The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-03-25
CHAPTER Iv--continued.

Not afoot? You don't mean to walk
clear Yer there"
Sure. 1 feel just like walking. Come
on"
But the roads are all mud-it's awful
walking" he had persisted.
All the more fin. amt afraid OF
mud, are your Get on our gum
shoes. Well be there in no time"
There was no escape.
Don't rum he p,lffed at length.
Let's just saunter along. There's no
rush"
Well have to hurry to get there and
back before meetiug-time. Come on,
and she had fitted on before him, while
he pulled and Waddled and tried to
keep up.
The day was perfect. The sun, low in
the south. poured in a mellow flood that
was like the indian summer. There
was no snow, but along the whole road
there was hat which was tenfold
Worse-a river of hat yellow. Centre
County mud that sticks closer than a
brother. There Is nc shaking it off: in
deed, 1t is difficult to separate 1t from
the shoes ever with a stick.
Rose, picking her a lightly and
daintily, now by the roadside, now on
the crushed stones. avoided 1t almost
completely, but Karl. ploughing along
road. His feet increased to the size of
peck baskets. In vain he kicked and
scraped. His rubbers came off and
he ruined his shoes.
Don't hurry" he pleaded. hot and
painting. There's no hurry
Call this hurrying? ?, she called back
over her shoulder. Why, We're only
crawling. We must walk faster tina
this" And he stumbled on after her
In desperation.
His collar became a wet rag. The
sweat soaked through the and of his
best hat. making q broad yellow stripe.
His feet weighed a hundred pounds
apiece n were increasing every mo-
ment. 1t was like walking with a ball
and chain. The mad smeared his
trousers nearly to his knees. but he
why, who's tired? We've only lust
started. Why, I've walked twenty
rules lots of times. Come on: I'm go
Tag" h started on briskly. He hes
tter half on the dog trot.
When at last they had cut through
Shc scrub cakes and stood in sight Of
the old house, he was in a dry pallor.
His mouth and throat were like pieces
sf paper
See! See! The old house." she cried.
He gasped IN something like a
THANK Cod and collapsed upon the
nearest stone.
It's a wild, lonesome place. isn't it?"
,he went on. almost excitedly. See
how the gap hangs over it. And look
the black ring. What do you suppose
makes 1t? Can you see it?"
Yes" he puffed.
ut seems almost like q perfect cir
Gle. doesn't it,"
Yes"
ITS something that's growing: some
kind Of a moss or grass. don't you
think? I'm going down and see.
Come"
mo, no. This ia all the farther I'm
going" he said with decision.
Then I'm going down there alone"
No, no, not he gasped. "Remeln-
ner what they say. You know it's
death for any Hartswick to go inside
that ring"
oh, CANNON! AS IL 1 believed
st,at!.'
IT'S safer to stay away"
II want to loo into the window"
This is all the Farther I'm gotng,'
he announced decisiyely. Besides, you
wouldn't see anything if you tried.
Don't o see how there's a shutter
over h window"
but the ring?
"Oh. the Hellers put some kind of a
chemical there. and a DEVILS crop of
some sort or other comes UP on It,"
"i5ut why don't h snow lie there
IL winter?"
IT don't know. Probably they sowed
"'HA Ma u S&oAtI SiloI AANCll5 l4O
Just the Same . salt does. Say, I'll
bet It is salt"
But hat would kill everything and
I make h ground bare and dead, and,
eee. It's a sort of black matted moss"
Well. there's nothing chemical about
Il. tn bet q dollar." For a time they
looked in silence at the old structure.
It was a log house. some IL feet
square and two stories in height. The
caves projected far out. giving 1t an un-
usual appearance. The crevices had
heen caulked with some black material,
which in places had begun to crumble
out. A great chimney of irregular
blocks of limestone arose at one end.
There was no path leading to the house
And no clearing save the black ring,
which 1t II upon which
there grew no trees or shrubs.
"Hark, what's that?" They both
Strengthened instantly. The sun was
near the top Of the western ridge; all
was deathly stlA save the growl Of wa
Ter In the nearby run
Didn't you hear something's" Their
the faint voice OF the church bell came
to them over the valley.
MY! That's the first bell. We've
got just an hour. Come. We must walk
now: we can't crawl the way we die
coming up. Come on"
She sprang lightly down the rocks
and out upon the pike. and he followed
EW0 UoSL lie COufu. 1TfOu8n the puO0l0l
n into the mud, thick and sticky al
sodden glue. he ploushed. putting ant
I blowing and wallowing. while she trip.
ped deintily ahead.
They arrived at the church Just a,
the last bell was tolllng. Darkness hat
fallen. for which Keichline was pro.
Ioundiy grateful. Il allowed him t.
drag himself through the church-goine
tfirong u~nrecogntEed. and to get safe.
ly Il Hartswtck Hall.
He was faint and feverish: his legl
almost refused to obey him; and hi
breath came in gasps hat ratified and
gurgled in his throat. An. hour later
when he appeared in a complete sui,
OF the squire's that was three sizes tot
small for him.. and sat down to the lonf
delayed supper. he found it Impossible
ooh. Pap" Rose burst in from meet.
ing. I'VE had b glorious walk. Didn't
we Nj. keichlines We went over t
the old cabin. and II was fine. Wei
so again. won't WEI" She took hel
place at the table. as fresh and unruf'
Aedsas if sheshad spent thew whole aft
rnoon In her; room. One glance q
Karl IN Ibis tight-httinE costume. q
~lunperceptlble flutter for . moment q,
tho corners OF her mouth, and she IN.
1slaer her supper with great solemnity
Keichline said very little. He wal
anhfnr In ayorv iOtnt and his d10nity