The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-07-15
The House of the Black
ezs:A.e .s.: Ring COPYRIGHT. 100.

smash the door" There was no move
ment within.
Come on, boys. Get a log and stave
her down" Some half a dozen of the
Sugar Valley men seized an old tree
trunk from the woodpile and ran with
1T full tilt against the barricaded en-
trance. 1t crashed down like a rotten
shingle.
Come on. you six %fellers; the rest
CT you stay out and surround the
mouse. Watch sharp now"
They 5prang forward, but at that
moment an unexpected figure appeared
at the doorway-an old woman, un-
s~peakably old, bowed over her staff,
her face shrivelled and brown as a
baked apple, her hair in strange con-
trast, almost coal black, and her eyes
small and piercing as a rats.
What you want here?" she called in
a shrill falsetto. Il warn you; don't
you come in here"
You're hiding the Farthings. Gram
maw," spoke up the sheriff. a trace of
awe in his voice. I'm the sheriff;
you're resisting the law. We must
search the house"
Have you got q search warrant?"
she asked shrilly.
why, no-o." The demand paused
him.
Then, if you come in here, you
break the law" The sheriff hesitated
a and then turned back.
ang If | know whether it's nee
essary or not he muttered. where's
Squire Hartswick? He's a Justice; he
can make one right here. Where are
yeh, Squire" The old man, who had
been left hopelessly behind in the race,
came putting up, his face like a plum
pudding, A sheet of paper was i'm
prov1sed from an old envelope, and the
squire proceeded to execute the war
rant in due form.
"Here-look ahere wunst, you-uns
take my advice" chartered Lem Fish
er. You get out of here Jest as quick's
you can. The DEVILS in this business.
See her? See there! My God, men,
she's weavin' a brauch over us already.
God Almighty. look at that wunst. I'm
goin' home. Come On. Ulie. 1 amt
called on to fight the devil" He turned
square about and crept away down the
pike. Ulte n several Others followed
! m The old woman, still standing In
the door, was swinging slowly from
side to side, her eyes fixed on the far
distance, and muttering incoherently
under her breath.
All ready. come on fellers." The
sheriff and the young men from Sugar
valley ADVANCE hesitatingly towards
the 1t was plain that they did
not ~elish their job. but noblisse oblige,
Were they not the sheriff and his
sworn deputies? The eyes of the coun-
~ were upon them.
We've got the warrant, Gran'maw,"
he said In velvet tones. She turned
%squarely about and hobbled out of
sight.
Come on. Squire, / want you to go
in with us"
Mono. I'm too hot and tired.
You'll make 1t all right alone"
He took a seat on a stone at the
rear of the group. The seven turned
and went into the house without an
other word. A sort of Sigh, like the
drawing in of the breath by the crowd
before the fall Of the fatal drop, went
up. Every atom Of the mob spirit had
oozed out. Not a man but felt like
sneaking home.
Last We'll ever see OF them" shud-
dered q voice.
Gee! / wouldn't so in there for 10
farms"
It's DEVILS business; Pm goin'
home" said another.
Then for h seemed like hours and
days there was silence-awfu and
complete save for the gibbering Of the
water in the gut almost at their feet.
falling heavier and heavier on their
spirits. Most Of them were looking
about furtively at the black shadows
that were beginning to creep under the
cedars, at the hideous caricaturc faces
leerlng from the limestone jags, and at
SsS ANVSs SNA ~ bAA0 Ila60& 4
which the sun had already disappeared.
Few there had e before seen the
place by day. They breathed a real
sigh OF relief when the form Of the
sheriff appeared at the door.
They IN be found he said in a
queer tone.
A murrnur OF superstitious horror
broke from the crowd. Many, looking
neither to the right nor the left.
out to the pike and cyept home
in twos n threes, scarcely. speaking
all the way. but each thinking hard the
same thought. The sheriff and the
Sugar Valley men went again into the
the gathering darkness. Then they,
too. went down the pike without q
word. There was nothing to say.
The Farthings had disappeared as IL
the earth had swallowed themsup, and
OF all places m the world, in the black
mouth OF Roaring Run.