Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1909-05-08
The House of the Black
BEL Pate. Ring e.,zs..s 1905

There was no one in the cellar.
They stood in speechless amazement.
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
again, and searched with minute care
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 amazement;
then sudden thought struck him.
Here I have II. 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
Dan at his heels he circled the cabin
again.
No one had left the house. The crea-
lures, whoever they might be. were
still I'm the cabin.
"Wal-I'll-be dum-buzzled"
Come, les CO." pleaded Dan in a
convulsive whisper. Les get out o.
here. oh, Lord! Jest look at that!"
He pointed with shaking hand at the
livid ring around the cabin, which
seemed to glow and waver with sort
of phosphorescent light.
For Gods sake. les run, Amos,
while we cant" He was on the verge
OF nervous collapse, looking around him
fearfully as If something were close
behind him and peering over his shoul-
der.
Not till I've fired this hell-hole!"
There was a ring in the mans voice
that held Dan involuntarily. Hold the
lantern here till 1 get some klndllng
wood" Amos broke up a chair and
ripped open the tick of an old lounge.
Then he arranged the straw with the
wood above It.
wish had a can Of coal-oil. But
l guess this II CO." He struck match,
but the straw was damp. He tried an
other and 1t failed.
Hold on; I've got n paper here in my
pocket" He drew out newspaper
which he had received in the evenings
mail, opened it, crumpled the sheets to-
gether and arranged 1t under the
straw.
Say, I'm going to slop 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 hereY' growled
voice at the door.
Both jumped as If the last trump had
sounded in their ears. Dan Tressler let
out n yell that We'd even with those OF
n few moments earlier. They turned
and saw Allen Farthing.
Whats going on here?' he demand
ed. what are you doing?'
I'm 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-
liberately in his pocket for another
"Oh, that's you, is it, Amos and Dan?
You the ones Ghat's been making all
this yellingT'
mo" spoke up Dan. "This house is
"Oh, pshaw! You don't take any
stock in such nonsense as that, do you
Amos?'
stock or no stock, I'm goln' to fire
this old hel-kitchen. That's jest what
I'm gotn to do" He was sheltering
the match flame with his hands.
Here! Hold on! This is my prop
erty. Don't you fire that straw, Amos"
Reckon l she'll"
"All right; go ahead: but it's Sc
rious matter to burn a mans buildings
against his consent. Do az you please
gentlemen. But you'll pay the penalty
If you do" He disappeared in twink
ling in the darkness. Amos dropped his
match and gave a whistle of astonish-
ment.
"Wal-by-gum!" He seized the Ian
tern and went out quickly. Al Earth
ing had disappeared as II into the air.
For a moment they looked bewilderedly
about them, then they started down the
road without a word. Once only before
they reached the store did Amos open
his lips:
-be-dum-buzzled!"