The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-05-06
CHAPTER vIII--Continued.

he started for the door. No one spoke
or disturbed h silence, nor was there
a sound In the store until the Chunk
clunk' of the old wagon had died away
in the distance.
Amos and Dan walked rapidly down
the pike. IT was a perfect spring
night. The clouds had entirely dis
appeared, leaving the sky brilliant with
stars that scintillated coldly. Low In
the west, over h ragged C a In the
range, the thin curve of a new moon
lay pointing upward with sharp horns.
Far off in the stiffness they could hear
the warning growl of Roaring Run, but
IT only made the silence more complete.
They said nothing as they strobe down
the pike, n they turned into the Hell
ler's Gap o without a word. The
awful warnings of Poppy Miller were
echoing In Dams ears; he was walking
like a man In a dream.
A dim light burned in the Farthing
Kitchen, but they heard no sound, save
the rafting movements of some
creature in the barn. Then they struck
INTO the old lane to the cabin.
The world still wore the fantastic
garments of the morning, though much
Of the snow had dropped from the trees
during the day. 1t was a weird, silent
scene, and both of the men were i'm
pressed by 1t. The great shadow Of the
oSF NFNS WI. NhANAAAg III ~ III NlIAlSl
side doomed up like ghostly columns as
they saw them.in the uncertain light.
Darn creepy place." observed Dan
at length. .@
Huh" shifted Amos, striding on
stoutly In the lead.
Then they came in sight of the cabin,
ana stopped a m to reconnoiter.
The old house doomed UP black and
sepulchral amid the scrubs. A livid
ring, unnaturally distinct, surrounded
IT. a called his companions atten-
ton to it, but Amos only grunted.
Come ahead, DAN" he said grufly.
They strobe rapidly to the edge of
h snow line, then both stopped In
stantly as IL. they had run into
the cabin, but one so diffused and in
distinct that 1t was impossible to see
anything within, Dan Trsssler turned
In a panic, and was on the point of
fleeing, but Amos gripped him by the
arm.
Brace up. Dam" he Missed in his
ear. We're going to see this out IL II
takes a leg. You stay right here; I'm
going to find out how many's in there"
He started out cautiously in a circle
aroun the cabin, yelling his lantern
with his coat and examining the snow
with extreme care. At length he came
around to where he had started.
say babg LS sdIu WIFI II trace Oh
excitement in his voice, there hain't a
living soul moved in or out Of there
since the snow" .....
rGood lord!" gasped Dan. Say, les
make a rush and touch the old shanty
and run" His nerves were rapidly
getting beyond his control.
Not by a long chalk! They prob
ably went in there before the snow
came the other night. You wait a min
ute. I'm going to look n"
He crept nearer. Then there came
from within a shrill laugh, fearfully
startling in its weird distinctness. In
voluntarily Dan gave a nervous cry,
and on the instant they saw a face at
the window, a face strangely white
M thin, with a framing Of hair that
even In that uncertain light showed up
lnky black. Instantly there echoed
from within a shrek so CHASTITY hat it
shook the nerves even of Amos Hard
ing. 1t was a shrill falsetto, seemingly
feminine. He dropped his lantern, so
suddenly did it ring out and 30 fright
ful. But his panic was only for an in
slant.
Some of them Farthin's are in there,
trying to scare u.s." he shouted. Here,
Tn coming in! o can't scare mel
You've got the wrong man, I'll tell yeh
that! Here, open up!" A sudden fury
seemed to have seized him. open up!
opSh bileTS! H6 yelleu. Inen he ran
against the door full tilt, but it did not
yield.
A livid stream of curses In what
seemed to. be an old mans cracked
voice followed. Amos took a back
step, and hesitated. Then a recollec-
ton of the group in the store came
upon him, and he faced the cabin
again.
Come on, Dan. It's only he Far
thin's trying to scare U.S.. Stand by me,
DAN" he shouted. Get a stone. I'm
goin' to stave in the old door," Dan
took n step and stopped short; but
for Amos he would have turned and
fled for his life.
Fol another scream came from the
interior, a scream that must have come
from a woman's throat, and yet no liv-
ing woman's; then a flash OF light, in
tense and binding, filtering through
the crannies like red fire. For the
space of a minute 1t bathed the scene
in a lurid hell red. Even Amos felt his
hair creeping, but his blood was UP and
he would not have turned back now
even, II the devil himself had confront
ed him.
The bright light showed him a Jagged
piece of limestone at his feet within
the dead line. He seized it and began
to batter the door. 1t held out trong-
ly; he threw all OF his strength into
the WOrh. Ineu the caDln became ut
terly dark; it vas deathly still now:
but he battered on. The bar began to
give way; a couple OF blows more and
the door swung wide ope
But Amos did not enter.
He held UP his lantern and peered
within with ~quivering interest. Moth
ing was in sight; nothing moved; but
there was a thick smudge of smoke and
a CHASTITY stencil Of sulphur. He stood
still and listened. No sound save far
behind him the gurgle of Roaring Run,
like the rattle in the throat of a dying
man. ...
Come on, DAN" he ordered excited
ly. 1t was too late to back out now.
I'm going right in there hell bent,
darned If 1 amt. Come on. Don't go
back on me, old man." Dan was no
longer master of himself. He moved as
in a stupor; the strong will of the
other man dominated him. He hesitat-
ed, then took a faltering step toward
the door. Amos was u ~ sight.
Hey, Amos! Where be yeh?" he
quavered. He caught a choking breath
of the sulphur reek and his knees we'll
nigh gave way beneath him.
Here! This way, quick!" he heard