The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-05-06
CHAPTER vI11-Continued

700 pad; too bad; too bad he was
saying. II warned him. He brought
1T ON his own self" Then suddenly
he started for the door. Nc one spoke
or disturbed the silence nor was there
a sound In the store until the "clunk-
Chunk of the old had died away
In the distance.
Amos and Dan walked rapidly down
the pike. 1t was 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 heal
the warning growl OF Roaring Run, but
1t only made the silence more complete.
they said nothing as they strobe down
the pike, and they turned into the Hell
ler's Gap road without a word. The
awful warnings OF Poppy Miller were
echoing In Dams ears: he was walking
k Il man in Il dream.
A dim light burned In the Farthing
kitchen, but they heard no 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
of the snow had dropped from the trees
during the day. 1t was a weird, silent
Gene, n both of the men were i'm
Sfo NY u IL sicil SIIddOW OI tIita
gap was over them; the walls on either
side loomed up like ghostly columns as
they saw them in the uncertain light.
a .jar1l creepy place. observed Dan
at length.
Huh" shifted Amos, striding on
stoutly In the lead.
Then they came In sight of the cabin.
and stopped a momen to
h old house doomed up black and
sepulchral amid Il scrubs. A livid
ring. unnaturally distinct. surrounded
1T. Dan called his companions atten-
ton to 1t, u Amos only grunted.
Come ahead. sDan.'' he a grufly.
They strobe rapidly to the edge of
the snow line, then both stopped in
stantly as If they had run into
an invisible wire. There was a light in
n cabin. but n SO diffused and in
distinct that 1t was impossible to see
anything within. Dan Tressler turned
IN a panic. and vas on the point of
fleeing, but Amos gripped him by the
arm.
Brace up, Dam. he Missed I'm his
ear. We're going to see this out IL it
takes a leg. You stay right here; I'm
gong to find out how many's in there"
He started cut cautiously in a circle
around the cabin, yelling his lantern
with his coat and examining the snow
around to where he had started.
Say. DAN" he said with a trace of
excitement in his voice, there hain't a
living soul moved in or out of there
since HI snow"
Good lord!". gasped Dan. Say, les
make a rush and touch the old shanty
and run" His nerves were rapidly
getting beyond his control.
Not by q long chalk! They prob
came the 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 its weird distinctness. In
voluntarily a gave a cry,
the window. a. face strangely white
and thin. with a framing Of hair that
even In that uncertain light showed up
inky black. Instantly there echoed
from within q shrek SO chastity that it
snook the nerves even of Amos Hard
feminine. He dropped his lantern, so
suddenly did 1t ring out and SO fright
full. But his panic was only for an in
Some Of them Farthin's are in there.
trying to scare us" he shouted. Here.
I'm coming in! You can't scare me!
You've got the wrong man, I'll tell yeh
tha Here, open up!" A sudden fury
seemed to have seized him. Open up!
against the door full tilt, but it did not
yield. 49,
A livid stream Of curses in what
seemed to be an old mans cracked
voice followed. Amos took a back
step, n hesitated. Then a recollec-
upon him. n he faced the cabin
again.
Come on Dan, It's only the Far
thln'a trying to a us. Stand by me,
DAN he shouted, Get a stone. Tm
goin' to stave in the old door," Dan
took n step and stopped short; but
for Amos he would have turned and
fled for his life.
For another scream came from the
interior. a scream that must have come
from a woman's throat. n vet no liv-
ing Woman's; then a flash of light. in
tense and binding, altering through
h crannies like red fire. For he
space of a minute 1t bathed the scene
in q lurid hell red. Even Amos felt his
hair creeping. but his blood was up and
he would no 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 1t and began
to batter h door. It held out strong
ly; he threw all of his strength n
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
Liz NOOI SWuAl6 %WlUc open.
But Amos did not enter.
He held up his lantern and peered
within with quivering Interest. Moth
ing was in sight: nothing Y but
there was a 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
man.
Come on. Dan.'' he ordered excited
~. It was too late to back out now.
I'm going right in there he'll bent.
.darned If I 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 0 o a faltering step toward
the door. Amos YVES out of sight.
Hey. Amos, Where be yeh?" he
s%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
ally he rushed In, He found Amos, the
stone still i'll his hand, looking about
him warily. The cabin, as they saw 1t
sby the light of the lantern, was fur
nished apparently as the last occupant
had left it years ago. There We're two
n 4 ~ - 49, ALN- J. AH