The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1910-04-28
CHAPTER vIII-(Continued.)

LOCI iii ldlh Ill Ills OWH way, II
said.
This admirable person. the old ma,
went on, happily striking on the sub
ject again, desired Information that
was not disposed to give, Mr.. Conner
remembering your many kindnesses
particularly In respect to one Mr.. Vim
mis-"
Yes, go on" urged Conner, and tn
face of Vinnis was tense.
Il fear there are times when my usu
ally active min takes on a sluggish
ness which Is foreign to my character
my normal character'-old George wa
again the pedant-'when the unobser
Vant stranger might be deceived int
regarding me as a negligible quantity
h admirable young man 80 far treat
ed me as such as to remark to his com
panlon that there was a rope-yes, dis
tinctly q 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 a number of times, as though the
exercise pleased him..
THE other young man-not the anna
Bile one, but an~other-upon finding that
/ could not rent or hire the rooms-as
indeed / could not, Mr.. Cennor, with
out your permission-engaged me in
conVersation-very loudly he spoke, too
on the relative values Of cabbage and
carrot as food for ~herbaceous NAM
mails. Where the amiable gentleman
was at that IN I canine say
II can guess thought Connor.
81 a remember the occasion well,''
old George continued, because that
night l was alarmed and startled by
strange noises from the empty looms
upstairs, which I very naturally and
properly concluded were caused
He stopped, and glancing fearfully
about the room, went on in a lower
tone.
"By certain Spirits" he whispered
m~ysteriously and pointed n leered
first at n and then another of the
occupants Of the room.
There was something very eerie in
the performance of the strange old
and more han one hardened criminal
present shivered a little.
Common broke the silence that fell on
the room.
80 that's how it 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; IL some strange re-
gion whittier his poor wandering mind
had taken him he was holding a con-
with an imaginary person.
Conner could see his eyebrows work.
and caught scraps of sentences,
in some strange dead tongue. now
In the stilted English of the school,
1t was yinnis who spoke for the as
company.
THE old man knows a darned sight
much he said in his level tone.
TN for"
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 z
o'clock in the morning and meet a GEN
who will strap his hands be-
him n a person who will pray
him-if there's any man here that
wants a short walk after breakfast be-
tween two lines of warders to a little
ing from the roof, he's at liberty to
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
vent on, who's already in the shadow
the rope, SO hat one or two MUIR
lers more won't make much differ
one way or the other, he can do
Is he l~ikes-outside his house"
Vinnis shrank back.
There's nothing against me-" he
THE rope" muttered the old man,
'Vfnnis for the rope" he chuckled to
II fear they counted too i'm
'licitly upon the fact that I am not al
ways quite myself-yinnis-"
The man he spoke of sprang to his
eet with a snarl like a trapped beast.
sit down-you.'
Bat Sands. with his red head close
'ropped, thrust his chair in the direc-
ion of the Infatuated vinn1s.
What Common says is true-we're
lot going to croak the old man, and
err n Q going to croak ourselves. If
We hang. 1t will be something worth
hanging for. AS to the old man, he's
oft. an that's all you can say. He's
sot 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 there?' he demanded.
A familiar voice treasured him. and
lie opened the oor and held a
In a low voice with somebody
There's a nan who wants to see
me-" he said in explanation. Lock
he door after I leace. Bat" and he
vent out quickly.
Not a word was spoken, but each
his own fashion of reasoning
lrew some conclusion from Connor's
nasty departure.
IA full meetin,." croaked a voice
the back OF the room. Were all
asked here by Conner. Is it a plant?'
That was Bats thought too.
INC" he said; there's nothin'
us. Why. Angel let us off last
week because there wasn't evidence.
an Connor's straight"
II don't trust him. by God!" said
II trust nobody" said Bat doggediy.
but Connor's straight
There was a rap on the door.
Who's there?"
sg..All right" said the muffed voice.
Bat unlocked the door. and Conner
came In.
What he had seen or what he had
heard had brought about q marvellous
In his appearance-his cheeks
were g dull red, nj his eyes blaxed
with triumph,
Boys" he said, and they caught the
infectious thrill in his voice. .Iye got
the biggest thing for Qua million
pounds. share and share alike.