Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-05-29

They must have spurred their horses
into a run. The fear came to me that
Latour would try to serve the wr1ts IL
spite Of me. They were in his pocket.
What. a fool l had been not to call for
them. My companion saw the look Of
concern in my face. .~,~-.~s
II don't like that young feller," said
Curtis. "He's in fer trouble"
He ran toward his house, which was
only a few rods beyond us, while I
started on in pursuit Of the two men
at top speed. Before my horse had
taken a dozen jumps i heard a horn
blowing behind me and it's echo in the
hills. Within a half a moment a dozen
horns were sounding in the valleys
around me. What u contrast to the
quiet In which we had been riding was.
this pandemonium which had broken
loose N the countryside. A little ahead
l could see men running out Of the
fields. My horse had begun to lather,
fol- the sun was hot. My companions
were far ahead. I could not see the
dust Of their heels now. I gave up try
Ing to catch them and checked the
speed of my horse and went on at a
walk. The horns were still sounding.
Some Of them seemed to be miles
away. About twenty rods ahead I saw
three riders in strange costumes come
out of a dooryard and take the road
at a wild gallop in pursuit of Latour
end, Purvis. They had not discovered
me. l kept as calm as I could in the
midst Of this excitement.
l passed the house from which the
three riders had just turned into the
road. A number of women and an old
man and three or four children stood
on the porch. They looked at me in
silence as l was passing and then be-
gan to hiss and jeer. It gave me a
feeling I have never known since that
DAY. l logged along over the brow OF
the hill when, at a white, frame house,
1 saw the center toward which an the
men of the countryside were coming.
Suddenly I heard the hoof-beats Of
a horse behind me-. I stopped, and
looking over my shoulder saw a rider
approaching me in the costume of an
Indian chief. A red mask covered his
face. A crest of eagle feathers circled
the edge of his cap. Without a word
he rode on at my side. I knew not
then that he was the man Josiah Cur
tis-nor could I at any time have
sworn that it was he.
A crowd had assembled around the
house aheads I could see a string Of
horsemen coming toward it from the
other side. I wondered what was go
ing to happen to me. What a shouting
and jeering in the crowded %dooryardl
l could see the smoke of a fire. We
reached the gate. Men in Indian masks
and costumes gathered around us.
Order! Sh-sh-sh," was the loud CON-
mand Of the man beside me in whom I
recognized-or thought that I did-the
voice Of Josiah Curtis. "What has
%happened?'
Zone o. them tried to serve a writ
an we have tarred an feathered him."
just then I heard the voice of Pur-
Wis shouting back In the crowd this
impassioned plea:
"Bart, for Gods sake, come here"
/ turned to Curtis and said:
IF the gentleman tried to serve the
writ he acted without orders and de-
serves what he has got. The other fell
low is simply a hired man who came
along to take care of the horses. He
couldn't tell the difference between a
writ and a hole in the ground"
"Mon, you have gone far enough"
said Curtis. "This man is. all right.
Bring the other men here and put 'em
on their horses an I'll escort EN- out
O. the town.
They brought Latour on a rail
amidst roars of laughter. What a bear