Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-07-09

IHeHl OF DluSlef WOulO nave Deen. III
was the lush before the typhoon,
Amos alone seemed to be un-
impressed. He sat and smoked slow
ly, but there was a little knot be-
tween his eyes that no one had ever
seen there before.
"As | said before, squire" he said
at length. hadn't you better kinder
go slow? You say this job is jest like
the Sugar Valley job and lone by the
same gang. but the Farthings cleared
themselves of that"
Who says they did? What's your
proof that Jim Farthing want in it,"
wal, Rose
"Pshawi That don't prove nothing.
She want responsible; the doctor says
so. The Paintings had her right in
their power. Didn't you see how AL
F~arthing's little black eye was on her
every minute, al 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 stapo for a good
How do you know but the one that
done this job left 1t there jest or pur-
pose TO turn suspicion onto Jim? It's
easy enough TO mark a handkerchief, Z"
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, IL you're going to talk here. We
amt boys"
IAN 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 I'M
less you've got both bowers and the
joker right In your hand. The day he
cleared himself here In the store, seq
| to myself: The mar 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 for once in his life. You wait and
see."
IAN right; I've said my say" Amos
leaned back ~resignedly and went on
with his smoking.
Say, l agree with Amos in one thing.
Squire" Lem Fisher was and
excited. He gesticulated almost con-
vulslvely. You keep out of this, Squire;
don't o 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 a hacker and you've gut
to fight fire with fire still. He'll tech
our life next"
That's right. Squire" chimed in
Ulie. He'll hack you sure's death"
"Humph!" grunted the old man.
II tell you 1t amt no small matter:
no, ii 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
| told you-uns she'd hi We. When l
seen her that morning you took her
l didn't know her. She was that
pale-paler n a winter ghost-just like
Katie Barndollar when she was hacked
with the o~ppnehmer. She won't last
the summer out still; you can send her
to Pittsburg or Rooshey. / don't care.
Again o leave the Farthings be, it
III be too late already yet. 7 tell you,
Squire. o are the next one: you're
liable to go any minute like poor Karl,
with q black ring round your neck.
I'm your friend. Squire, and for Gods
sake you take my advice. You go"
lowering his voice to a ~shuddering
whisper-"you go to Grammar Miller's
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 Ashed a
slip of dark paper from his inner pocket
and handed II yer to the circle.
II don't know about this, Squire"
Lem examined 1t with the air of an ex-
pert, and the others crowded around
to look over his shoulder That's for
stillbindin' a thief wunst. This won't
stand ag'in Al Farthing. Nosuh. You
take my advice, Squire, and so this
VERY night. It's your only chanct"
"Oh. don't you worry, Lem. You don't
know where l got them words"
Il don't care where you gut EN-; they
won't stand" He mumbled a moment,
then r%elapsed into silence.
The hours passed slowly. Some OF
the men went home to dinner: others
lunched at the Squire's expense. They
discussed in detail all the robberies and
inferred and deduced n con%jectured.
The Squire dwelt much on Karl Keich-
line; his character, his abilities. his tact
and honesty and his loyable qualities
generally. He worked himself into a
passion of Indignation and pity. The
poor boy" had been like a son to him:
he was beginning to lear 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
We're actually tears on the old mans
cheeks as he went on, and a thrill OF
real pity went over the crowd. Karl
had been a general favorite everywhere.
1t was four forty-five when the sheriff
land 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
a great silence came over them. The
excited humble of voices fell to a whis-
per n then, a few steps further on.
died out entirely. There was no move
ment about the house and not a sound,
though they listened %intently. Squire
H~artswick and the sheriff held 81 whis-
pered council Of war. IND then the
sheriff, with the air. OF one leading a
fori. a hope. advanced to the front
gate.
.'Hello!" he cried. Hello. in there..'
No response.
Say. watch them upper winders
still" whispered Ulie sharply. keeping
we'll In the ear You'll see a gun
berrel In less m one minute. Get out
OF lire OF h sheriff. Quick" he or
dered excitedly.
TRY EN- again. called the Squire,
well In front and remarkably cool.
Here let me try 'em." He went
through the gate and beloved Justify:
Hello In there! Hello Farthfng.'' A
murmur OF admiration arose behind