Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-06-25

seemed 10 come In the whirlwind o.
events. But IL was of short duration
lon the very heels OF the verdict the
sheriff received a telephone message
from Squire Hartswick. OF Hell BOT
tom, and the excitement instantly In
creased tenfold.
The news had come TO the Bottom
Z like a thunderclap. In all the history
OF the region there had never been such
a sensation. une first was the day
when Karl was TO have received his
final answer from Rose; Jim Farthing,
IL was known, was infatuated with her;
the hammer with its brand could mean
only pms thing,
The sauire's suspicious were right.
II was clear now who had been com
hitting the robberies, and who had
been responsible for the doings in the
Heller cabin.
The thought came to the valley like
a cold chill. AS II by agreement, the
men everywhere dropped their work
and congregated at the store. There
was no 0 talk and 10 noisy excite
ment; the feeling was too intense for
that. A sullen undertone, deep and
menacing, came from the little groups.
The uncanny element In the affair APP
pealed TO n and caused them to talk
IN fearful whispers. The squire said
nothing at all, but the Hartswick wrath
i FNA9 80 @AA1 AaEN 60 ~ Off& AAN&
seen X there before. Men glanced at
him fearfully and avoided him. All
through the forenoon he was a smould-
ering volcano; the eruption was yet
to come.
1t came with the report Of the coro-
ner. Suddenly he burst into furious
action; three minutes after he had
heard the final details he telephoned
the sheriff to ride with all speed to
the Bottom. and 10 come with a force
prepared for rough work. Then. unable
10 wait a single instant, ne rod up TO
the Farthing place 10 reconnoiter. BY
mere luck he came upon Mrs. Farthing
In the road and learned from her that
her husband and Tom had gone the day
before on business to Sinking Springs,
but that they were expected home be-
fore night. Jim vas up in the wood
lot cutting fire o. The old man
drove back In fierce haste.
They hain't got back yet from their
butchering," he burst In stormily even
before he had reached the store. They
hain't. unless the old woman's lying.
Here, two of yeh go up there where
you can see the house and keep watch.
Don't let 'em see yeh. But they won't
come back. It's their trick to hide in the
mountains till this blows over, but Ii
won't work. Dang 'em, they can't get
away now"
He hustled from the buggy and strobe
TO the telephone. where he began Civ
ing orders like a general at the front
He called up one by one every station
on the line and ordered a strict watch
10 be set on all roads. From Sugar
Valley he got word that the sheriff
would start I'm half an our with a full
force of deputies prepared TO scour the
mountains till the murderers were
found. Then he turned TO the crowd in
the store.
Its a clear case" He swung his
fist In windy wrath. We know who
this gang is now. and damn EN-. we've
got 'en. We've got every link: the
motives as clear as the light OF day
n SOS the proof. The sheriff III be
here against o and you must stand
by us. every one of We. We shall need
ye ALL" He strobe out of the door like
an avenging fury.
For a m0men there was silence. the
crowd got it's bearings slowly.
Nov. / amt quite so sure began
Lem Fisher after a time. I'D just as
quick think the Farthings want there
as to think they was. Did you hear
about hat black ring around Karl's
neck still? Helm? Recollect what /
told you down to Dams fifth? Didn't
I say as how you'd find Karl some fine
morning with a black ring round his
sncCh HflO Tie eyes DuiSiH Out IKE lie u
saw the devil wunst? Helm? Wal, sub.
know what I think still? Somebody's
been ~pow-wowin' Already" nodding his
head mysteriously. "Umph-huh. and
you don't have to be where the man
Is 10 pow-wow him. Umph-huh, Seer,
"Oh. pshaw." sneered Amos. Let
up, won't yeh. on his pesky pow-wow
business. We've gut facts enough, the
Lord knows. without going into that in
$3.50 - nNt.- 4 I--A A.AA
gang that's been operatin' in this region
all the spring. That's plain enough to
me. They'd Jest gut the safe down
ready to blow when Karl, who's been
sleepin' with one eye open these three
months, heard the noise and bounced
down On EN-. They're old hands. / tell
you. They know that country post
masters nave stamps ready for custom
ers generally In some old book. and
that they don't always remember 20 put
1t In the safe at night, They looked for
that first thing, and they found Il.
They can't have been extra stout fel-
lows. for Karl seems to have gut the
best of the two of 'em for a while, Jest
IA IL they'd been wimmen. 1t looks as
II he threw M OF 'em and the other
| smashed him over the head. That don't
| exactly pint TO the Farthings. for they
| could handle Karl, AIRY one OF 'em.
! Jest like a fly. The main thing l can
| see ag.in 'em is the hammer. Then.
again. nobody knows where they come
from, and these breaks begun jest about
the time they moved here
"Humphi' grunted Tile. There amt
a jury in this state hat wouldn't hang
all three OF EN- higher IN Haman on
half the evidence there is agin EN-
Not one. Rose didn't set any store by
that Farthing Teller. When the news
was broke to her they say she turned
whittier n milk and she pretty near
keeled right over. You wouldn't think
that of a girl like Rose. now, would
YOU? but II ain't strange 70 me, They
pretty soon now, and there want only
one way to head it OF. and Jim ne took
it. It's all plain enough to me"
Plain? BY mighty, WHY, its prims
facie," The Squire had pulled In again
i've gut another piece OF evidence
Dan Huber and Ira Kemmerer sayes
they met Jim In the o here witt
his colt driving down Gum Run wa,
at 10 o'clock last night. How's that rol
evidence?" He stepped across n room
and rang the telephone with y snap tina
Threatened to break the crank
They've started" he announced. hang
ing UP the receiver. They've JUS
gone, the sheriff and a dozen youns
fellers Now get ready all OF YOU. 70
we're going TO hustle that gang nigh
and day till we get every % en