The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-04-28
CHAPTER vIII--(Continued.)

said.
This admirable person." the old man
went on, happily striking on the sub
Ject again, desired information that l
was not disposed to give, Mr.. Common,
remembering your many kindnesses.
MIS-"
"Yes, go on" urged Connor, and the
face of Vinnis was tense.
II fear there are times when my usu-
ally active mind takes on a sluggish
ness which Is foreign to my character
my normal character"-Old George was
again the pedant-"when the unobser-
regarding me as a negligible quantity.
The admirable young man so far treat
ed me as such as to remark to his COM
panion that there was a rope-yes, dis
tinctly a rope-for the said Mr.. VIM
MIS-"
The face Of Vinnis was livid.
And" asked Conner, what happen
ed next? There were two OF them, were
there?'
The old man nodded gravely: he nod
ded q number of times, as though the
exercise pleased him.
THE other young man-not the amia-
BILE one, but another--upon finding that
I could not rent or hire the rooms--as
indeed l could not, Mr.. Conner, with
OUT your hAo 49,
conversation--very loudly he spoke. too
on the relative values Of cabbage and
carrot as food for herbaceous man.
mails. Where the amiable gentleman
was at that moment l cannot say"
IT can guess" thought Conner.
II can remember the occasion well, !"
old George continued, because that
night I was alarmed and startled by
strange noises from the empty rooms
ca oi xxyhfnh II nafnrallv and
properly concluded were caused"
He stopped, and glancing fearfully
about the room,, went on In lower
tone.
"By certain spirits" he whispered
mysteriously and pointed and leered
first at one and then another Of the
occupants of the room.
There was something very eerie in
the performance of the strange old
man with the queerly working face,
and more than one hardened criminal
present shivered little.
Conner broke the silence that fell on
the room.
$50 that's how 1t was done, Ell? One
held you In conversation while the
other got upstairs and hid himself?
Well, boys, you've heard the old man.
What dye say?"
Vinnis shifted in his seat and turned
his great Unconditional face to where
the old man stood, still fumbling with
his hat and muttering to himself be-
meath his breath; in some strange re-
gion whittier his poor wandering mind
had taken him he was holding con-
versation with an imaginary person.
Conner could see his eyebrows work.
Ing, and caught scraps Of sentences,
now in some strange dead tongue. now
In the stilted English Of the school,
master
It was Vinnis who spoke for the as
sembled company.
1.-The old man knows darned sight
too much" he said in his level tone.
He did not finish his sentence. Con-
nor took a swift survey Of the men.
IF there Is any man here" he said
slowly, who wants to wake UP at
o'clock in the morning and meet gen.
tleman who will strap his hands be-
hind him and q person who will pray
over him-if there's any man here that
wants a short walk after breakfast be-
tween two lines Of warders to little
shed where a brand new rope is hang
ing from the roof, he's at liberty to
do what he likes with old George. but
not in this house."
He fixed his eyes on Vinnis.
And II there's any man here" he
went on, who's already in the shadow
OI lnc IopCs ~ liidI obS vi tWO illdi
ders more won't make much differ
ence one way or the other, he can do
as he likes-outside tris house."
Vinnis shrank back.
There's nothing against me-" he
growled.
THE rope" muttered the old man.
'Vinnis for the rope" he chuckled to
plicitly upon the fact that I am not al
ways quite myself-Vinnis-"
The man he spoke of sprang to his
feet with snarl like trapped beast
"Sit down-you."
Bat Sands, with his red head close
cropped, thrust his chair in the direc-
tion Of the Infatuated Vinnis.
What Conner says is true-were
not going to croak the old man, and
we're not going to croak ourselves. II
we hang, 1t will be something worth
hanging for. AS to the old man, he's
soft, an that's all you can say He's
got to be kept close"
A rap at the door cut him short.
who's that? he whispered.
Connor tiptoed to the locked door.
who's therc?" he demanded.
A familiar voice treasured him, and
he opened the doof and held a CONVEX
sation in low voice with somebody
outside.
There's a man who wants to see
me-" he said in explanation. Lock
the door after I leace. Bat" and hi
went out quickly
Not a word was spoken. but each
after his own fashion Of reasoning
drew some conclusion from Connor's
hasty departure.
"a full meetin'," croaked a voice
from the back OF the room. Were al
asked here by Common. Is 1t a plant p
That was Bats thought too.
mo-" he said; there's nothin
against us. Why, Angel let us off las
week because there wasn't evidence
an Connor's straight"
Il don't trust him. by God!" sale
| Vinnis.
II trust nobody" said Bat doggedly
but Connors straight"
There was a rap on the door.
Who's there?"
"All right" said the muffled voice.
| Bat unlocked the door. and Como
| came in.
What he had seen or what he ha
| heard had brought about a marvelou
change in his appearance-his cheek
were dull red, and his eyes blaze
with triumph.
| Boys" he said, and they caught tn
infectious thrill in his voice, I've go
the biggest thing for you-a millio
, pounds, share and share alike"
He felt rather than heard the excite
ment his words caused. He stood wit
! his back to the half-opened door.