Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1909-07-10

So- LIE rdTtHlUBS Ildu HeT TlBnt III
their power. Didn't you see how Al
Farthing's little black eye was on her
every minute, an / how wild and fius-
trated she looked? Her story is abso-
lutely unreasonable on the face of it.
Then how about the handkerchief"
Then letters can stand for a good
many things besides Jim Farthing.
How do you know but the one that
done this job left ii there jest on pur-
pose to turn suspicion onto Jim? It's
easy enough to mark handkerchief"
What do yeh mean?" roared the
Squire, wheeling upon him instantly.
That's rot. Things may happen once,
but they don't twice. Talk common
sense, If you're going to talk here. We
amt boys
"All the same Squire, you let me
advise you to go slow-mighty slow.
You've got a cool, clean-cut, clever man
to deal with, and he'll eucher yeh un-
less you've got both bowers and the
| joker right in your hand The day he
cleared himself here in the store, sez
l to myself: The man that deals with
AL Farthing s got to play square and
keep his head"
"Humph!" snorted the old man.
! you'll see some things before you're
much older. He's tackled the wrong
man Tor once in his life. You wait and
! see."
IAN right; I've said my say" Amos
| leaned back resignedly and went on
| with his SIN king
Say, / agree with Amos IN one thing,
Squire" Lem Fisher was nervous and
excited. He gesticuated almost con-
vulsively. You keep out of this, Squire:
don't you tech him wunst Don't you
| dast to. You can't ketch this here
Farthing, sheriff or no sheriff. / don't
care If you seen him with your own
eyes still right here in the store wunst,
stealing things, he'll clear himself
Already. He's hacker and you've gut
to night fire with fire still He'll tech
your life next"
That's right, Squire" chlmed in
UIe. Hell hack you sure's death"
"Humph!" grunted the old man.
Il tell you 1t amt no small matter;
no. IT amt Nosuh." Lem was tre-
mendously in earnest. Jest you see
what he did to Rose already. She's he'd
the rundown all the spring still, jest as
L told you-uns she'd h We. When |
seen her that morning you took her
away | didn't know her She was that
pale--paler m a winter ghost-tust like
Katie Barndollar when she was hacked
with the oppnehmer. She won't last
the summer out still; you can send her
to Pittsburg or ROoshey, / don't care
Again you leave the Farthings be, 1t
ii be too late already yet. / tell you,
Squire. you are the next one; you're
liable to go any minute like poor Karl
with a black ring round your neck
I'm your friend. Squire, ard for Gods
sake you take my advice You CO."
lowering his voice TO a shuddering
whisper-"you go to Gran'maw Millers
this VERY night this VERY night,
Squire Fore Gods, it's your only
chanct."
"Oh, I'm all right, Lem" He spoke
with an indulgent tone. II carry words
against him. See here" He fished a
slip of dark paper from his inner pocket
and handed 1t over to the circle.
Il don't know about this, Squire"
Lem examined it with the air of an ex-
pert, and the others crowded around
to look over his shoulder That's for
stilibindin' thief wunst This won't
stand ag'in Al Farthing. Nosuh You
take my advice, Squire and go this
VERY night. It's your only chanct"
'Oh, don't you worry, Lem You don't
know where i got them words"
II don't care where you gut EN-: they
won't stand" He mumbled a moment.
then relapsed into silence
The hours passed slowly. Some of
the men went nome to dinner; others
lunched at the Squres expense. They
discussed in detail all the robberies and
inferred and deduced and conjectured.
The Squire dwelt much on Karl Keich- |
line; his character, his abilities, his tact
and honesty and his lovable qualities
generally, He worked himself into q |
passion of Indignation and pity. The
poor boy" had been like a son to him:
he was beginning to lean on him and |
love him. I'm getting to be an old |
man." he went on pathetically. The |
cares OF my business are weighing upon |
me, and now I'm all alone" There |
were actually tears on the old mans |
cheeks as he went on, and a thrill Of |
real pity went over the crowd. Karl |
had been general favOrite everywhere. |
II was four forty-five when the sheriff |
and posse with pomp and dash swung |
up before the store The details of the |
raid had all been carefully planned over
the telephone, and they delayed only |
a moment. Leaving their horses they |
struck out with the crowd for Heller's !
Gap
Twenty rods from the Farthing place
n great silence came over them The |
excited humble of voices fell to a whis-
per and then, few steps further on.
died out entirely. There was no move
ment about the house and not a sound,
though they listened intently. Squire |
Hartswick and the sheriff held a whis-
pered council of war, and then the |
sheriff, with the air of one leading
forl hope, advanced to the front
gate.
"Hello!" he cried Hello, in there"
No response.
say, watch them upper winders
STILL" whispered Ulie sharply. keeping
well in the rear. You'll see a gun
berrel in less n one minute Get out
Of line of the sheriff. Quick!" he or
dered excitedly.
TRY EN- again." called the Squire.
we'll in front and remarkably cool
Here let me try EN-" He went
h tterh he, \
Hello in there! Hello Farthing!" A
of admiration arose behind
him. Only brav" man could
do that. Suddenly he advanced and
knocked loudly at the front door. There
was sharp sound from within, caus-
ing Ulie and several others to duck
out of sight.
Watch the winders there. Get back
there, Squire; quick!"
Then small, pleasant-faced woman,
with sleeves rolled up. with -four on
her hands, and with a towel knotted
about her head, appeared at the door.
She took a startled step backward
when she saw the crowd.
why, what's the natter" she
gasped. What's happened?" She put
her hand up to shade her eyes, and
examined the scene with bewilderment
rs Mr.. Farthing at homer" The
sheriff stepped forward with business
swing.
They're up in the Gap peeling bark"
she answered. But what are you all
here for? What is 1t? What's hap
pened?"
I'VE suspect that your folks had
to do with that break last
night. and 1t is our duty to search your
premises"
Break? Why, what do you mean?"
She took step nearer the sheriff and
looked UP at him appealingly.
my store was broken into last night
your people were the ones that done
t." broke in the squire brutally.
"Why-why, our people break into a
;tore?'
That's what said Now to bust