Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-02-11

"what would they "a done with
me?' asked.
'Oh, I reckon they'd "a took ye of,
lad, and KEEP We for year or so until
Amos was out o. danger" said Mr..
Hacket. maybe they'd drowned ye in
the river down there an left yer
clothes on the bank to make It look
like an honest drowning. The devil
knows what they'd a done with We,
laddie buck. Wen have to keep an
eye on ye now, every day until the
trial Is over-sure we will. Come, we'll
60 up to the barn and see IL Kate Is
there"
Just then we heard the receding
wagon 60 roaring over the bridge on
Little river. Mary shuddered with
fright. The schoolmaster treasured US
by saying:
"Don't be afraid. brought my gun
In case we'd meet a painter. But the
danger is past"
He drew a long pistol from his coat
pocket and held 1t in the light Of the
lantern.
The loaded cart stood In the middle
Of the barn floor, where I had left It.
but old Kate had gone. We closed
the barn, drawing the cart along with
US. When we came into the edge OF
the village began to reflect upon the
strange peril out Of which I had 20
luckily escaped. It gave me a heavy
sense of responsibility and Of the
wickedness Of men.
I thought Of old Kate and her broken
silence. For once I had heard her
speak. could feel my flesh tingle
when thought Of her quick words
and her hoarse. passionate whisper.
knew. or thought I knew, why she
took such care Of me. She was in
league with the gallows and could not
bear to see 1t cheated of its prey. For
some reason she hated the GrlmshaYs.
I had seen the hate in hez. eyes the
day she logged along hehind. the!t old
money lender through the streets Of
the village when her pointing finger
had seemed to say to me: There,
there Is the man who has brought me-
to this. He has put these rags upon
my back. this FIRE in my heart, this
wild look in my eyes. Wait and you
Will see what will put upon him."
I knew that old Kate was not the
irresponsible. witless creature that
people thought her to be. had begun
to think Of her with kind Of awe as
one gifted above all others. One by
one the things she had said Of the
future seemed to be coming true.
As we were going into the house the
schoolmaster said:
"Now, Mary, you take this lantern
and go across the street to the house
o Deacon Binks, the constable. You'll
ind him asleep by the kitchen stove.
Arrest his slumbers, but not rudely,
and, when he has come to, tell him
that have news o. the devik"
Deacon Binks arrived, a fat man
with big, round body and . very
wise and serious countenance between
side whiskers bending from his temple
to his neck and suggesting parentheses
Of hair, as II his head and its Access
sorles we're In the nature Of side
issue. He and the schoolmaster went
out of doors and must have talked to-
gether while I was eating a bowl Of
bread and milk which Mrs. Hacket had
brought to me.
When I went to bed, by and by, I
heard somebody snoring >on the little
porch under my window. The first
sound that reached my ear at the
break Of dawn was the snoring Of
some sleeper. dressed and went be-
low and found the constable in his
coonskin overcoat asleep on the porch
with long-barreled gun at his side.
While I stood there the schoolmaster
came around the corner Of the house
from the garden. he put his hand on
the deacon's shoulder and gave him
q little shake.
awake. 70 limb o the law" he de-
handed. Prayer is better than
Sleep"
The deacon arose and stretched
himself and cleared his throat and as
sumed an air Of alertness and said it
was fine morning, which 1t was not,
the sky being overcast and the air
dark and chilly. Mr.. Hacket removed
his greatcoat and threw 1t on the stoop
saying:
Deacon, you lay there. From now
on I'm constable and ready for any, act
that may be necessary to maintain the
law. I can be as severe as Napoleon
Bonaparte and as cunning as Satan, II
I have to be-"
While I was milking the deacon sat
on q bucket in the doorway Of the
stable and snored until had finished.
he awoke when loosed the COW and
the constable went back to the pasture
with me, yawning with his hand over
his mouth much Of the way. The dea-
con leaned his elbow on the top Of
the pen and snored again, lightly,
while mixed the feed for the pigs.
Mr.. Hacket met us at the kitchen
door, where Deacon Binks said to him:
IT you'll look after the boy today
III 20 home and get little rest"
"God bless yer soul, ye had . busy
night" said the .schoolmaster with
smile.
He added as he wentinto the house:
II never knew man to rest with
more energy and persistence. It was
! perfect food o rest. II kept me
awake until long after midnight"