Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-05-15

turned toward the advancing suitors,
the jack-O'-lantern her hand had fash
toned.
l marked it's position by it's faint
glow an instant, but an instant only.
The world reeled for q moment before
the sharp cry of a man in fear. 1t cut
the dark like a lash, and close upon it
the second man yelled in a different
key. but no less in accents of terror.
The first arrival had flung himself
back, and SO close upon him pressed
the others Il so unexpected was the
halt that the six men seemed to have
flung themselves together and to be
struggling to escape from the hideouS
thing that had interposed itself in their
path.
All was over in Il moment. In the
midst of the panic the lantern winked
out. and instantly Hezekiah was be-
| side me.
Skip" she commanded in a whis-
per, and. catching my hand. she led
me off at a brisk run. When we had
gone a dozen rods she paused. We
heard voices from the stile, where the
gentlemen were still engaged in olsen
tangling themselves, and then the
planks doomed to their steps as they
crossed. They talked loudly among
themselves. discussing the cause of
their discontinue. The lantern, l may
add, had been knocked off the stile by
the thoughtful Hezekiah when she
blew out the light.
"Oh, that Hartley Virgins! l
might have known it," she cried.
KNOWN what" 1 asked, pricking
up my ears.
"That he would be afraid of a
pumpkin with a candle inside of it.
Did you hear that yell?"
anybody would have yelled" I sug-
gested. Il think I should have drop
ped dead if you'd tried it on me-"
mo. you wouldn't" she asserted,
with unexpected flattery.
Don't be deceived, Hezekiah, |
should have been scared to death if
that thing had popped up in front Of
me-"
II don't believe it. l gave you a
worse test than that. When l switch
ed off the lights and swung a feather
buster down the stair we'll by a string
and tickled your face you didn't make
a noise like a circus calliope soaring
horses in Main street. Podunk. But
that Virgins man"
Hes a friend of mine and as brave
as a lion. Out in Dakota the sheriff
used to get him to go in and quiet
things when the boys were shooting up
the town."
Maybe. but he SHE'D at a pumpkin
and can be no true knight Of mine.
Cecilia may have him. 1 always sus-
pected that he wasn't the real thing.
Why. he's even afraid of Aunt Octa-
via"
"Well. I rather think we'd better
be-
my wheels in the weeds somewhere.
Please pull it out for me. I'm going
home"
"But not alone. I can't let you do
that, Hezekiah."
"Oh. cheer up!' she laughed, arous-
ed by my lugubrious tone. "And here's
something you asked me for. Don't
drop it.. It's Cecilia's memorandum
book. Give it back to her and be sure
no one sees it and you needn't look
into it yourself. And we've got to
nave a talk about 1t and Cecilia. Lei
me see. There's ar iron bridge across
an arm Of that little lake over there
and just beyond it a big fallen tree
Tomorrow at 8 o'clock I'll be there
I've got to tell you something, chin
ney man, without really telling you
You'll be there, won't you?"
"Ill be there if I'm alive, Hezekiah.'
had found the wheel and Lighted
the lamp. She secuted ny suggestion
that find Il horse and drive her home
The lighting of the lamp required time
owing to the wind and rain, but whe1
it's thin ribbon of light fell clearly upo1
the road she seized the handle bars ant
was ready to Mount without ado.
She gave me her hand. 1t was {
cold, wet little hand, but there was
good friendly grip in it. This was tn
first time l had touched Hezekiah'
hand, and | mention it because as
write l feel again the pressure Of he
slim cold fingers.
Sorry you spoiled your clothes, bu
it was in a good cause. And you're
nice boy. Chimney Man. Good night"
CHAPTER xix.
A Tryst With Hezekiah.