Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-03-12
Ir--continued.

on" maintained Dan ~doggedly, nettled
at the squire's -insinuations. IF l amt
a nixy clean through III through, then
/ never seen a kinder-hearted nan In
my life. Nosuh. He jest seen his
jewty, n he done 1t, and I amt the
only one nuther. He don't go cacklin'
all over town every time his old Bun
Cochin lays an aig."
Say, boys, ever think Of one thing?"
continued h squire placidly. You've
been seem some strange sights up to
the old cabin lately. hain't yeh? There's
always been queer stories about that
place, but you didn't hear of much GO
ing or there till Farthing moved onto
that farm, did yeh? Now stop to think
OF this latest cuttin' up; hain't every
bit OF 1t been since. he moved into
town."
wal, you can't lay that onto AL"
Dan squared about argumentatively.
There hain't been no rack into h a
cabin all this winter yetst, and you-all
knows 1t still" He addressed his argu-
ments to the crowd, as IL IL were they
who were combating him. II told
me himself when / asked him that he
had other business nights than laying
awake watchin' for ghosts still. and
that he hadn't saw a thing In h old
cabin Already. He said he slept nights
n went at his sleepiu' early"
"Wal-now-I-don't-know." The
squire again winked knowingly. Eve
notice what a sharp little black eye
he's got INC how IL looks right through
yeh? You don't see eyes as sharp as
that very often" The old man under
stood perfectly those to whom he was
talking.
"Yar! Now you're gettIn' at It."
burst in Lem Fisher. TITS an Y that
can weave a branch round yeh. First
thing some of you-uns Ill know you'll
! ha arAtffnt haAvpd. yynIIr IrIHa1 ha lfxgar-
growed, and have the rundown
and oppnehmer. You be care
full, you-uns; that's my word to
you already. He had lowered
his voice almost to a whisper, Ulie
took up the theme instantly.
That's Jest what I've been a-tellin'
of yeh. The devil knows what's what.
There's q reason for the doin's up in
that old shanty, don't you forget that.
The devil don't have 10 walk when he
wants TO get over snow and"-lower-
ing his voice mysteriously and half
closing one eye-"a hacker and a pow
wower don't nuther. You-all think OF
that wunst."
"Recollect how strange old Poppy
Miller acted down to Dams butcherin'T
Heigh?"
How'd you dast to stan ag'in him
so. squire, and say what you did right
in front Of him? Won't he hack yeh?
NOl L IG 6Cl&u IGO6c III Al OPpAOil
mer? Amt yeh 'fraid something III
happen to herr"
Nav! Not a bit. I carry words
agin him. He can't touch me or nina
I've saw to that"
"But he's a deep one Lem Fish
err was IN his own ground now. He's
Jest the worst one we-uns ever know'd
here"
IL don't believe It'll" exploded Dan.
"a amt no more OF a haexer than
you be, Lem; not n bit. And / don't
believe that one of you have really
ever saw anything UP to that cabin
wunst. Nosuh. You're Jest like my
old mare when she goes acrost the rail-
road track. You're so blamed scairt
and you expect to see such an awful
thing that you don't know what you
do see, and you shy and kick n snort
for all h world as II there was some
thing there"
"Humph!" retorted Ulie scornfuIly.
"'Spose / don't know still what / see
with my own eyes? Humph!"
"Oh, l amt questioning but what you
think you see IL. My boy come in one
day and sayed that he seen "A snake as
long as the hay ladder still, and L
hain't the slightest doubt but what he
thought ii really was. Where's Amos?
He'd knock the whole thing higher
n q kite"
Look here, Dam the Squire spoke
up sudden and sharp, I'll give you ten
dollars and pay Ii In money IL you'll
go up to that cabin right off now n
touch Il with your hand. Now, that's
business The Squire knew his man
"Yessuh; now, that's business, n
I'll dare yeh to do It," added Tile inn
portantly. You talk big still. blu you
don't dast to do IL. Nosuh, We've got
you now, Dan. It's go up or shet up.
where's Amos? I'll go IL he'll go
- - - - M. N xxnr lie n
In distress. He had half arisen, and
was wavering perceptibly.
Amos don't count In this bargain.
Amos ain't here. Now you go up there
or you quit your everlasting yammer-
ing about this here Farthing. I'm sick
OF It,"
'All right. sub" He spoke with a
culver OF excitement In his voice. "I.l
CO. Loyalty to his friend was strug-
Cling with innate superstition, and 10y
atty was for the moment the stronger.
He arose like the leader OF a forlorn
hope and took a tottering step.
Now" said the Squire, briskly. II
want Tile and Lem to follow behind
and see that he does It," The crafty
old man knew with whom he was deal
ing. Fear Is as contagious as disease.
The two men hesitated q moment, then
arose doggedly and buttoned UP their
coats. 1T was always best to obey the
4 SQUIRE even Wnen ne asked nara tnlngS.
Come back and tell Us how you
make out shouted the old man as they
were plunging out into the night.
'Al right. We won't be gone long.
I'll tell YOU that" called back Ulie, and
Their they were lost In the darkness.
There was a swirl OF rafting snow I'm
the air. The wind came In puffs and
eddies, whiriing the sharp grist into
the faces or the A dismal roar,
sullen and steady. rolled from the dis
tant ridges, and from the near gaps
came a succession OF snarls and
shrieks. The snow modified the dark
ness into a ghostly light In which moth
ing was distinct.
The three men struggled on in silence,
At length they reached the place where
the road turned on toward Heller's
Gap, and they struck into It without a
word. The buildings OF Allen Farthing
were IN complete darkness the family
had gone to bed. hen they turned into
the little lane that nee a been
the main road to the Heller cabin. BY
day a clear view of the hut could be
had from this point. but the ghostiy
light revealed nothing as they peered
through the bushes.
Suddenly n thin, wavering shrek
a through the air. far OF like the
cry OF the Banshee. IT stopped the
three dead In their tracks. Lem Fish