Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-05-03
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vitation. Agnes has q soft spot in
Jess an me 4 better supper han when
she knows you're comm. Not that I've
ever any fault TO IND with Agnes
cookin'."
But il Kilrain and his sister well
coined Buck that night, Jess did not.
She felt his being there very noppor-
tune, and she took little enough pains
to hide her feeling.
There was u recklessness about her
banter toniaht that touched on daring.
and more THAN once kilrain felt bound
TO demonstrate. Agnes kilrain showed
her d%isapproval plainly.
They We're talking about Cardross'
sheep. Il topic upon which Buck always
waved contemptuous.
Take care, Buck said Jess. as size
buttered her hot biscuit, that them
sheep don't turn out wolves in sleeps
ciothln Amt o ever heard of the
bitter bein bit? You talk sheep so
much I'd think your mouth d get
wolly. What you say sounds like It
was, anyway"
Il forgot, Jess the young fellow
answered. somewhat abashed, that
You a so partial to Cardross."
The girls eyes flashed angrily. She
saw her aunt transfiN kilrain with a
triumphant stare.
Some folks tongues the girl re-
marked, in a tone of meaning, stays
as silly as some sheep, am as far from
home-only the words amt worth
corralln am talkin' bout"
She turned sharply to her aunt.
What are you bobbin' your head so
at father for. Aunt Agnes? You look
a chicken what's chokin.'"
Agnes looked very like that, indeed.
as swallowed her anger, for Kill
rain had laughed, and Buck had smiled,
II Jess own lips had twitched with
a wicked mirth.
Never mind her, Agnes" said
kllrain, with clumsy intent to pacify.
Jess is always SEEM resemblances."
Tain't what l mind, Martini" Ag-
mes complained. Its what she don't
that's nothin'. You'll come
to grief yet. Jess Kilrain. I'm fear
"P'r'aps," assented Jess. IF 1 does, 1
reckon III scramble through somehow.
what's he use of diggin' graves, Aunt
agnes, when there amt no corpse to
bury? Now you sit still while l clear
the table an wash up. If Buck is goin'
TO play his accordyum l want all the
dishes rattlin' roun' me l can get, an
q wall between"
Buck played rather dismally after
that, though he had a knack of MAX
a concertina talk, and, when he
chose to sing, he a a voice. That lit
tie passage with Jess had dampened
his ardor. He had not meant to be
disloyal to her.
And Jess did not mean to relent to-
him.
She more than half suspected from
Cardross warning that Buck had been
led to say something to him of her.
Resenting this, and, moreover, no
Wishing to encourage his late lingering
night. she did not, when she had
the dishes. return to the sit
room.
Going. instead. to her own room.
which occupied an extension of the lit
Tie house opposite to that which held
against that time when
Erannon hould have retired to
his own cabin. and her father and aunt
to their rooms Nor did she have very
|ong TO wait for this, ana half an hour
after Buck had taken His departure,
the coneertina having for some time
ceased it's dispirited music. the cottage
hushed and in darkness.
Yet for some time longer Jess wait
ed in her own u%niighted room.
Perhaps an hour went by before the
girl rose and ~leisurely dressed herself
"a riding clothes. slipping a pistol in
her belt when all was finished. No
nan of them all on the Loop knew the
use of one any better than Jess Kilrain.
md use for it she might have this
night.
Then, arming herself with a light
olacksnake of her fathers which she
had previously secured, she stepped out
from her room into the main portion
Of the house.
The door of her fathers room was
being his ln%variable habit
Jess knew the soundness Of his
slumber. and she knew. too, where she
would find what she must have IL she
tn 0n rYv n1lt Eoy vN1ot, Che fo0< NO
qualms of conscience in what she was
doing.
If she was abetting Cardross. she had
good reason to believe the result would
relieve her father, also. even should he
to suspect her agency in the deed.
noiselessly possessed herself of his keys
where they lay on the table beside his
bed, his revolver guarding them to
small profit. The man on the bed in
the first deep relaxation of sleep. did
stir.
went carefully onward toward the
carefully but not stealthily. for
she felt little fear that any of the out
fit would be sleeping less soundly than
her father.
She saddled and bridled her pony
leading him thereafter over to the corr
ralsh where Cardross's sheep were
in. Hitching him there behind
gate. which she unlocked and threw
open, Jess walked in among the
sheep.
So secure against interruption did
she feel that the girl went about round
ing up the stupid animals with perfect
cracking her blacksnake soft
y. and never once looking about her to
the dark masses Of the silent cabins.
Had she looked she might have seen
3 moving shadow close to the outer side
Of the corral fencesa shadow that
crept cautiously nearer until II paused
motionless on a line. with herself.
There Il chung to the thicker oNscurity