The Irish standard., 1909-07-24

hearted attempt at bravado. II reckoi.
they won't hurt nobody none"
His very manner showed that he.
was quaking in his shoes, and Mac
Ardel was quick to note it and make
the most of 1t.
You won't have me with you,
jerks" he continued, impressively.
We'll tie YOU to tree and leave you
there alone, unless you do as l say.
Do you understand"
That jerks understood there could
be no doubt, for his terror was obvi-
Gus as he fastened to exclaim:
III swear, mister! I'll swear teh
anything. eff yell only let US git aouten
this place an go home!"
There was small Bible on the H.
brary table and MacArdel caused
jerks and the widow to place a hand
upon 1t as they successfully took upon
themselves solemn obligation to pre-.
serve absolute secrecy concerning the
AFFAIR of the evening. This done, Mac.
Ardel addressed them briefly but i'm.
pressively:
DO not think for . moment" he
said. that have changed my opinion
as to your knowledge Of the things
that are going on here. I'll admit that
there is more to 1t than thought at
first and that more people are mixed
up In 1t than l had supposed. But
that only makes 1t the easier for us,
because, in affairs of this kind, there
is danger In numbers, and, while l
am convinced that you two are the
ringleaders In the whole business, the
more confederates you have the soon
er will we be able to make one of
them confess.
You may go now, but mind you re.
member the oath you have taken to.
night or 1t will go hard with you both.
AS long as you keep this thing to your
selves you won't get into trouble, but
the moment you start any fuss about
it you will hear from us in a way
that will make your hair stand on
end! And whatever you do, don't
forget that I'm n doctor. and that
know, just as well as you do, what
those old rags have been used fort"
With this significant remark, Mac
Ardel opened the door of the room
and we followed them out of the
house and watched them MS they clam
bered into the wagon and drove rapid
ly away
When they were out of earshot I
said abruptly:
This is a pretty mess that you've
made of things, Mac! Do you realize
that these people can have us up for
assault and duress. and l don't know
how many other crimes into the bar.
gain, and yet we're no wiser than we
were before!"
"Oh, yes we are!" said MacArdel.
I'VE know lot Of things that we
never dreamed Of at first. and II you
hadn't been SO busy with jerks when
he toppled over you'd have seen what
| mean"
Well" I returned, they were both
frightened nearly out Of their wits by
the spooks, and l don't believe they
know any more about EN- than we
! dol"
"Nonsense!" cried MacArdel. "You
did not watch them as closely as I did
that's all. ] confess they were fright
ened, but each In different way. Now,
jerks was scared almost to death, and
you may take my word for 1t that his
terror was genuine, and that he beiiev.
ed the things to be supernatural. But
1t wasn't so with the widow. She knew
all about them, you may be sure, and
when they came so close to us she was
only afraid that we would capture
them or shoot them or do something
Of that sort. OF course this jerks
knows about the bundle of cloths be.
cause he had them last night when
you shot him In the hand, but I don't
believe he has any idea of what they
had been used for. tell you, Ware,
the widow is at the head of this whole
Job and jerks is nothing but her
tool"
WELL" replied, 1T may be AZ you
say, but wish we were out Of It.
You may be right in your deductions,
but they've got perfect case against
us II they choose to take it into court,
and. with the popular prejudice that
exists around here against the Car.
neys. a jury Of these farmers would
give us the limit of the law. 1t isn't
matter of fine, either, Mac. It's a
felony that we've been committing to-
night and that means term in pris-
on, ! want you to understand"
Don't worry, old man." said Mac
Ardel, with satisfied smile which,
however, was far from reassurins.
They'll never tell You may be Ger.
tain Of that. jerks is so afraid of me
that, with the ghosts and the blood
curdling oath made him take, he's
shut up as tight as clam. AS far as
the widow is concerned, she isn't tho
sort to appeal to the law in case like
this, and, If she does, we can very soon
tangle her up in a mass of evidence
that will justify us in everything We
have done. don't believe she'd fancy
the idea OF having her house thorough
| ly searched"
| Closing up the house we retired to