Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1910-11-25

OF keeping the means Of assuring
bread to his children.
With as great solemnity as though
it had been u sanity relic the old man
drew from behind the door the treas.
ure of his house, an old fintlock mus.
ket, and he carcssed its worm eaten
stock.
He loaded it himself. He knew tina,
old friend better than any one. His
etiffened hands grew timber and young
rs he handled the old gun-a hand
full Of powder and wadding made Of
tarred rope and now the charge Of
balls (buckshot they were), double and
more than he would have put in had
the game been other than what he
expected it would be. and all rammed
down hard and tight. He had score
to pay as we'll as Sento; but, being a
wise man. he had never told Of his
forced contribution. But now he put
more than buckshot into the gun. He
put hate and vengeance in it. He put
death in it. He put all the malice Of
an impotcnt person in it. Oh. yes; the
gun was we'll loaded for its work! If
the gun did not burst with its double
load it would be almost a miracle.
The old man lighted several blessed
candles and set them before his patron
saint. This duty done. he awaited
events.
Scnto closed his house that evening
carefully and while it was still light
Went to the old man. A short time
later, by the light of the stars, Sento
watched the old man place the gun.
10 avoid every chance of missing he
wished to give Scnto the last instruc-
tions-to aim straight at the old ovens
mouth and to be calm. When the ban.
dts stopped to seek the money he was
to fire. A child could not miss them.
Upon the advice Of the old man Sen
to hid himself behind the masses of
the gcraniums in the shadow of the
house. Then he must wait patiently
until they came. And hours passed.
centuries rather.
Suddenly the frogs in the ponds be-
yond stopped their croaking. Then
through the paths came two shape
less figures, which seemed to him to
be two enormous dogs. They were
crouching to hide below the hedges.
Finally he could see that they were
two men crouching almost double.
''There they arev' he muttered
through his chattering teeth.
Every moment they turned, looking
about, fearing to I've surprised. They
inspected the masses Of bushes and
geraniums and even approached the
door to the house and listened at the
keyholc. All these maneuvers had
brought them near Sento twice, but he
could not tell who they were. He held
the barrel Of the gun firmly. His cour.
age grew stronger. These must be the
murderers Of poor Gararo. He must
kill them in self defense.
They reached the oven. One of them
stopped and thrust his hand into the
oven. occupying exactly the firing line.
The shot would he superb. But what
OF the other one, who would he free?
Sento began to feel the anguish of
fear. and his forehead was moist with
cold sweat. Killing one, he would be
disarmed before the other. And IL he
allowed them to return with empty
hands they would burn his house at
least.
Finally the one who was watching.
impatient ut the slowness Of his com.
panion. rejo!ncd him. In one sole dark
mass the two men stood searching the
deep oven. That was the psychological
moment. and Sento. setting his teeth,
fred.
When that gun was discharged the
whole huerla felt the conclusion. A