Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-04-09
The House of the Black
81 PATE. Ring Copyright. 9,s

go home with our rig, and you take
his horse here. See? You'll rub him
down dry when you get him to the
stable, won't o and look him all over
for cuts. and blanket him warm? He's
had a pretty hard time of it,
But who In time-nation was he rae
ing WITH"
Jim F~arthing's little mare"
"Sho! You don't mean II! And Jim
run yeh into the bridge?"
mo, sir; he didn't. But you must
hurry, Uncle Amos. Quivk. I'll be
down to the barn getting ready"
But say how did yeh-"
The question stopped short. for she
had disappeared around the corner of
the house. lie dressed with all haste,
but when he arrived at the barn she
had the horse nearly harnessed.
Look here, you IN mean to say
that that little runt o. Jim's beat out
that old slasher OF Karl's, do yeh?"
He began to ak the IN he got
about II, dew"
Il was driving the mare myself, so
she naturally couldn't do anything but
win. See?" She laughed up into his
face mischievously. His perplexity was
really grotesque.
The mare? Was you driving against
Karl? Say, tell a Teller. 'Tain't fair;
l. II jest dylns W hloN.
Il can't stop, really, Uncle Amos.
You must go. Quick. They're coming
right along. I'll tell you In the norm
ing. Now hurry" She waved her
hand and darted toward the house, and
after a wistful. look toward the shad-
ows where she had disappeared. he
buttoned up his coat and drove out INTO
the still radiance OF the night.
II was 10 o'clock the next morning
| when Rose ca w bpP fafhaF Ghn xx-o .
making apple pies, busily rolling out
the top lids" and fitting them on,
when he stormed in at the kitchen door.
The old mans wrath gathered easily,
and 1t made no distinctions.
I've heard all about it," hi burst
GU before he was fairly in the room.
Every mans that struck the store this
mornings been full OF it! It's towns
talk. And now Karl's phoned up, raw
ing mad. | knew him SO mad.
It's damnable. damnable!" His face
was fairly livid.
why, Ira, what do you mean?-
what's happened" Mrs. Hartswick
dropped her dish and spoon and hut-
tered over TO him in a tremor.
"Oh, it's nothing. Come. Pap, it Isn't
so bad's you think, not half" Rose
looked up at him with a twinkle in her
eyes. There wouldn't have been a bit
of trouble If Karl hadn't lost his head.
Really, that man gets ratified as easy
as an old woman She laughed up
into his face. but the old man, when he
was angry, was wholly animal In his
rage.
stop" he roared. Don't YOU talk
to me like that! Don't-you-do-it!"
oh, don't, Ira, dont-please." The
mother came pleadingly between the
two as If TO avert a tragedy.
You don't know anything about it!
Stand out of the way!" he beloved.
But, Ira, Rose didn't mean any
thing. She meant ii all right, Ira. y
There was q tired, pleading tone in
the woman's voice that was almost like
a whine. She was a gentle. laughing
little body, but her husband had DOM
mated her until she was cowed and
shrinking. or all things she detested
controversy. She bent helplessly be-.
fore the squire's frequent storms of
wrath; they depressed and worried
her; and now she was a mere Feature
of whining protest, never standing
against him for a moment, but advis-
ing ever the line of least resistance.
Forty years with the choleric old man
had changed her into a mere helpless
voice of protest.
Il tell you it's scandalousi" he
stormed, paying no heed to his wife's
entreaties. It's the towns talk! Here
sOo ~ VIZ a IildA WHO - invited YOU
TO ride, and then you sneak off home
with a perfect stranger, and race him
against the man who took yehi'
And beat him." Rose laughed up
saucily. Beat his great crack racer
with a little 900 mare, and handicapped
at that. oh, / take after my dad
never could ride after a slow horse
She wrinkled up her nose at him play
fully, but he was implacable.
"StOp. ROSet Sion right WHARF x-o,,
are" he ordered.
Don't anger your father, Rosie. He
knows best" Mrs. Hartswick Joined in
with soothing tone.
It's an outrage to Karl and me and
all of u.s." he roared, drawing nearer
TO Rose and swinging his arm up and
down II a pump handle.
But Ii was a clean race, Pap she
went on serenely. 1T was fair and
square, and the best horse won. Say.
I'd give ten dollars In a minute. Pap. If
you could have seen it. 1t was a
thriller. That little mare certainly
beats anything that ever stepped In
this valley. Say, | want you to buy her
for me. VIII you, Pap Somehow the
old mans wrath began to wilt a little;
1t was impossible 10 Withstand her sun
ny enthusiasm.
But that's not the question at all,
Rose. 1t was a lisgraceful thing.
You'd no business riding with that
Ftarthing. You'd promised Karl"
ooh, pshaw, Pap! What had / prom
Used him? He asked me IL / would GO
with him, and / did. didn't IL" She
laughed up at him again. the turned
lightly to her pie making.
Twas a contemplate trick; you
know ii. 1t was damnablei He
planned it deliberately: he united that
boss on purpose; and it's prison Of
Tense"
"He didn't unite the horse, father
There was confidence in her voice.
THE horse wasn't tied right, and il got
loose" The reply seemed to come to
the man like a blow across the eyes.
so you stand up for him, do yeh?r
He wheeled upon her instantly. Think
he's about right, do yeh? And Karls
all wrong? So that's the way things
are running!-so that's 1t, is Ii?
Heigh? Well-we'll-see, Wen find
what the law is on that point: well
put him where he belongs mighty
quick, and his whole damned family
with him!"
"Oh, Ira. don't" protested Mrs
Hartswick in a half frightened voice.
j. but how are you going to prove
anything, father?' Rose turned to him
with a trace OF gathering anger. There
was no fun I'm her eyes now.
Prove II? Prove it? Look here
Rose. you're going too far. And SC
you're going to stand up for that low
lived scamp, are yeh?"