The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-07-08
The House of the b lack
Pate: Ring e.,zs'..,. 9,ez

SAA ~ WY - oAS SoN o"AA Wv
wow half a spoonful of brains into
your old Dutch SKULL" exploded Amos.
"Pow-wowin'! LorE Almighty. If l
amt good and sick Of pow-wowin'!
Can't an old yarler hen lay a big aig
in this valley but what she's been pow
vowed? Now. why don't you stop this
nonsense and go to lookin' for the gang
that's really been dom this devilish-
ness? Jim Farthing couldn't have done
that job alone. There was two of 'em
at least, and who was the other I want
to know? You take my advice, Squire
and go mighty slow. The Paintings are
out Of this, and he's a dangerous mar
to make mistakes with"
What about the hammer? Height"
THAT hammer won't hang no Far
things. They could get that hammer
in a dozen ways Almost every break
ever heard of begun by their gettin'
tools out of somc blacksmith shop or
Toulouse. Perhaps the one hat took
that hammer done 1t to lay the sus-
picion onto the Farthings. I tell you,
Squire, you take my advice and 20
slow"
II shall go slow or fast. Jest as I
dunn please, you-uns take notice OF
that. It's been a mighty long time
n Nv been crawling around this
valley asking people what I better do.
You let me tell you this. sub: AL Far
thing amt out of this yet. Nosuh." He
turned with a jerk and stormed out of
the room. slamming the door behind
him. A small avalanche of.talk, SEEM
ingly loosened by the bang, ratified
about the room, but it was quickly cut
short by a commotion without.
They rushed TO the o in time to
see the sheriff and his posse gallop up
with q flourish, their horses white with
foam, and make half a circle about the
store front.
Where's the Squire" shouted the
leader breezily.
Here. right here" The old man
hustled through the crowd. There
was a curious, wild western air to the
scene. with its blowing horses and
fannel-shirted riders. The leader sat
on a raw-boned mustang that, despite
its hard run, held his head high. The
Squire went straight to the man.
It's Jim Farthing we want" he an
nounced, b%rusquely. mo matter about
the others"
But I thought there was evidence
against all OF 'em. I thought they was
a gang" There was a shade of disap-
pointment in his voice.
mo. Jim's the only one in this
scrape. I've gut more evidence since
| ~telephoned. You'll know him: stout,
broad-shouldered Teller; about 21; Ave
feet eleven; weighs about 1870; brown
hair. grey eyes, smooth face, square
Jaws. good teeth; wears a brown shirt
and a black felt hat" 7
"Where'd we better start in?"
You'd better go to the house first,
and from there strike up into the Gap
to their wood lot. He's hid somewhere
IN the mountains, but he can't get out.
I've sent word in every direction and
they're keeping watch for him."
"All right" answered the sheriff with.
breezy Importance. Il shall want to
swear In most Of this crowd as depu-
ties. We want to spread u in small
Goo Almighty! there he is now!"
a pistol-shot. Allen FarthinR and Jim
were right by the sherifr's horse.
Here's the boy; It's all a mistake;
and 1 want it cleared up right now.
This boy is jest as innocent # this
business as a child"
that's the man.. l order his arrest on
the spot" The sheriff sprang from his
horse and strobe over to the new ar
rivals.
Look here, young man, I want to put
some questions to yeh and you mind
how you answer EN-" The Squire,
front of Jim and swung his fist in his
face. Where vas yeh last night? Was
you home all the time?"
NO"
Was o out with your colt?"
"At 10 o'clock?"
YES"
Driving down Gum Rum way?"
Eyes"
you'll tell the sheriff now why you
took thai drive at thai time Of night
in that direction"
''Why-I went on business" There
was a troubled look in his face.
"oh, yes, that's very probable" The
Squire cast a triumphant look at the
sheriff. DO you have much business
at midnight these nights? Alone was
Moo, I wasn't"
Who did We have with yeh?" An
intense silence had fallen over the
crowd. Jim made no reply.
Who was it?" inisted the man
brutally. -,
Il can. tell you. Squire Hartswick."
Cant tell me? Do o realize what
honest business. you'll tell who it was.
Now. once again, who was it?"
II refuse to answer"
"Oh, indeed. This is quite interest,"
ing, Mr.. Sheriff. Very well, let me ask
you another question. You've always
llkeQ KARI nave yeh?"
Why, I don't know-"
Yes or no; havs you always liked
him?"
mo-"
ever had M falling out with him?.
why, not much. Up in the noun
tains n night, we"
Never mind the whole story" broke
in the Squire harshly. What was the
last word he said to you them"
"Why-I--"
Tell the sheriff Just what he said"
II said he'd get even with me il it
took SO years, but l didn't-"
Right. 1t takes two to make a. quar-
rel. and what you said to him will come
III in due time--"
But, Squire Hartswick, i"
"Oh. you'll have time enough to talk
about that. We want you to clear up
n more point. Here, sheriff, you
brought up the hammer, didn't you?"
The sheriff produced 1t at once. Nov,
have o ever seen that hammer?"
Yes, that's our hammer" He took
1t into his hands and examined it Curl
ously.
Where did you see it last?"
IT was IN our tool house up home"