Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-02-27
Continued from last week


The dog had been shot. stricken by
two bullets, and t was obliged to dag
could press my way in 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 one corner had been stripped of
its coverlets, many of them slashed
by a knife, and the straw tick had
been ripped open in dozen places.
Goals from the fireplace lay wide
spread, some of them having eaten
deeply into the hard wood before they
ceased smOldering.
1 saw all this, yet my eyes rested
upon something else. A man lay, bent
double across an overturned bench, in
a posture which hid his face from
view. His body was there alone, al
though child's shoe lay on the
floor, and q wOmanS linSey dress
dangled from Il hook against the wall.
/ crept forward, my heart pounding
madly, until | could gain sight of his
face. He was a big fellow, not more
than thirty. with sandy hair and beard,
and Il 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.
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 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 as we are. Them gurls be mighty
nigh ready ter drop, an two O the
bosses 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 than in
any attempt to continue our journey
by daylight Together we carried the
body out, and deposited it in 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. El0ise sank back on the bench,
her head supported against the wall
the lashes of her half-clOsed eyes
showing dark against tie Whiteness
of her cheeks. She looked so pitifEily
tired, the very heart chOked in my
throat
The rest of us found a small stock
of provisions. and Elsie, with Tim to
aid her. built fire and prepared
breakfast A half-filled bottle of
whisky discovered in the cupboard
helped to revive all of us slightly, and
gave Asa sufficient courage to seek
outside for a spring. Tim, compare
lively unwearied himself and restless
located a trapdOOr in the floor, rather
ingeniously concealed, which disclosed
the existence of a small cellar below.
Candle in hand he explored this, re-
a quantity of powder and ball. and in
formation that there remained half
keg of the explosive hidden below.
Must bin amin ter blow up
hibiting Il sample 'COarsest | ever
saw; cudnt hardly use tibet in no gun,
but it's powder alright"
To remove the debris out of our way
was gathering up the straw tick and
Slit blankets, and piled them all to-
Setnef Ddch Oh the Deu. CllHSIHS ~
one of the blankets, caught and held
by its pin, was peculiar emblem, and
/ stood for Il moment with it in my
hand, curiOusly examining the odd de
sign. ElOise Enclosed her eyes, anC
started to her feet.
'What is that you have?" she asked
"a pin of some kinda rather
strange design; | just found it here
entangled in this blanket"
''Why," she exclaimed in surprise, g
have seen one exactly like it before
Kirby wore il in his tie"