Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-11-09
The Evening Story
| SHE GOT \
RILED \
b. ARCHIBALD PETERS

so different from me. q strapping
farmers boy who could follow pillow
all day and sling my legs at = barn
dance till 4 O'Clock in the morning.
wasn't afraid Of the devil himself.
while Marigold. though country girl.
didn't dare 60 near COW. Her mother
had to do all the milking.
what would you do asked her,
IL robber came into the house?"
II should die Of fright" she replied.
This troubled me. for l proposed.
sitter our wedding day, to take my wife
ON to my farm. and didn't see how
could stay within eyesiEht Of my house
oil the while. If tramp should some
along or a criminal Of any kind he
would have an easy Job OF getting
away with whatever hs could carry.
But It wasn't this that troubled me
80 much; 1t was the prospect Of coming
home some day and finding my wife
murdered or that she had been fright
ened to death. which was about the
same thing.
Well, we were married. The house
on my farm was about 100 years old.
It would require ten men month to
knock It to pieces. 20 heavy ana 80 we'll
knitted together was Its framework. In
the kitchen was fireplace six feet
wide. The furniture was a. old a. the
house and a. strong. It was 80 heavy
that I had casters put on every piece.
When I went out In the morning
Marigold would ask how far was 60.
ing-whether I would be within call.
snd all that.
One day was obliged to drive to the
county seat on some business and be
away several hours. Marigold didn't
object to my going--in that way she
was plucky-but could see she assent.
ed with dread. If / could have sent
any one else l would have stayed at
home. But couldn't very well do so.
and, timid as my wife was, knew she
wouldn't have permitted such course
I kissed her goodby about o'clock
in the morning. drove to town, at
tended to my business and reached
home in time for the noon meal.
I didn't see Marigold in the yard
watching for me, and this frightened
me. Driving up to the front door. l let
the horses stand without hitching and
ran into the hall The rooms were all
in disorder With my heart In my
throat ran to the rear. In the kitch-
en- saw a sight Most Of the furniture
had been rolled against the fireplace.
and a board was placed one end
against a bedstead and the other
against the wall. Something awful
must have happened-that something
my wife had always dreaded. 1t
flashed through my brain that this
dread was not due SO much to physt-
cal weakness as to a premonition OF
evil. Oh. why had l left her? II
found her alive l would never leave
her alone again.
Behind the kitchen was the wood
house, and running through the wood
house. keeping my eyes open all the
while for my wife's dead body. I
emerged into the back yard. What
was my surprise and relief to see Mari
gold sitting quietly on stump short
distance from tho rear Of the house
with my shotgun over her knees. her
finger on the trigger.
For heavens sake, sweetheart. what
has happened?"
She was SO intent upon something on
the roof Of the house that she did not
reply. I turned my eyes in that direc.
ton and was thunderstruck at seeing
mans head raised above the chin
ney. But 1t was lowered Immediately
and. taking another glance at my wife,
I saw her with the gun to her shoulder
and pointing at the chimney.
Next time you do that" she said
"I'll IRE sure"
Was ever man 80 bewildered ~ II
my DEAR" pleaded, do explain"
about an hour ago." she began
"that villain in the chimney came t.
the house and asked for something t.
eat. He saw by my looks that l was
frightened and since was alone came
in and threatened to kill me II ! didn'l
tell him where the money was. Some
how this made me kind OF mad Be
sides, I didn't want to lose the money
So I Just wouldn't tell him. Then HI
ransacked the house. had done thu
sweeping. had put everything to rights
and It riled me to sec him tossing
things about
II thought If could get him into ,
closet or somewhere might keep hin
till you came home. Then It occurred
to me to tell him the money was in thu
chimney. He climbed up there. hunt
ing for 1t, and I wheeled the furniturt
against the opening and got boart
from the woodhouss to brace It with
so he couldn't move u away. He tried
and. seeing himself coEnered. was climb
ing up when ! snatchsd the gun and
ran outside. He was Just getting oul
when I told him IL he didn't get bacl
I'd shoot him."
There was q pause. at the end o
which she added, you've forgotten 4
kina ma. de0r,"