The Hayti herald. (Hayti, Mo.) 1908-1922, 1920-03-11

ulEtCtly III lTOut Ol tue CuDlu uOOT was
dog, an ugly, massive brute, his
mouth open, prone on his back, with
stiffened legs pointing to the sky. Il
dropped my rein, and strobe forward.
"Wait where you are" called back.
"There have been savages here; let
me see first what has happened in
side"
The dog had been shot, stricken by
two bullets, and was obliged to drag
his huge body to one side before I
could press my way in through the
door. The open doorway and window
afforded ample light, and single
glance was sufficient to reveal most
Of the story. The table had been
smashed as by the blow of an ax, and
pewter dishes were everywhere. The
bed in one corner had been stripped of
it's coverlets, many of them slashed
by knife, and the straw tick had
been ripped open In a dozen places.
Goals from the fireplace lay wide
spread, some of them having eaten
deeply into the hard wood before they
ceased smoldering. 'a<
saw all this, yet my eyes rested
upon something else. A man lay, bent
double across an overturned bench, in
posture which hid his face from
view. His body was there alone. al
though a child's shoe lay on the
floor, and a woman's linsey dress
dangled from hook against the wall.
crept forward, my heart pounding
madly, until could gain sight of his
face. He was big fellow, not more
than thirty, with sandy hair and beard,
and a pugnacious jaw, his coarse
hickory shirt slashed into ribbons, a
bullet wound in the center OF his fore.
head, and one arm broken by vicious
blow. His calloused hands yet gripped
the haft Of an AK just as he had, died
fighting. II.
Tins voice spoke from the door
way. n
"Injuns, reckonf" So.
"Yes, they have been here; the man
is dead. But there must have been
others, q woman and child also---see
that shoe on the floor, and the dress
hanging over there. The poor devil
fought hard"
Kennedy stepped inside, staring
about him. F'a
''Do you think it best to stop here?"
"Why not? 'Tain't likely them
devils will be back agin. Thar sure
must be somethin' fer us ter eat in the
place, an the Lord kno's we can't go
on oc yya ora Thnn, ,y,,r1g ba v,,tcrb T. VI
nigh ready ter drop, an two o. the
hosses has plum Civ out. I'm fer set
tim down fer few hours enyhow-
say till it gifts middling dark"
Undoubtedly this was the sensible
view. We would be in far less danger
| remaining there under cover SsSan in
any attempt to continue our journey
by daylight. Together we carried the
body out, and deposited 1t in a thicket
behind the cabin, awaiting burial; and
then dragged the dead dog also out of
sight. The disorder within was easily
remedled, and, after this had been at
tended to, the girls were permitted to
enter. Eloise sank back on the bench,
her head supported against the wall,
the lashes of her half-closed eyes
showing dark against the whiteness
of her cheeks. She looked so pitifully
tired, the very heart choked in my
throat.
The rest of us found small stock
| of provisions, and Elsie, with Tim to
| mid her, built q fire and prepared
breakfast. A half-flled bottle of
whisky discovered in the cupboard
helped to revive all of US slightly, and
gave Asa sufficient courage to seek
outside for spring. Tim, compare
lively unwearied himself, and restless
located trapdoor in the floor, rather
ingeniously concealed, which disclosed
the existence Of small cellar below
Candle in hand he explored this, re-
turning with two guns, together with
a quantity of powder and ball, and in
formation that there remained hall
keg of the explosive hidden below.
Must a bin aimin' ter blow VI
stumps, reckon" he commented, ex
hibiting a sample. "Coarsest I evel
saw; cudn't hardly use thet in no gun
but it's powder alright"
To remove the debris out of our way
I was gathering up the straw tick ant
slit blankets. and piled them all to
J gether back on the bed. Clinging t.
one Of the blankets, caught and hell
by its pin, was peculiar emblem, anC
i stood for moment with 1t In n,
hand, curiously examining the odd de
. sign. Eloise unclosed her eyes, ant
started to her feet.
what is that you have" she asked
"A pin of some kinda rathe
strange design; just found it here
entangled in this blanket"
"Why." she exclaimed in surprise. "
have seen one exactly like 1t before
Kirby wore 1t in his tie"
. CHAPTER XVI.