The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-03-04
III.
WHERE THE DEVIL THREADS. WHO
LOOKS FOR SNOWp

WHERE THE DEVIL TREADS. WHO
LOOKS FOR SNOW?
The valley Of Hell Bottom lies like
e giant stocking ut. full stretch among
the ridges. There are three ragged
noles; at the heel. Bald Eagle gap.
walled In on ono side by Nance noun
tain. and cut deep by a little stream:
At the toe. Gum Run gap. leading into
q populous valley beyond the clutch of
the ridges. and at the top. which is
Puckered almost to a point, Roaring
Hun gap. the vent Of a small river
fed from a spring from near tho In
step of the stocking.
me scenery of this last gap is wild
and chaotic. Huge lime stone hulks.
~weathered Into weird patterns, pro-
trude from the soil. or lie scattered
ABOUT as II the place had been a work.
shop OF the Titans. who had flung aside
these colossal %gargoyles spoiled in the
making. In places the gnarled blocks
are piled he~iterskelter, forming grot-
toes n ragged hollows about which
9roWs q scurf OF jumpers and laurel
place to be avoided at all
times. and especially after dark. A
Few rods further on. the stream, break.
ing In q panic FROM the alluvial, sinks
whfmpering down q wild gorge, and
lies sluggish and exhausted beyond.
This chaotic five acres was old Pop
~ Miller's farm. One lot was under
enc plow. a ragged little patch hug
ing the ridge as for protection. and
6uarded at every avenue by the wealth
ered rocks which leered %hideously, like
Totem heads. Many there were who
walked softly when they went to Mil
lcrs, and they ayerred there was rea-
son. IT was an uncanny hole surely.
IND UNITED In every way for agricul-
ture. but Old Poppy was reputed to
nave other and sufficient Of
which more later.
There was another rip in the hosiery,
Ven up the ankle. a gaping tear
tnrougn the ridge. known as Heller's
h a Matthew Heller, purely by acct
dent, hnd burst into the valley one De-
cember afternoon in the days when the
land was King Georges. and he had
been greatly pleased with what he
FOUND; IN the very Jaws of the gap
he had brought thither his young wife
to make Of 1t a home. He had hewed
put a little farm along the u and
quilt him a barn. and al! had zone we'll
until the day when he had heard the
sound OF axes in the pines down by
Gum Run.
Ihere are traditions still vivid as to
how thef first band of settlers, who had
come In from Sugar Valley, had been
startled on the second day OF their
clearing by the apparition Of a man
grizzled and gahnt, who had pro-
claimed that he was the sole owner and
proprietor and king OF the valley, and
who a ordered them roughly to be
gone.
Then John Hartswick, leader Of the
clearing band. had challenged the man
to show his title deeds, which the old
settler had done promptly, and the in
truders. after looking wistfully at the
eoodly and had left the region that
very night.
9 10 years had zone by. during
which time occurred the struggle along
the eastern seaboard known as the
Revolutionary war.
As to what happened next. tradition
10 vague. 1t would seem that on a GER
tain April day. John Hartswick had
come again into the valley, descending
he sat at the door of his cabin, and
producing a certain paper which rem
dered the original documents WORTH
less. As to t4st what means he had
taken. tradition says nothing at all,
Tor the valley population. who alone
That there was a serious defect, how
ever. In tho older title is clear, and that
&c was OF reat motnen and Well-ntght
self-evident to one whose attention
was called to 1t. Is proved by the fact
chat Matthew Heller then and there
had been forced to admit the WORTH
lessness Of the paper. though the nd
mission left him not the ground on
which stood his cabin.
Then had followed a half hour That
ever after a century is vivid In the
little valley.
h old settler had sat at first In
silence. Then he had expostulated.
Morally and really the land was his.
a mere techntcality could not deprive
him of land IN which he had resided
n On NynO sA - n y rrHs It, r.
ter's rights. The letter of the law
could never destroy the spirit. He had
the right on his side; he would fight
the matter IN the courts; and no Jury
In the world would decide against him.
The younger man, however, had re-
manned firm. Tho land was his: he
alone a a clear title. Justice by the
law was an expensive business, and
he would see that this case was no
exception. He had not been Idle dur
ing the war: he had money and to
spare; II he would fight for his legal
right as long as no had a farthing.
Then suddenly he had assumed a be-
nevolent look. He would not be hard
on him. He would give him a clear
title to his cottage lot and to the few
acres he had cleared about it. Really
he was injuring him not at all. for he
was giving him all that he had ever
used.
The patronizins tone in the younger
mans voice had pierced the free-air-
loving old woodsman as with a knife.
Els Helolessness. his total u]nprepared-
ness to fight a legal duel Involving
great expense the perfect Justice Of
hts claim. and the barefaced wrong
forced 80 Brutality upon him. sent the
hot blood ieaptng to his head. He had
burst into q paroxysm of helpless rage.
and had cursed the man with his
whole soul. He would accept not a
single inch which was his own, but
nevertheless he would stay where he
a 1t was useless for him to fight.
for he had no money. but none the
less he would hold the claim.
Then. in u paroxysm of rage, he
called on the devil to guard him and
to bring evil upon every Hartswick, or
Hartswfck emtssary, h%enceforth and
forever. who should dare to come near
I'm. He arm the man to beware OF
an Internal patrol which he%nceforth
should surround his premises, and
which would blast and destroy any of
his name or blood who might ever en-
ter the accursed circle. AS for him
self, he would never. SO long as he
lived, defile his foot by treading on the
lane that the law decreed to a Harris
wick. II the cour sustained h In
famous robbery and gave him a clear
title, then, IL ever once he. Matthew
Heller set foot on n inch Of the dis