The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-04-29

mumbled, a faraway look In his eyes
"Somesing stranger n you sink"
You see. It's jest as l say" went or
Lem, with added confidence. There's
hacking and pow-wowing at the bot
ON of this. The devil is making his
neadquarter in that old shanty since
Al Farthin' come here, and he's going
TO rave and rare up n down these
valleys till we-uns is all at our wits
end: Yessuh. Amt that so, squire?''
Begins To look hat way Things
wished
Say. you now, darned If 1t don't
seem as if I was in some niger shack
down SOUTH The disgust in Amos
face and voice We're really ludicrous.
Il yum 1 can't, If I die, believe
I'm listening to white folks talk
in. Now, there hain't nothing
shanty up there than there ia
| with the squire's old smokehouse, that's
ha'nted with the ghosts of 400 hogs
that's been hung In 1t. 1t makes mo
mad clean through M through to hear
grcwn white men, that ought to be civ
wenches. P~ow-wowin'! oh, my Lord"
he got up n took al angry turn
around the store.
Say, Amos, you talk big; how'd you
ike to go up there some midnight
Wunst and walk acrost that dead line?
SS'i - oiiC llIuS alu tdihlIl = announcer.
Now, l reckon you'll be satisfied In
takin' it out In talkin'." Ulie's voice
fairly shook with sarcasm.
The squire hain't took back his Of
fer yetst, not's I've hearn tell Of"
spoke up Lem sneeringly. It's SO still,
amt 1t, squire, to the man who puhts
his hand on the old cabin ans after
dark?'
"Ye-es," said the squire hesitatingly.
He knew Amos, and he knew Ulie and
Lem and Dan. 1t would not do, how
ever, to back down on his offer.
III dare yeh n double dare yeh to
go up to that house tonight" Jeered
Ulie. Now, you've been talking big
for a long time already. You go up
now or you shet up. That's fair"
oh. he won't CO." sneered Lem In a
tone that sent the hot blood to Amos
face Perhaps he'll take Dan along
to give him courage" The squire was
keeping strangely silent. Things were
not going Just right. He knew Amos.
II thought he'd weaken" scoffed Tile.
He hatn't gut as much sand as Dan
has"
Now, look here, folks, there hain't !
any reasonable call for me to go up
to that old house tonight in this mush
OF snow, but you and nobody else amt
going to dare me. I amt afraid, and
We all know it. I'm good and sick of
this whole thing, and the sooner it's
~SNAS go lIClC, <Ap, sel itS d +
larntern. I'd Jest exactly as lives go
up there as to go to the squire's barn.
l wan YOU to go with me, Dan, for a
witness"
"All right: I'll go" He arose in
and buttoned up his coat. !
Better strip good for racin', Dam"
jeered Ulie. O.
"All right, subj" Amos was getting
angry. I'm goin' up there, and what's
more I'm goin' inside, n I'm goin' to
fire thet arnal old shanty. I'm sick and
of it, Amos had not a particle
OF superstition in his make up. More
over, he was a man of courage. one
who seldom backed down when once he
had taken a position. Clearly some
thing was going to happen.
Don't you do it, Amos" Old Poppy
Miller had shakily arisen to his feet
and was holding out a palsied hand.
Don't you dast to do it, Amos" His
voice was a tremulous falsetto.
Tn going to kill two birds with one
stone; I'm going to earn $40: and I'm
going to get red of the biggest nuisance
n this valley. that's Jest what I'm goin'
to do. Got that larntern most ready.
NO. no. %quavered the old man with
intensity. Fer Gods sake
don't do it. Amos. You don't know
what you're a-doin' Of" His excite
was increasing visibly.
Huh" Amos was coolly helping
himself from the store matches.
If It's the last word I ever have to
begged the old man, his voice
cracking in his excitement, don't yer
ter do 1t. I knows VIA rs a-say-
n. It's death, Amos; death. death.
leath!" He had taken a step forward.
with his palsied hands was waving
| shaky circle toward the busting
nan
Come on, Dan. Ready? I en-"
They strobe out together. Watch for
| fire in just so minutes" he called
confidently.
But there was to be no fire that
hight.
"Al right, ten; all right, ten.
numbled The old mar incoherently. He
vas still making weird circles in the
tir with his shaky hands. Ulie and
lem Fisher stood behind him as far az
hey could get in the narrow store and
watched his movements with CHASTITY )
aces. {
They NEW what It meant. {
Those about he store could hear the :
iollar clock beating on the shelf over !
cloth counter. It fairly beloved !
through the room. The old man was !
with vacant eyes out into the :
arkness n mumsbling d%isjointedly. :
Then he began to wind the long scarf !
his neck. !,
(contiaued Mex. Weekly
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