Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-05-07
CHAPTER vIII-Continued.

TOO Dad; too bad. too bad ne wa
saying. II warned him. He brough
IL on his own self" Then ~sudoenl!
he started for the door. No one SPOKE
or disturbed the silence, nor was there
q sound in the store until the "clunk
ciunk' OF the old WACO a died away
tn the distance.
Amos and Dan walked rapidly dowr
the pike. IT vas a perfect spring
night. The clouds had entirely dis.
appeared, leaving the sky brilliant witt
stars that scintillated coldly. Low In
the west, over the ragged scar in the
range, the thin curve OF a new moon
lay pointing Upward with sharp horns
Far off in the stiffness they could hear
the warning growl OF Roaring Run, but
IT only made the silence more complete,
They said nothing as they STROBE down
the pike, and they turned into the Hell
Ier's Gap o without a word. The
awful warnings of Poppy Miller Were
echoing In Dams ears; he was walking
like a man In a dream.
A dim light burned in the Farthing
kitchen, but they heard M sound, save
The rafting movements of some
creature in the barn. Then they struck
INTO the old lane TO the cabin.
The world still wore the fantastic
garments of the morning, though much
9f the snow a dropped from the trees
Turing the day. 1t was a weird, silent
scene, and both of the men were inn
pressed by II. The great shadow OF the
zap was over them: the walls on either
tide loomed III like ghostly columns as
hey saw them in the uncertain light.
Darn creepy place. observed Dan
II length,
HUH" smiled Amos, stridlng on
itoutly I'm the lead.
hen they came in sight OF the cabin.
md stopped a moment To reConnoiter.
Ghe old house doomed up black and
epulchral amid the scrubs. A livid
ing, unnaturally distinct, surrounded
IL. Dan called his companions atten-
ton to II, but Amos only grunted.
Come ahead, Dan" he said gruffly.
They strobe rapidly to the edge of
the snow line, then both stopped in
btantly as If they had run into
an invisible wire. There was a light in
the cabin, but one so difused and in
distinct that II was impossible to see
anything within. Dan Tressler turned
in a panic, n was on the point of
fleeing, but Amos gripped him by the
arm.
Brace up, Dan he Kissed in his
ear. We're going TO see this out If it
takes a leg. You stay right here; I'm
going to find out how many's in there"
He started out cautiously in a circle
o'ouiiu INC tdpln, Nellins MS lantern
with his coat and examining the snow
with extreme care. At length he came
around to where he had started.
Say, Dan." he said with a trace OF
excitement in his voice, there hain't q
living soul moved in or out of there
since the snow"
Good lord!" gasped Dan. Say, les
make a rush and touch the old shanty
n rum" His nerves were rapidly
getting beyond his control.
Not by a long chalk! They prob
ably went In there before the snow
came n other night. You wait a min
ute. I'm going TO look in"
He crept nearer Then there came
from within a shrill laugh, fearfully
startling in it's weird distinctness. In
voluntarily Dan gave q nervous cry,
n on the instant they saw a face at
the window, a face strangely white
and thin, with a framing Of hair that
in that uncertain light showed up
inky black. Instantly there echoed
from within a shrek so CHASTITY that il
shook n nerves even Of Amos Hard
ing. 1t was a shrill falsetto, seemingly
feminine. He dropped his lantern, so
suddenly did 1t ring out and so fright
ful. But his panic was only for an in
slant.
Some Of them Farthin's are in there,
trying to scare u.s. he shouted. Here.
I'm coming in! You can't scare me,
You've got n wrong man, I'll tell yeh
that! Here, open up!" A sudden fury
seemed to have seized him. open. up!
Open there!" he yelled. Then he ran
against the door full tilt, but Ii did not
yield.
A livid stream of curses in what
seemed to be an old mans cracked
voice followed. Amos took a back
step, and hesitated. Then a recollec-
ton of the group in the store came
upon him, and he faced the cabin
again.
Come on, Dan. It's only the Far
thin's trying to scare US. Stand by me.
DAN" he shouted. Get q stone. I'm
goin' to stave in the old door" Dan
took one step and stopped short: but
for Amos he would have turned and
fed for his life.
For another scream came from the
interior, q scream that must have come
from a woman's throat. and yet no liv-
ing woman's; then a flash Of light. in
tense and binding. fltering through
the crannies like red fire. For the
space of q minute IL bathed the scene
in a lurid hell red. Even Amos felt his
hair creeping, but his blood was up and
he would not have turned back now
even IL the devil himself had confront
ed him.
The bright light showed him a Jagged
piece of limestone at his feet within
the dead line. He seized it and began
TO batter the door. II held out strong
ly; he threw all OF his strength into
the work. Then the cabin became ut
terly dark; 1t was deathly still now;
but he battered on. The bar began to
give way; a couple Of blows more and
the door swung wide open.
But Amos did not enter.
He held up his lantern and peered
within with ~quivering interest. Moth
ing was I'm sight; nothing moved; but
there was q thick smudge of smoke and
a CHASTITY stencil of sulphur. He stood
still and listened. No sound save far
behind him the gurgle of Roaring Run,
like the rattle in the throat Of a dying
a
Come on, Dam" he ordered excited
ly. It was too late to back out now.
Tn going right in there hell bent,
darned II l amt. Come on. Don't go
back on me. old man. Dan was no
longer master OF himself. He moved as
in a stupor: the strong will OF the
other man dominated him. He hesitat-
ed. then took a faltering step toward
the door. Amos was out OF sight.
Hey, Amos! Where be yeh?" he
quavered. He caught a choking breath
OF the sulphur reek and his knees well
nigh gave way beneath him.
"Here! This way. quick." he heard
Amos calling. Blindly and automatic
stone still in his hand, looking about
lt.- ~.,-tl~~ MI - 49,. -. a.