Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-03-05
CHAPTER II.
WHERE THE DEVIL THREADS, WHO
LOOKS FOR SNOW

LIZ NAlitI VI AAtlA P0ANoli ltN7 INN
s. giant stocking at full stretch among
the ridges. There are three ragged
holes, at the heel. Bald Eagle gap,
walled in on one side by Nance noun
tain, and cut deep by a little stream;
at the toe. Gum Run gap, leading into
q populous valley beyond the clutch of
the ridges, and at the top which is
puckered almost 70 a point, Roaring
Ru gap, the vent of Il small river
fed from q spring from near the in~
step of the stocking.
The scenery of this last gap Is wild
and chaotic. Huge lime stone hulks,
weathered into weird patterns, pros
trude from the soil. or lie scattered
about as IL the place had been u work
shop OF the Titans. who had flung aside
these colossal ~gargoyles spoiled in the
making. In places the gnarled blocks
are piled heiterskelter, forming grot-
toes and ragged hollows about which
grows a scurf of jumpers and laurel
scrags-a place 10 be avoided at all
times, and especially after dark. A
few rods further on, the stream. break
ing In a panic from the alluvial, sinks
whimpering down a wild gorge, and
Hes sluggish and exhausted beyond.
This chaotic five acres was old Pop
py MIXERS farm. one lot was under
the pillow, a ragged little patch hug
gtng the ridge as for protection, and
guarded at every avenue by the wealth
cred rocks which !eered hideously, like
totem heads. Many there were who
walked softly when they went TO Mil
lers, and they ayerred there was rea-
son IL was an ~uncanny hole surely,
and untitled in every way for agricuI-
ture, but old Poppy was reputed 10
have other and sufficient revenues, OF
which more later.
There was another rip In the hosiery,
weh up the ankle, a gaping tear
through the ridge. known as Heller's
Gap. IL had been through this opening
that Matthew Heller, purely by acct
dant, had burst into the valley one De-
cember afternoon in the days when the
land was King Georges, and he had
been greatly pleased with what he
found. In the very jaws OF the gap
ne built him a cabin, and In the spring
he had brought thither his young wife
TO make OF III q home. He had hewed
out q little farm along the run and
built him q barn, and al! had gone well
until tho day when he had heard the
sound of axes in the pines down by
Gum Run.
There are traditions still vivid as to
how the first band of settlers. who had
come In from Sugar Valley, had been
startled on the second day OF their
clearing by the apparition OF a man
grlzzled and gaunt, who had pro-
claimed that he was the sole owner and
proprietor and king OF the valley, and
who had ordered them roughly to be
gone.
Then John Hartswick. leader OF the
clearing band, had challenged the man
TO snow his title deeds, which the old
settler had o n promptly, and the in
truders, after looking wistfully ut the
goodly land, had left the region that
very night.
Then 10 years had gone by, during
which time occurred the struggle along
the eastern seaboard known as the
Revolutionary war.
AS to what happened next, tradition
Is vague. II would seem that on a GER
tain April day. John Hartswick had
come again into the valley, descending
upon the old settler in the evening an
ne sat at the door OF his cabin, and
producing q certain paper which rem
dered the original documents worth
less. AS to list what means he had
taken, tradition say nothing at all.
for the valley population. who alone
preserve the story. know little of law.
That there was a serious defect, now
ever, In the older title Is clear. and that
~ was OF real moment and well-night
Eeif-evident to n whose attention
was called TO II. is proved by the fact
that Matthew Heller then and there
had been forced TO admit the worth
lessneas OF the paper, though the adj
mission left him not the ground on
which stood his cabin.
Then had followed a half hour that
even after q century ts vivid In the
little valley.
The old settler had sat at first in
~ileaee. Then he had expostulated.
Morally and really the land was his.
"a mere technicality could not deprive
him of land on which he had resided
for 20 years. II was his even by squat
ter's rights. The letter OF the law
could never destroy the spirit. He had
the right on his side; he would fight
the matter In the courts: n no jury
In the world would decide against him.
The younger man, however. had re-
maiHed Arm. The land was his; he
alone had a clear title. Justice by the
law was an expensive business, and
he would see that this case was no
exception. He had not beer idle dur
ing the war: he had money and to
spare, and he would fight for his legal
right as long as he had a farthing.
Then suddenly he had assumed a be-
nevolent look. He would not be hard
on him. He would give him a clear
title TO his cottage lot and to the few
acres he had cleared about II. Really
he was iniuring him not at all, for he
was giving him all HIT he had ever
used.
The ~pat~onizing tone IN the younger
IN voice had pierced the free-air-
loving old woodsman as with a knife.
His Helpiessness. his total u~nprepared-
ness to fight a legal duel involving
great expense. the perfect justice OF
his claim, and the barefaced wrong
forced so brutaily upon him. sent the
hot blood ieaping TO his head. He had
burst into a paroxysm of helpless rage,
and had cursed the man with his
whole soul He would accept not a
single inc which was his own, but
nevertheless he would stay where he
was. Ii was useless for him TO fight.
for he had no money, but none the
less he would hold the claim.
Them In n paroxysm OF rage, he
called on the devil to guard him and
TO bring evil upon every Hartswick, or
HHrtswlck eniissary. henceforth and
forever, who shout dare 10 come near
him He. warned the man to beware of
an internal patrol which henceforth
shouid surround his premises, and
which would blast and destroy any or
his game or blood who might ever en-
ter the accnrsed circle. AS for him-
self. he would never. so long as he
lived, deflle his foot by treading on the
land that the law decreed to a Harris
wick. IL the court sustained the in
famous robbery and CAV him a clear
title. then. IL ever once he. Matthew
Heller set foot on one inch cs the dis