The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-07-15

! Tor the wild Medders instead OF gofn'
1t for a man-trap like the Run? I tell
yeh he was strikin' for Grammar Mil
Ter. While you-uns was ~a-foolir' round
she had time enough to hide a ma
tion.'
"Yas. n why did she stop You of
at the door and lake yeh get a war
rant 2" broke in Tile. oval, I'll tell yeh
why" He closed one y and nodded
his head knowingly. "She had to have
time to work her spell. Did you see
her weavin, that branch? / tell you
uns IL we knew the bottom Of this
business we'd be scairt. Something
awful's comm. We don't know who's
turn it is next, but it's n of US"
"Yessuh, he's right" Lem Fisher
took up h argument with JUNCTION.
That branch meant death. rye saw
1t twict In my life already and what's
twicst is thricet, There's goin' to be
an awful death in this valley until "A
hours still. You-uns take notice OF
what / say"
An awed silence fell over the group
At length old Jake K~isterbock spoke
with faltering voice.
Let me tell you-uns somesing
wunst. When I got hum this after
noon, my woman comes to the door
with q face like a dish-clout still, and
she sayes, sayes she, almost yammer-
In. Come In here wunst.' Then she
takes me into the bedroom and sayes
she. Keep still wunst.' 1t was still
as the grave. And then-oh my Lordis
He leaned far over the group, his eyes
glittering like a child's. The death
watch was tickin' there In the wall
Tick tick tick -tick-tick,' right by the
headboard, It's DEATH sayes the
woman, fallin' over on the bed and cry
in like as II the life was goin' out OF
her still, It's death, death, death Yes
sub, I've heard 1t before, and 1t always
brings death in this valley until "a
hours"
Il don't want to scare yeh, Squire
Lem Fisher spoke ~deferentially. but
the signs do pint at YOU"
"Humph." he grunted.
"Recollect thai. apple tree that blowed
late last fall in your yard? Recollect
how the pee-wee flew into the store
here? Recollect how, down to Karl's
funeral, the wagon clipped right In
ahead Of yeh In the procession? Their
what have / told yeh about these Earth
ings? You 30 this VERY night, Squire
and do what I told yeh. 1t may be toe
late now"
He made no answer.
f. soy LCAAlg SPOhV W <llAlOCg ~ "a
Farthing can do all you claim he can
then why's he workin' every day or
that old farm"
"oh, his farmin' is jest a blind. III
bet he's gut money like water In tho
creek. Now If there amt no haexin
about this, where did the Paintings go
You tell me that"
IT Amt ~explainin' Jest vet, but there.
an explanation all the same, and IT..
comm out. Al and his boys are pretty
wide awake chaps; they've hunted al
over these ridges and they know ever,
square rod. They knew how to ge'
through the Run, that's all You Eel.
lers was so excited you didn't know
what you was doin,' You can't com
any of your miserable witchcraft OF
me-"
IF the Farthings was innocent, VIII.
did they run?"
They showed horse sense by run,
MIN. When a crazy, hot-headed GROVE
of lunatics gets after yeh, run I say
for dear life. and do your explainin
next week"
San innocent man don't run, I'll tel
you that" said the Squire sulleniy
How are you going to account TO
that stuff in his barn."
II amt going to give my verdict til
the evidence Is all In. But there's
good deal to be cleared up vet for
I'm satisfied, I'll tell you that. Say
Mr.. Sheriff" He turned about sudden
ly and faced the man. What are yol
goin' to do tomorrow? How are yo'
plannin' to ketch 'em. Gut a watcl
set round their house. I spose."
why, no; I hain't."
'FWal, now, that's kinder strange
Say, wouldn't II be sort o. natural TO
some pm 'em to sneak back there to
night for somethin' to eat? What ar
yeh dom to ketch 'em2 All / can Sc
Is you are settin' right here listenir
to old woman's stories about pow
wowin', while they're hustling out o
the region lively,-that is IL they wan
to-"
what can yon do when men dis
appear into the air?" argued he sher
"Say, that's a smart question for
sheriff of a county to ask, now ain
tia regular old woman's question. ]
they've disappeared, then it's you
business to find EN- and not squa
down here listenin' to witch stories
II you're that cut, you won't be elect
ed next fall; I'll tell yeh that. w
want a man for a sheriff, not an oil
woman"
Perhaps youth condescend to en-
tighten us just a little" answered tn
sheriff with whitening CO Per
haps youth be gracious enough to d
the county the favor Of dropping
few offhand little hints as to what tn
officers ought to do in this case"
Sure. No trouble at ALL" he an
swered serenely. You left a guar,
round Roarin' Run, / 'spose? You ar
ready to swear, you say, that the
didn't get out of there, 30 It stands t
nature they must come out sometime
Got a right smart guard all around Il
I 'spose."
why, no"
went through the Run gap,
'spose, and looked for tracks UP an,
down the banks for half a miller"
CONTINUED Next week.l
IL A NnanAinn &C EnlnMnnank =