The herald., 1913-01-02
SHE GOT
RILED
By ARCHIBALD PETERS

The reason | loved Marigold was he
cause she was such frail little thing
so different from me, a strappini
farmers boy who could follow a plov
all day and sling my legs at a bari
dance till 4 o'clock in the morning
| wasn't afraid of the devil himself
while Marigold, though country girl
didn't dare 90 near n COW. Her mother
had to do all the milking.
What would you do | asked her
IF a robber came into the house,"
81 should die Of fright" she replied
This troubled me. for | proposed
after our wedding day, to take my wifi,
on to my farm, and | didn't see how
could stay within eyesight of my HOUSE
all the while. If a tramp should somt
along or a criminal of any kind h,
would have an easy job of getting
away with whatever he could carry
But it wasn't this that troubled me
so much: IL 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
1t would require ten men a month Ia
knock it to pieces, so heavy and so wei
| knitted together was its framework. In
the kitchen was n fireplace six feet
wide. The furniture was as old as the
house and rs strong. 1t was so heavy
| that had casters put on every piece.
When | went out in the morning
MarigOld would ask how far l was go
ing-whether l would be within call,
and all that.
One day was obliged to drive to the
county seat on some business and he
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 | would have stayed at
home. But couldn't very we'll do so,
and, timid as my wife was, knew she
wouldn't have permitted such a course
| kissed her goodby about I o'clock
in the morning, drove TO town. at
tended TO my business and reached
home in time for the noon meal.
l didn't see Marigold in the yard
watching for me, and this frightened
me. Driving up to the front door. 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 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. It
flashed through my brain that this
dread was not due so much to a physi-
cal weakness as to a premonitiOn Of
evil. Oh. why had | left her? If !
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.
emerged into the back yard. What
was my surprise and relief to see Mari
gold sitting quietly on stump short
distance from the 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. | turned my eyes in that direc
ton and was thunderstruck at seeing |
a mans head raised above the chin |
ney. But it was lowered Immediately. |
and. taking another glance at my wife. |
l saw her with the gun to her shoulder |
and pointing at the chimney
Next time you do that" she said, |
"I'll fire sure"
Was ever man so bewildered as |?
MY DEAR" ! pleaded. do explain"
About an hour ago" she began.
that villain in the chimney came to X
Lue uOuSe anu uSheu LOT something lOf
eat He saw by my looks that | wasl
frightened and since | was alone GAINED
In and threatened to kill me if didn'tI (
tell him where the money was. Sone-
how this made me kind of mad. Be-
sides, | didn't want to lose the money.l :
So | just wouldn't tell him. Then he
the house. | had done the
sweeping, had put everything to rights
and it riled me to see him tossing
.hings about II
Il thought if l could get him into /
closet or somewhere l might keep hiu
i'll you came home. Then 1t occurred
% me to tell him the money was in tht
He climbed up there, hunt;
ng for it, and | wheeled the furnitur,
against the opening and got a board
rom the woodhouse to brace 1t will
10 he couldn't move 1t away. He tried
Ind. seeing himself cornered, was CLIMB
ng up when | snatched the gun and
an outside. He was just getting out
when | told him if he didn't get back
d shoot him."
There was a pause, at the end of
which she added, you've forgotten to ,