The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-02-25
By F. l. Pattee

seemed anxious to make friends OF all
IN the valley. Had not the three, when
Dan Tressler a had typhoid, gone
down n worked all day on his grain?
And there were other good turns of
which the valley could tell.
But the silence of the man and the
strength OF his personality famed more
and more the curiosity OF the little
community. He was probably not un-
der So, yet SO vigorous and well pre-.
served that one might hesitate to set
him at As. He was q man of
masterful temperament, one could
see that at a glance. His
sharp, black eyes looked one straight
through. One felt instinctively that
here was a man not to be trihed with,
a man whom nj might be glad, very
glad, to have for a friend, but whom
one might well hesitate to nave for a
foe. He was a man Of great activity.
He had adapted himself quickly to his
new environment; he soon knew every
body In the region; and he seemed to
understand as IL by instinct all the
problems and conditions OF the little
valley. The farmers we're not getting
enough for their wheat. Squire Harris
wick. who owned many of the farms,
and who had a monopoly of the valley
trade, dictated the price, and there was
40 appeal, They were paying him too
much for their groceries, too, and
HdlNAlAAAA AAtA GHCAA11 #. u A1N SNAASe
TO market his own produce and send
for his w groceries, and he had in
vlted his neighbors to join him.
But don't YOU suppose AL knows
about the old house"
Ulie wiped his knife and looked over
his glasses.
Told him myself Already"
"Oh, you did,"
But AL can hear and see for him
self IL he amt deaf and dumb and
blind. No use to tell him." snapped
Ulie.
But what in time can he dc about
TT" Lem Fisher vas facing the crowd
half .defiantly.
Burn down the old coop, hide and
hinges" TIL suggestion came from a
tall slab of a man who was very busy
with the pulley blocks. A scornful
laugh burst from Lem Fisher.
Now, that's good. That is certainly
good. Just you hear Amos, boys. Burn
out the devil! Fight the devil with
fire! oh, MY That's something new,
amt 1t already yet?"
Dry woodll burn, devil or no devil.
You touch a match to that old She
bang and see what happens. If 1t
don't burn, then you en- go n harvest
my head long with the rest of your
fall pun'kins."
Now, don't you be too sure, Amos
Hardin, wunst. And don't you go to
maxim big talk about what the devil
can't do still. lTain't safe. Nosuh." He
had a threatening tone. as If his own
personal prowess had been made
light OF.
"oh, pshaw.. Amos turned in dis
gust and walked away.
DO you think that cabin could be
touched by fire. Do yeh?" raising his
You see he's afraid to talk. Amos, he
amt nothin' but jest a Yankee still,
but he knows Pm right. I tell you l
knows what I'm sayin'-can't nobody
go over the dead line around that
house but jest the devil and them he
let's go. Nosuh!" The oracle straight
eued up and looked about him like n
who has won his debate.
But what / want to know is why
amt AL sc9irt? Why don't he say
something wunst? Why don't he tell
what he sees nights? / tell you-all
still there's something strange about
this-something strange" Ulie wagged
his head mysteriously.
Vas, al somesing strange" echoed
old Poppy Miller, who had sat till now
in sphinx-like silence. The unexpected
words caused a thrill to go over the
company. They all stopped short and
looked at him.
what 10 ~, Ihere was d
breathless silence.
"Somesing strange" mumbled the old
man with a vacant, far-away look in
his eyes. ''Somesing stranger'n you
sink Already. Somesing strange"
A"H-s1s-s-s! Here comes AL" Dan
Tressler warned the group in a pene-
trating whisper. Then he called out
in unfeigned welcome:
How d do, Al? Mighty glad to see
yeh, mighty glad" He shook hands
with the stranger and a few Of the 9TH
ers did also.
The day was breaking clear and
sharp. The SUM-, peering through h
bars over the mountain, was transmit
Ing the bronze into incandescent gold.
1t lighted up the far horizon in mar
velous shades of red and russell, and 1t
fell on the long ridges that bounded
the valley, showing in sharp relief the
Enags and scrub-oaks on the sky line.
The Farthing boys plunged at once
into the work with muscular vigor.
They were broad shouldered, brawny
fellows, both OF them over 20, with
good nature in their faces, n q self
reliance and mastery of affairs, come
as they might, clearly inherited from
their father. t
Smart boys you've got there, AL.
Good workers, amt they?"
"Oh, yes. Yes. sir-r-r!" There was a
hearty ring in his voice. They're will
ing to work n Pm willing they
should" He rolled up his sleeves n
took his place in the line. He was a
goodly man to look at, square Shout
dered and straight, and ne went into
the work as If he loved it.
The business moved on merrily.
AT 10 O'Clock Squire Hartswick with
a whirl n a flourish drove into the
yard, and the climax OF the day was
at hand. The men looked up
ly, then fell to work again with re-
doubled vigor. The old man made it
a point TO oversee carefully all butch
ering operations on his farms, and he
criticised shabby work without mercy.
The hogs were to be sold to him. He
seemed to be a thick set old man as
ne sat In the buggy, square and force
full. His face was smooth and fiorid,
and under white, shaggy eyebrows gilt
tered beady eyes that were never still
d moment. In the corner of his mouth,
as II II were a part of him, was gripped
tightly the stub of an unlighted cigar.
lie was holding his horse with diff
RnlNn.