The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-07-15
The House of the Black
- ~. Ring e.,zs..,. ',es

smash the door" There was no move
ment within.
Come on, boys. Get a log and stave
her down" Some half a dozen of the
Sugar Valley men seized an old tree
trunk from the woodpile and ran with
1t full tilt against the barricaded n
rance. 1t crashed down like a rotten
shingle.
Come on. you six fellers: the rest
OF o stay out and surround the
house. Watch sharp now"
They sprang forward, bur at that
moment an unexpected figure appeared
at h doorway-an old woman, IN
speakably old. bowed over her staff,
her face shrivelled and brown as q
baked apple, her hair in strange CON
trast. almost c~oal-black, and her eyes
small and piercing as a rats.
What you want here?" she called in
a shrill falsetto. II warn YOU: don't
you come in here"
You're hiding the Farthings, Gran
maw," spoke up the sheriff. a trace OF
awe in his voice. I'm the sheriff:
you're resisting the law. We must
search the house."
"Have you got a search warrant? 2"
she asked shrilly.
why, no-o." The demand paused
him. |
break the law" The sheriff hesitated
a moment and then turned back.
DANCED IL I know whether it's nee
essary or not" he muttered. where's
Squire Hartswiek? He's a Justice: he
can make M right here. Where are
been left hopelessly behind in the race,
came pufflng up. his face IKE a plum
pudding: A sheet Of paper was i'm
provised from an old envelope. and the
squire proceeded to execute the war
rant In due form.
"Here-look ahere wunst. you-uns
take my advice" chartered Lem Fish
you can. The devii's in this business.
See her? See there! My God. men,
she's weavin' = branch over US already.
God Almighty, look at that wunst. TIM
goin' home. Come on. Ulie. I amt
called on to fight the devil" He turned
square about and crept away down the
pike. Ulie and several others followed
b door. was swinging slowly from
side to side. her eye fixed On the far
distance. and muttering ~incoherently
under her breath.
All ready, come on, fellers." The
sheriff and h young men from Sugar
Valley advanced hesitatingly towards
house. It was plain that they did
..os CA.S sAe4i JoU' Out HODilSSe ODISe.
Were they net the sheriff and his
sworn deputies? The eyes of the coun-
ity were upon them.
We've got the warrant, Gran'maw,''
he said In velvet tones. She turned
squarely about and hobbled out OF
sight.
in with u.s."
"No-no. I'm too hot and tired.
You'll make 1t all right alone.'
He took a seat IN q stone at the
rear Of the group. The seven turned
and went into the house without an
other word. A sort OF sigh. like the
drawing in of the breath by the crowd
before the fail Of the fatal drop. went
up. Every atom Of the mob spirit had
iooxed out. Not q man but felt like
ssneaking home.
La Wen yer see Of Them" shud-
dered q voice.
Gee! I wouldn't go in there for 10
FARMS"
IT'S DEVILS business; I'm goin'
home" said another.
Then for what seemed like hours and
days there was silence-awful and
complete save for the gtbbering Of the
water in the gut almost at their feet.
The gloom Of the uncanny hole was
falling heavier and heavier on their
spirits. Most Of them were looking
about furttvely at the black shadows
that were beginning to creep under the
cedars. at the hideous c~aricaturo faces
leerlng from the limestone jags. and at
the black barrier OF the ridge behind
which the sun had already disappeared.
Few there had ever before seen the
place by day. They breathed q real
sigh Of relief when the form Of the
sheriff appeared at the door.
They cant be found.,' he said in q
queer tone.
A murmur Of supSerstitious horror
broke from the crowd. Many, looking
neither to the right nor the left,
sneaked out to the pike and crept home
in twos and threes, scarcely speaking
all the way, but each thinking hard the
same thought. The sheriff and the
Sugar Valley men went again into the
Run, and searched for an hour amid
the gathering darkness. Then they,
too. went down the pike without q
word. There was nothing to say.
The Farthings had disappeared as If
tho earth had swallowed them up, and
Of all places in the world. in the black
mouth Of Roaring Run.