The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-09-09

SoNS $500 fN
dy, which were answered rather con-
fusedly upon promptings from Penrod.
The young man vent away without
having stated the object Of his interro-
cations, but it became quite plain later
In the day. This same object caused
the specialized young man to make
several brief but stimulating calls d.
rectly after leaving the Schofield &
Williams Big Show, and the conse-
quences thereof loitered not by the
wayside.
The Big Show was at high tide. Not
only was the auditorium filed and
throbbing; there was an immense line,
by no means wholly Juvenile, waiting
for admission to the next performance.
A group stood in the street examining
the poster earnestly as 1t glowed In
the long, slanting rays Of the west
ward sun and people in automobiles
and other vehicles had halted wheel in
the street to read the message so
piquantly given to the world. These
were the conditions when n crested
victoria arrived at a gallop, and a
large, chastely magnificent and highly
flushed woman descended and pro
crossed across the yard with an air Of
violence.
At sight of her the adults Of the
waiting line hastily disappeared, and
most Of the pausing vehicles moved In
stantly Oh their way. She was follow
ed by a stricken man in livery.
The stairs to the auditorium were
narrow and steep. Mrs. Roderick
Magsworth Bits was of a stout favor,
and the voice of Penrod was audible
during the ascent.
"Re-mem-bur, gentilmun and lay
deeze, each and all are now gazing
upon Roderick Magsworth Bits, Jr.,
the only living nephew of the great
Rena Magsworth. She stuck ars'nic
In the milk OF eight separate and dis
thick people to put in their coffee, and
each and all of 'em died. The great
ars'nic murderess, Rena Magsworth,
gentilmun and lay-deeze, and Roddy's
her only living nephew. She's a rela-
ton Of all the Bits family, but he's
her one and only living nephew. Re
mem-bur, ext July she's goin' to be
hung, and each and all you now see
before you
Penrod paused abruptly, seeing some
thing before himself-the august and
awful presence which filled the entry
way. And his words dt should be re-
lated froze upon his lips.
Before herself Mrs. Roderick Mays
worth Bits saw her son-her scion
wearing a moustache and s%ideburns Of
blue, and perched upon a box flanked
by Sherman and Vermar, the Michi-
gan rats, the Indian dog Duke, Her
man, and the dog part alligator.
Roddy also saw something before
himself. 1t needed no prophet to read
the ~countenance Of the dread appari-
ton in the entryway. His mouth open
ed-remained open-then filed to capac-
ity with a calamitous sound OF grief
not unmingled with apprehension.
Periods reason staggered under the
crisis. For a horrible moment he saw
Mrs. Roderick Magsworth Bits APP
preaching like some fatal mountain in
avalanche. She seemed to grow larger
and redder; lightnings played about
her head. He had a vague conscious
ness Of the audience spraying out in
fight, Of the squealings, tramplings
and dispersals of Il stricken field. The
mountain was close upon him
He stood by the open mouth Of the
hay chute which went through the
floor to the manger below. Penrod
also went through the floor. He pro
PEELED himself into the chute and shot
down, but not quite to the manger,
for Mr.. Samuel Williams had thought
fully stepped into the chute "a moment
In advance Of his partner. Penrod lit
upon Sam.
Catastrophe noises ~resounded In the
loft; volcanoes seemed to romp upOn
the stairway.
There ensued a period when only a
shrill keening marked the passing OF
Roderick as he was borne to the tum-
bril-. Then all was silence.
Sunset striking through a western
window rouged the walls Of the Scho-
fields library, where gathered a Joint
family council and court martial OF
four-Mrs. Schofield, Mr.. Schofield and
Mr.. and Mrs. Williams, parents of
Samuel Of that Fix. Mr.. Williams read
aloud a conspicuous passage from the
last edition Of the evening paper:
prominent people here believed
close relations Of woman sentenced to
hang. Angry denial by Mrs. r. Mays
worth Bits. Relationship admitted by
younger member Of family. His state
ment confirmed by boy friends
"Don'tr' said Mrs. Williams, ad-
dressing her husband vehemently.
We've all read 1t a dozen times.
We've got plenty of trouble on our
hands without hearing that again.
%Singularly enough, Mrs. Williams did
not look troubled; she looked as If she
were trying to look troubled. Mrs.
Schoield wore a similar expression.
So did Mr.. Schofeld. So did Mr.. VIII
liams.
"What did she saw when she called