The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-05-06
The House of the Black
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ment he sprang up the riciety stair
way, but the rooms were empty.
Then they're I'm the cellar!" The
door was standing ajar.
Come on" he shouted. They're not
goin' to fool me. / amt goin' to back
out now, darned II I am. Here!" he
shouted down the stairway. Come up
and show yourselves, or well go down
There's a whole ang OF lis up here, SO
you don't stand no show. Who are
yeh?" r.
No answer.
IAN right; here goes!" Amos had
his blood up.
Don't go, Amos; for Gods sake,
don't. It's an aw-w-w-wful hole down
there"
Come along!" he si.Guted as II in
anger, and Jar auton. "t' ,ally followed
the lantern: better down in the cellar
with the light than above without IL.
There was no one in the cellar.
They stood in speechless amazemcnt,
a 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 wen at length up the stailS
again, and searched with minute care
through the two rooms and the sham
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 amazenent;
then a sudden thought struck him.
Here I have 1t. 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 in the cabin.
h"Wal-TI-be dum-buzzled!" -
Come, les 60" 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 a sort
of phosphorescent light!
FOR Gods sake, les run. Amos,
while we cant" He was on the verge
of collapse, looking around him
fearfully as IL something were close
behind him and peering over his shoul-
der.
mot till I've fired this hell-hole!"
There was a ring in the mans voice
that held Dan invnluntarily. Hold the
lantern here till I get some kindIing
WOOus kAIIlOb pIOhS up a CUdlI dllu
ripped open the tick Of an old lounge.
Then he arranged the straw with the
wood above It. NV"
wish I had a can Of coal-oil. But
]. guess this IL 60" He struck a match,
but the straw was damp. He tried an
other and 1t failed.
Hold on; I've got a paper here in my
pocket" He drew out a newspaper
which he had received in the evenings
mail, opened 1t, crumpled the sheets to-
gether, and arranged II under the
straw.
Say, I'm going to slop a 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 here?" growled a
voice at the door.
Both Jumped as II the last trump had
sounded in their ears. Dan Tressler let
out a yell hat We'd even with those Of
a few moments earlier. They turned
and saw Allen Farthing.
What's going on here?" he demand
ed. What are you doing?"
I'm going to fire this old h~ell-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 that's been making all
this yelling?"
NO" spoke up Dan. This house is
ha'nted. 1t was the ghosts yellin'."
"Oh, pshaw! You don't take any
stock in such nonsense a. that, do you
Amos?"
stock or no stock, I'm goin' to fire
this old heIl-kitchen. That's Jest what
I'm goin' to do" He was sheltering
the match-fiame with his hands.
"Herei Hold on! This Is my prop
erty. Don't you fire that straw. Amos"
Reckon / she'll"
"All right: go ahead: but It's a Sc
rious matter to burn a mans buildings
against his consent. Do as you please
gentlemen. But you'll pay the penalty
If you do" He disappeared in a twink
ling in the darkness. Amos dropped his
match and gave a whistle OF astonish-
ment. -
"Wal-by-gum!" He seized the lam
tern and went out quickly. Al Earth
ing had disappeared as If into the air.
For a moment they looked b~ewilderedly
about them, then they started down the
road without a word. Once only before
they reached the store did Amos open
his lips:
Wal-In-be-dum-buzzled!"