Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1909-02-20
The House of the Black
ssA..s.s Ring e.szes... 80.

aExlously. Thats going TO be a nne
/ d5y? Yas?"
pet day, young man; t'at's a pet
day. Chust you remember what Use
a-tellin' yeh still. Chust you look t'ere
yunst." He stretched a wavering hand
out toward the south. Beware of
goats hair in tie sky Already.
Ummmmmm!" He said II in the same
have used when he said, Beware the
ldes OF March"
Despite the dire prediction, the morn
ing was breaking clear and sharp. The
iron bars over old Nance were soften
ing into copper and bronze; the black
smudge In the south was growing into
the semblance OF a wooded ridge, cut
sharply against the pale sky.
A belated vehicle drove into the yard,
and shout greeted 1t.
IT'S Ulie, boys! Here's Ulie already"
Sleepy! Oh, my! Jest you see them
eyes wunst."
Get home in time for breakfast,
1JNe?"
A plump, middle-aged man climbed
from his wagon, and proceeded with
preternatural gravity to tie his horse
to the fence. Apparently he had heard
no word of the raillery. 1t was as If
the undertaken had arrived at the fu-
neral. and was arranging the hearse.
AS he turned, however, q sheepish grin
the sight of the crowd began to
laugh.
Think you're dretful smart still,
now don't yeh?" he snapped, pulling off
his big coat with vigor, and taking his
customary place. Then the chatting
fell sharp and thick, like rice at we'd
ding.
Who was It, Ulie, last night? Come
tell us. Dew"
Say, better get your courage up
quick, Ulie. The rule for sparkin' is
that the gals jest as afraid of you as
you be OF her"
"Oh, pshaw, Ulie! Finish II right up
slap and be done with 1t. It's awful
bad on yeh, this settin' up so late
nights when you're gettin' along in
years. Boys can stan II, but it's death
on you old critters"
When a country gathering gets start
ed on this track there is no logical end.
No quarter is given, nor is it usually
asked. Shouts of merry laughter went
up at every hit. The victim seemed
irritable and angry; he snapped and
growled and hustled over his work with
unnecessary vigor, but close observer
might have detected that in reality he
was enjoying the railery.
Pretty smart amt yeh? Heh?" he
spluttered. 'Spose you mind your
own business awhile? I'VE known folks
business" He was greeted with snick-
crs. Wal, then," he exploded, as If
hopelessly at bay, "let me tell yeh one
thing wunst 1 was out last night, and
seen something that would scare the
very devil himself" The smokers broke
into outlaws.
Lord! Is she that ugly, Ulie?
You jest wait minute, fellers. 1
was out last night till midnight-on
business, you know-and--"
Again they interrupted him. Ulie
Dribelbis, as all knew, had as his first
business the securing Of wife number
three.
Strike a bargain in yeh business,
did yeh?
out-on-business," he re .
peated with studied deliberation, land
1t just IL o'clock, midnight l was in
sight Of the old Heller house, and"
owering his voice, Il seen something"
What was It, Ulie?" A strange hush
tad fallen over the crowd. They had
all to a man stopped working. and
we're looking at him in curious way.
Tell us, Ulie. What was It ?"
"Oh, nothing much" He was work.
ng away as II unconscious OF the in
crest he had suddenly aroused. Say,
his Is good hog, Dan. Spring watts,
want he?"
"Ulie, what was It? Tell us what
you seen"
"Oh, boys. don't ask me about it.
Please don't. 1t makes me creep all
,ver. Oh, my Lord! l wouldn't go
through that again for a thousand dol
6rs. No, suh-a thousand dollars" He
glanced uD with a shade of terror in
lis face, and he shivered perceptibly |
How many hogs you got, Dan?" He |
changed the subject with a visible ef- |
ort. Reckon we can do 'em all to-
lay?"
"Come. out with It, UHe. What was
t, Ulie?" They had gathered about |
lin, and were looking into his face |
With round eyes.
Kind Of a reddish. sickish light in |
he winder wunst, that kept sort of |
and beckonn'."
rs thac all? That was the moon |
HMM on the glass still. You was
CART, Ulie?"
CLOUDY night last night, and you-uns
know 1t. Dark's the devils pocket |
Lready. Wasn't even any stars, and
'ou-uns knows 1t. And that light |
hined wa-a-a-ay out on the snow,
maxim It look jest like blood. oh, my
ord! And don't you ask me what /
leard. l can't stan 1t. My God, men!
say, les talk about something else.
hese hogs? Did ye-"
What was It, Ulie? What did yeh
Iear?" There was an awed tone in
he voice.
well, sub, heard most an awful
oise already. An awful noise!" He
Owered his voice to a shuddering whis-
er.
How did 1t sound, Ulie?" Lem
fishers face had turned to tallow
White.
"A great, long laugh, like a crazy
1ans laugh-a laugh that never come
rom no living mans mouth: no sub.
t made my hair go right up straight
Ike a cats back. Then / heard the
wfulest swearin-a kind of hollow,
aspin' swearin' and cursin', as II
omebody was being strangled to death.
omethin' seemed to take right hold of
ny throat and grip 1t up hard, so l
ouldn't breathe. never heard no
oice like that, never in my life. There
'as no doubling the honest horror in
he mans face.
"Oh, pshaw!" came a disgusted voice.
was up in that old shanty-
ramps probably. If you're looking for
hosts, you'll find ghosts, I'll tell yeh
nat. Folks shoot bear that are loaded
Or bear"
You look ahere, Amos Hardin,
'unst. What do you 'spose / seen this
forming? Heh?" The company gath
red nearer. when l come over this
forming 1 went up clost, and suh," his
oice breaking, there want no tarck
/ the snow anywhere round it-noth-
lg but that black, dead mans ring
ready. All round the house that aw-
Al black ring, but there hadn't been
o track"
"Han't been no track in there all
inter, yetst," spoke up voice. They
Il fell to work again in silence. There
as a look of horror on all faces.
"Wonder IL AL Farthing has saw
nything?" Lem Fisher was the first
} speak. Wonder what he thinks OF
lis devlishness?"
bet you won't never know. AIS
lie most closest -mouthed man / ever
zen still. II he'd saw old Heller with
IS own eyes Already, he wouldn't say
word about 1t. No, suh."
Say, did yeh ever think there might
, something strange about it?" Lem