Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-07-16
The House of the Black
s,s:A Pate. Ring e.,ze..s. 1906

smash the door" Their 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
II full tilt against the barricaded en-
trance. 1t crashed down like a rotten
shingle.
Come on, you six %fellers; the rest
OF you stay out and surround the
house. Watch sharp now"
They sprang forward, but at that
moment an unexpected figure appeared
at the doorway-an old woman un-
~speakably old, bowed over her staff,
her face shrivelled and brown as a
baked apple, her hair in strange con
trast. almost ~coal-black, and her eyes
small and piercing as a rats.
"Wha you want here ?" she called in
a shrill fafsetto. II warn you; don't
you come in here"
You're hiding the Farthings, Gran
nav spoke up the sheriff, a trace of
awe In his voice. Tn the sheriff;
you're resisting the law. We must
search the house"
Have you got a search warrant"
she asked shrilly.
Why, no-o.' The demand paused
him.
Then, II you come in here. you
break the law The sheriff hesitated
a moment n then turned back.
DANCED II / know whether it's nee
essary or not he muttered. where's
Squire Hartswick? He's a Justice; he
can make n right here. Where are
yeh, Squire" The old man. who had
been left hopelessly behind in the race,
came putting up, his face like 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
er. You get out of here Jest as quick's
o can. The DEVILS in this business.
See her? See there! My God, men,
she's weavin' a branch over us already.
God Almighty, look at that wunst. I'm
gotn home. Come on, Ulie. / amt
called on TO fight the devil" He turned
square about and crept away down the
pike. Ulie and several others followed
him. The old woman, still standing in
the door, was swinging slowly from
side TO side, her eyes fixed on the far
distance, and muttering incoherently
under her breath.
"All ready come on, fellers.' The
sheriff and the young men from Sugar
Valley advanced hesitatingly towards
the house. 1t was plain hat they did
not relish their job, but noblisse oblige.
Were they not the sheriff and his
sworn deputies? The eyes of the coun-
ty were upon them.
We've got the warrant, Gran'maw,"
he said In velvet tones. She turned
.squarely about and hobbled out of
sight.
Come on. Squire. / want you to go
in with u.s."
Mono. I'm too hot and tired.
You'll make it all right alone"
He took a seat on a stone at the
rear OF the group. The seven urned
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 fall OF the fatal drop, went
up. Every atom OF the mob spirit had
oozed out. Not a man but felt like
sneaking home.
Last Wen ever sec OF them" shud-
dered a voice.
Gee! / wouldn't 60 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
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 furtively at the black shadows
that were beginning to creep under the
cedars. at the hideous ~caricaturc faces
leering from the limestone jags, and at
the black barrier OF the ridge behind
which the sun had already disappeared.
Few there had ever before seer the
place by day. They breathed a real
sigh OF relief when the form OF the
sheriff appeared at the door.
'They can be found" he said In a
queer tone.
A murmur OF superstitlous 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 n 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 a
word. There vas nothing to say.
The Farthings had disappeared as IL
the earth had swallowed them up, and
OF all places In the world. In the black
mouth OF Roaring Run.
ru prEp yyyrr