Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-07-16

for the wild Medders instead OF goin'
1t for a man-trap like the Run? l tell
yeh he was strikin' for Grammar Mil
Ter. While you-uns was a-foolin' round
she had time enough to hide a ma
ton"
Vas, and why did she stop you of
at the door and make yeh get a war
rant?" broke in Tile, WA. I'll tell yeh
why" He closed one eye and nodded
his head knowingly. "She had to AVE
time to work her spell. Did you see
her weavin' that branch? / tell you
n IL we knew the bottom OF this
business we'd be scairt. Something
awfuls comm. We don't know who's
turn II is next. but it's one OF US"
"Yessuh. he's right" Lem Fisher
took up the argument with junction..
That brauch meant death. I've saw
II twlct in my life Already and what's
twicst is thricet. There's goin' to be
an awful death In this valley until "a
hours still. You-uns take notice OF
what / say
An awed silence fell over the group.
At length old Jake Kisterbock spoke
with faltering voice.
Let me tell you-uns somesing
wunst. When l got hum this after
noon, my woman comes to the door
with a face like a dish-clout still, and
she sayes, sayes she, almost yammer-
in, Come In here wunst. Then she
takes me into the bedroom and sayes
she, Keep still wunst. 1t was still
as the grave. And then-oh my Lord!"
He leaned far over the group, his ayes
glittering like a child's. The death
watch was tickin' there in the wall.
Observation-Disclosures right by the
h~eadboard. It's death sayes the
woman. fallin' over on the bed and cry
In like as IL the life was goin' out OF
her still, It's death, death. death Yes
sub, I've heard 1t before, and it always
brings death in his valley until "a
hours"
Il don't want to scare yeh. Squire"
Lem Fisher spoke def%erentially. But
the signs do pint at you"
"Humph," he grunted.
"Recollect that apple tree that bowed
late last fall in your yard? Rec6llect
how the pee-wee flew into the store
here? Recollect how, down TO KarIs
funeral. the wagon clipped right In
ahead of yeh In the procession? Then
what nave | told yeh about these Earth
ings? You go this very night, Squire.
and do what / told yen. 1t may be too
late now"
He made no answer
Say, Lem" spoke up Amos, eff AL
Farthing can DO all you claim he can,
then why's he workin' every day on
that old farm"
"Oh. his farmin' is jest a blind. I'll
bet he's gut none like water in the
creek. Now If there amt no haexin'
about this. where did the Farthings go?
You tell me that"
Il amt expiainin' jest yet, but there's
an explanation all the same, and it's
comm out. AL and his boys are pretty
wide awake chaps; they've hunted all
over these ridges and they know every
square rod. They knew how to get
through the Run, that's all. You fell
lers was so excited you didn't know
what you was doin.' You can't come
any of your miserable witchcraft on
me-
IF the Paintings was innocent. why
did they run?"
They showed horse sense by rum
min. When a crazy, hot-headed crowd
of lunatics gets after yeh, run / say,
for dear life, and do your %explainin'
next week"
"An innocent man don't run, I'll tell
you that" said the Squire suIleniy.
How are you going to account for
that stuff In his barn?"
Il amt going to give my verdict till
the evidence is all in. But there's a
BOOu uSdl TO De cleared up yet IOro
I'm satisfied, I'll tell you that Say,
Mr.. Sheriff" He turned about sudden
ly n faced the man. What are you
goin' to do tomorrow? How are you
piannin' to ketch 'em. Gut a watch
set round their house. l spose."
why, no; I hain't.'
wal, now. that's kinder strange.
Say, wouldn't II be sort o. natural for
some on 'em to sneak back there to-
- t.LN 60. tAp - ~ -
yeh dom to ketch 'em? All I can see
is you are settin' right here listenin'
to old woman's stories about pow
wowin', while they're hustling out of
the region lively,-that is If they want
to-"
What can you do when men dis
appear into the air?" argued the sher-
IF.
Say, that's a smart question for a
sheriff of a county to ask. nov ain't
tia regular old woman's question. re
they've disappeared. hen it's your
business to find 'em and not squat
down here listenin' to witch stories.
If you're that cut, you won't be elect
ed next fall; I'll tell yeh that. We
want a man for a sheriff, not an old
woman"
Perhaps you'll condescend to en-
tighten us just a little" answered the
sheriff with whitening sarcasm. Per
haps you'll be gracious enough to do
the county the favor of dropping a
few offhand little hints as to what the
officers ought to do in this case"
Sure. No trouble at ALL" hi an
swered s~erenely. You left a guard
round Roarin' Run. I 'spose? You are
ready to swear, o say, that they
didn't get out of there. so it stands to
nature they must come out sometime.
Got a right smart guard all around 1t.
I 'spose."
why, mo-.
Went through the Run gap, I
'spose. and looked for tracks up and
down the banks for half a miller"
fC~ontinued Next Weekl