?" she said.
mot very well. Get them away
quickly, for heavens sake"
There was the clatter Of feet down
stairs.
She laid the baby gently down on the
bed, half covering it with the counter
pane. 1t woke and broke into a cry. y
With her knees trembling violently,
she went to the head of the narrow
stairs.
"And what's this noise about?" she
asked. Did her voice sound as strange
to them as it did to herself?
A woman's shrek answered her, and
Cissie Mays face appeared in the door
way, the bulky form of the village on
stable looming behind.
"We've come for my Ned's murder
err" she said shrilly. tits your Jim,
and he'll hang"
The baby gave another little sobbing
cry.
Hush y she said, holding up a warm
ing finger. II was Just getting baby to
sleep. And you're talking nonsense,
Cissie. Seeing that Jim was in all last
night and only went out this morning,
I don't see what he could have had to
do with the poaching affair. He's out
row. He's gone to London to see about
buying that little inn he was talking
about the other night, Mr.. Jones. I
expect you'll remember"
The explanation came so smoothly,
her face was apparently so untroubled,
that tie constable almost changed his
opinion concerning Jim's guilt. Not SO
Cissie.
you're lying" she said fiercely. "You
search the house, Mr.. Jones, and you'll
soon find him"
There was n murmur Of conflicting
opinions from the group behind. But
Mary's voice came again, quite calm.
"You can search everywhere" she
said. "All over the house, In the gar
den, where you will. But please don't
wake baby. He's so fretful and I shall
get no sleep again."
Then she disappeared into the bed
ROOM, the p~erspiration standing out on
her forehead. She heard the tramp OF
feet over the house, the moving Of fur
niture, the opening Of c%upboards, and
was glad that the search was being
conducted by the local man, who was
not over intelligent. There came a
sti1ed voice.
Hurry them off. I'm choking"
"Only a few minutes" she whispered.
"Hush!'
Heavy footsteps were coming up the
stairs. When Constable Jones entered,
all he saw was a poorly furnished room,
with one candle Pickering in the win
dow, and a woman bending over a baby
on the bed, humming a lullaby.
Flush! = she whispered.
He strove to make light his elephan-
tine tread and signed to the others not
to enter.
81 must just look round" he said
apologetically. 1t seemed so absurd to
think that a man could be hidden In
this bandbox of a place, with a
cupboard in it, and a woman hushing
a baby to sleep. He could understand
her anxiety that it should not be waken-
ed, for had not his own sturdy young
sters, eight Of them, once been through
the teething process, as he well remem-
bered? And he had a very kindly feel
ing for Mary, who had been very good
to his family during sundry attacks or
measles and childish ailments.
He glanced round, then stopped with
difficulty and peered under the bed.
"Nowt here" he said.
Look in the bed,' said a woman's
voice from the door, where Cissie's tear
stained face waited.
Mary's heart rose into her mouth.
But she still bent over the child and
hrmmed.
The policeman approached the bed,
and doubtfully laid a hand IN the coy
erlet.
The baby gave a cry MARY never
really forgave herself for the tiny pinch
she gave it, but 1t was the only way).
It was enough fer Constable Jones.