The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-05-06
The House of the Black
BEL ='':s Ring e.,za.... 200.

ment he sprang UP the rickety stair
way, but the rooms were empty.
Then they're In the cellarl" The
door was standing aJar.
Come on" he shouted. They're not
goin' to fool me. 1 ain't goin' to back
OF now, darned II I am. Here!" he
and show yourselves, or we'll go down.
There's a whole ang OF us up here, so
you don't stand no show. Who are
yeh?"
No answer.
An right; here goesi" Amos had
Don't go. Amos: for Gods sake.
don't. It's an aw-w-w-wful hole down
there"
Come alongi" he shouted as If in
anger, and Dan automatically followed
the lantern: better down in the cellar
with the light than above without it.
There was nc one in the cellar.
They stood in speechless Amusement.
q shudoer of superstitious horror be-
ginning to creep over even Amos.
They're hid" he cried, though the
idea was not very plausible. They be-
gan a systematic search. They even
prodded the limestone walls for a hid
den exit.
There was no one in the cellar.
They went at length up the stairs
| hSallip dAhd CT Will lIllllulc SdIS
through the two rooms and the cham
bers above. There was no secret hid
ing place-the cabin was deserted.
There could be no doubt Of 1t. Amos
stood a moment In blank amazelnent;
then a sudden thought struck him.
Here I have It. They skinned out
the back way while he was upstairs
that's Jest what they done. Hold On
a minute; let me look for tracks, With
a at his heels he circled the cabin
again.
No one had left the house. The crea-
lures, whoever they might be, were
still in the cabin.
"Wal-In-be dun-buzzled!"
Come. les CO. pleaded Dan in a
conclusive whisper. Les get out O.
here. Oh, Lord! Jest look at that"
He pointed with shaking hand al the
livid ring aroun the cabin. which
seemed to glow n wayer with a sort
Of phosphorescent light.
For Gods sake. les run, Amos.
while we can't He was on the verge
Of " collapse, looking around him
fearfully as If something were close
behind him and peering over his shout
der.
Not till I've fired this hell-hole!"
There was a ring in the mans voice
that held Dan i~nvoluntarily. Hold the
lantern here till I get some kindling
wood" Amos broke up a chair and
ripped open the tick Of an old lounge.
Then he arranged the straw with the
wood above 1t.
wish 1 had a cal OF coal-oil. But
I guess this III 60" He struck q match,
but the straw was damp. He tried an
other and 1t failed.
Hold on; I've got a paper here in my
pocket" He drew out a newspape
which he had received in the evenings
mail. opened 1t. crumpled the sheets to-
gether, n arranged 1t under the
straw.
Say. Tn going to slop a little of the
oil out O. this lantern He unscrewed
the little filler, and carefully saturated
the paper and straw without extin-
gushing the light. Then he scratched
another match.
What re doing here?" growled a
voice at the door.
Both jumped as II the last trump had
sounded in their ears. Dan Tressler let
out a yell that We'd even with those of
a few moments earlier. They turned
and saw Allen Farthing.
Whats going on here?" he demand
ed. What are you doing?"
Tn going to fire this old %hell-coop;
that's jest what I'm goin' to do" Amos
had dropped his match. but he felt de-
ltberately In his pocket for another.
"Oh, that's you Is 1t, Amos and DAM?
You the ones that's been making all
this yelling?"
NO" spoke UP Dan. This house Is
ha'nted. 1t was the ghosts yellin'."
"Oh, pshaw! You don't take any
stock in such nonsense as that. do you
Amos?"
stock or no stock. I'm goin' to fire
this old hell-kitchen. That's Jest what
I'm goin' to do" He was sheltering
the match-fiame with his hands.
Here! Hold on! This is my prop
erty. Don't you fire that straw, Amos"
Reckon / SHE'LL
al right; go ahead: but it's a Sc
rious matter to burn a mans buildings
against his consent. Dc as you please
gentlemen. But you'll pay the penalty
IL you do" He disappeared in a twink
ling In the darkness. Amos dropped his
match and gave a whistle of astonish-
| ment.
"Wal-by-gum!" He seized the Ian
tern n went out quickly. AL Earth
ing had disappeared as II into the air.
For a moment they looked b~ewilderedly
about them, then they started down the
road without a word. Once only before
they reached the store did Amos open
his lips:
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.!