The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-07-01
CHAPTER xv--continued.

Two Dogs VIII swear Inal IOm anu 4
were in their house until 10 o'clock,
when we went up to bed, and that we
came down and ate breakfast at 8
O'Clock, This I'd make, as you'll admit,
some lively work IL we went to Sugar
Valley and back-40 odd miles each
way, over the devils wi make OF
roads, In the dark, IN eight hours. Now,
you've got a telephone here. I'll walt
for you TO phone the Squire right Off
now before ! leave the store"
The old man made no move; he sat
gium and black.
Very well. The Squire's in his Of
flee by this time and you a get him
IL you wish. You al call my bluff
In just one minute II you care to.
best men In Paoli, where I've lived
for 90 years and where the boys have
lived all their lives till they came here,
who'll give us q character that'l be all
n man could ask for. I'll give you
the names OF some Of them who've got
telephones and you can get 'em right
off now IN the long distance IL you
want to- There's another way you can
call MY bluff. All right; you can do
as you please. Now q man don't us
ually defend himself until he's given
the evidence against him, blu things
have been going mighty strange down
here and they're going to stop now,
#".4. -LH -
The words snapped like trap teeth.
'You can bring any charge against me
and my bows, Squire Hartswick, but /
give you fair warning that it'll go hard
with you If you fail to prove your case.
My boys mean a good deal to me, and
they are going to have fair play" :,
tits a damned bluff" sneered the old
man, "a devilish bluff" His face was
fairly blue with rage. The veins stood
out plump and black on his forehead.
i've given you a way 20 call my
blum IL you care to. If you don't, o
place yourself in q serious position, as
you'll admit. IL you fail to make your
4 case, I'll promise you here and now
that It's going hard with you. I shall
push il to the very limits OF the law,
n I'm somewhat of a lawyer myself.
/ know perfectly we'll what I'm about.
DO n OF you wish anything OF me be-
fore / goT" rFt.E q
He arose and swept a keen glance
over he crowd. There vas that in his
name and look that awed and domi-
mated them. Big
Here. hold right on there" The
Squire was regaining his self-posses-
sion. How about Jim? The evidence
ali points to him. What have you got
to say about Jim2"
HE was at home last ni~ht with his
mother" "
How do you know he WASP You
want there" taF eh.sE
Hts mother IL testify to 1t. OF
course he was there"
9"Wal, he want, that's all. Wait q
minute, men. See he don't get away
He hustled over to the telephone and
called for Lawyer Troutman.
Hello! Is that you Squire? Say. did
al Farthing and Tom spend the night
with you last night? . Heigh2 /. .
Jest what time was 1t? . Sure, are
yeh? !" Then the old man hung VI
the receiver with an angry jerk and
wheeled about.
wal, that don't make any difference
with Jim" he snapped. THAT won't
clear him, and all the evidence anyway
IS against him"
'WH you kindly e~xplain?"
Eyes. sir, / will, and you won't want
to hear it, either. In the first place, al
4 said, Jim want at home last night
We car prove by two good men that a.
10 o'clock he was driving with his col
down towards Sugar Valley. Then hi
had q motive for the crime that alone
is enough TO convict him. He's hatet
Karl like hell all the spring, and he:
threatened him. He could have donS
that Job himself alone; he's stout
enough to. Then, as a clincher, 4
hammer with your letters on it wa'
found close to the body. What hav'
you got to say to that?" The confidence
or the man weakened a little at the re-
cital. He turned slightly pale.
Il don't know anything about this,
he said perplexedly, but my DO!
didn't do it; / know that, There's
mistake somewhere"
Its as clear as daylight Jim's tn,
man, and Well have him before sun
down.
You'll have him before them HI
stepped toward the door. but turnet
short about. 'Pll bring Jim right down
There's a mistake, that's all, N II
clear. 1T up, Ira Hartswick, to your full
satisfaction. There won't be any sneak
Ing or lodging about this. It's goini
to be fought in the open, and your
out Through the door and no n op
posed aim.
There was silence for the space @
10 pipe-puffs. Then Amos raised hi
voice.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Hes a cold-blooded, desperate man,
exploded the Squire. He's the coolies
brazenest devil I ever met in all m
life. II you car look at him one min
ute and not size him up as an expert
enced criminal you're a pack of fool
But he can't fool me. / called his blu
for him. See how Sle backed dow
die yeh? He knew Jim was in a ira
amu 1c CRITIC III ilSI6 W UtdACh uop w
II didn't go. He's gut the wrong ma
BY mighty, I'll run this gang down
II costs my whole property" Again !
sm0te the counter with ~resoundtng ifs
Now, I amt quite so sure, Squire
drawled AEios, refiectiyely. Wed bel
ter go q little slow, don't yeh think
The man kinder looked to me as IL
waa honest In what he said, n I ain
very often deceived in a man" He Wa
rubbing his chin absorbedly, a puzzle
scowl on his face. He seemed to
thinking aloud. Now what could
want to bluff US for? That's what
don't understand. He cleared himse
and Tom all right, but how could l
think he was going to get Jim out
it? How was 1t goin' to help the bus
ness by comm down here? BY hunke
II looks to me as IL he believed Jim ws
innocent. / don't get fooled very ofte
and II looks to me as IL them proc
ag'ln Jim was all new to him. The
kinder passed him. I'll bet a quart
beans he'll have Jim here on schedu
time"
.Humph!" snorted the Squire. Don
be a fool"