The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-01-01

-. ySiren suaucnrs -poaA 49, tLes-e =.
our right lay a dead mule. harnessed
for work, but with throat cut; while
directly In front Of the cabin door was
a dog, an ugly. massive brute. his
mouth open, prone on his back, with
stiffened legs pointing to the sky.
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 I was obliged to drag
his huge body to one side before
could press my way Ia through the
door. The open doorway and window
afforded ample light, and a single
glance was sufficient to reveal most
Of the story. The table had been
smashed as by the blow of an ak. and
pewter dishes were everywhere. The
bed In n corner had been stripped Of
Its cOverlets, many of them slashed
by a 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 sm0ldering.
saw all this. yet my eyes rested
upon something else. A man lay, BEN
double across an overturned bench, In
a 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
dangied from a hook against the wall.
I crept forward. my heart pounding
madly. until l could gain sight OF his
face. He was a 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 tore arm broken by a vicious
blow. His calloused hands yet gripped
the haft of an ak, just as he had died
fighting.
Tins voice spoke from the door
way.
"Injuns, / reckon?"
"Yes. they have been here; the man
Is dead. But there must have been
others, a 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.
"Do you think il best to stop heref"
"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
nigh ready ter drop. an two o. the
bosses has plum Civ out. I'm fer set
tim down fer q few hours enyh0w-
say till 1t gifts middiing dark"
Undoubtedly this was the sensible
view. We would be In far less danger
remaining there under owe than 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
remedied, 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 iashes 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 a small stock
Of provisions, aud Elsie, with Tim to
aid her, built n fire and prepared
breakfast. A half-flled bottle OF
whisky discovered In the cupboard
helped TO revive.aii or US slightly, and
! gave Asa sufficient courage to seek
outside for a spring. Tim. compara
lively uawearied himself, and restless
located q trapdoor in the floor, rather
ingeniously concealed, which disclosed
the existence Of q 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 a hall
keg of the explosive hidden below.
"Must a bin amin ter blow III
stumps, / reckon" he commented, ex
hibiting a sample. "Coarsest / evel
saw eudn't hardly use tibet In 10 gun
but It's powder alright"
: To remove the debris but OF our way
I was gathering up the straw tick ant
: slit blankets, and piled them all to
gether back on the bed. Clinging {,
one Of the blankets. caught and helt
by its pin. was a peculiar emblem, ant
stood for a moment with 1t in m.
hand. c~uriously examining the odd de
sign. Eloise Enclosed her eyes. ant
started to her feet.
: "What is that you havef she asked
IVA pin of some kinda rathe
8 strange design; ! just found 1t here
! entangied In this blanket
h "why." she exclaimed In surprise. +"
e have seen one exactly like 1t before
I Kirby wore II In his tie
CHAPTER XVI.