The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1910-10-13
BY MARY ROBERTS, RZKExzAR1

eoe'sA1
He tried to open the door, but could
not move it. He got out OF the other
side, and just as he did so, he heard
some one groan.
The habits of a lifetime made him
cautious. He slipped IN to the bum
per of a car and peered through. An
automobile had struck the a and
stood there on two wheels. The tail
lights were burning, but the head.
lights were out. Two men were stoop-
ing over some n who lay on the
ground. Then the taller of two started
on a dog-trot along the train looking
for an empty. He found n four cars
away and ran back again. The two
lifted the unconscious man into the
empty box-car, and getting in them
selves, stayed for three or four min
utes. When they came out, after clos
ing the sliding door, they cut up over
the railroad embankment toward the
town. One, the short one, seemed to
limp.
The tramp was wary. He waited
for ten minutes or SO. Some women
came down a path to the road and in
spected the automobile. When they
had gone, he crawled into the boX-car
and closed the door again. Then he
lighted a match. The figure of a man,
unconscious, gagged, and with his
hands tied, lay far at the end. The
tramp lost no time; he went through
his pockets. found a little none and
the cuff-links, and took them. Then
he lOOsened the gait had been
cruelty highland went his way,
again closing the door of the box-car.
Outside on the road he found the
ratcb. Ne got on the fast freight east,
o. = 'itNc after. and rode into the
=. lie had sold the cuff.links, but
On offering the watch to Alex he had
been "%copped."
The story, with it's cold recital OF
villainy, was done. | hardly knew II l
were more anxious, or less. Tha II
was Halsey, there could be no doubt.
How badly he was hurt, how far he
had been carried, were the questions
that demanded immediate answer. But
1t was the first real information we
had had; my boy had not been MUIR
dered outright. But instead of vague
terrors there was o the real fear
that he might be lying in some strange
hospital receiving the casual atten-
tion commonly given to the charity
cases. Even this, had we known 1t,
would have been paradise to the ter
rible truth. | wake yet and feel my
self cold and trembling with the hor-
ror of Halsey's situation for three
days after his disappearance.
Mr.. Winters and Alex disposed of
the tramp with a warning. 1t was evi-
den he had told us all he knew. We
had occasion, within a day or two, to
be doubly thankful that we had given
him his freedom. When Mr.. jamie
son telephoned hat night we had news
for him; he told me what ! had not
realized before-that it would not be
possible to find Halsey at once, even
with this clew. The cars by this time,
three days, might be scattered owe the
union. But he said to keep on hoping,
that it was the best news we had had.
And in the meantime, consumed with
anxiety as we We're, things were hap
pening at the house in rapid success
sion.
We had one peaceful day-then Lid
dy tool sick in the night. | went in
when I heard her %groaning, and found
her with a hot-water bottle to her
face, and her right cheek swollen un-
til it was CLASSY.
"Toothache?' | asked, not too gent
ly. You deserve it. A woman of
your age, who would rather go around
with an exposed nerve in her head
than have the tooth pulled! 1t would
be owe in a moment"
so would hanging Liddy pro-
tested, from behind the hot-water bot
tie.
was hunting around for cotton and
laudanum.
you have a tooth just like it your
self, Miss Rachel" she whimpered.
and In sure DR.. Boyle's been trying
to take it out for years"
There was no laudanum, and Liddy
made a terrible fuss when | proposed
carbolic acid, just because ! had put
too much on the cotton once and
burned her mouth. I'm sure it never
did her any permanent harm; indeed,
the doctor said afterward that living
on liquid diet had been a splendid rest
for her stomach. But she would have
none of the acid, and she kept me
awake groaning, so at last l got up
and went to Gertrude's door. To my
surprise it was locked.
| went around by the hall and into
her bedroom that way. The bed was
turned down, and her dressing-gown
and night-dress lay ready in the little
room next, but Gertrude was not there.
She had not undressed.
l don't know what terrible thoughts
came to me in the minute l stood
there. Through the door I could hear
Liddy grumbling, with a squeal now
and then when the pain stabbed
harder. Then, automatically, l got the
laudanum and went back to her.
1t was fully a half-hour before Lid
dy's RrOans subsided At intoryals 7