Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1921-04-01

/ years. 1t wasn't like as If 1 had been
dealing with strangers
"We will go deeper into that matter
after a little said the coroner ITS
very fortunate Mr. Gardiner Is here
to add what light he can to the mys-
terry. We will now adjourn TO the room
where the younger Mr.. Harris lies
and hear his evidence. 1t would be
unwise to move him for some days
yet"
4 can't tell you how 1t happened.
Doctor he said turning his eyes.
larger now in his pale face, upon the
coroner, but think got very home.
sickI guess was pretty tired, too
and ! began thinking Of things that
had happened long ago, back when |
was little child, In a little sod shan
ty that the old shack in the valley
some way seemed to bring to mind.
And then guess fell asleep, too, but
suddenly | sat up in a great fright.
I'm not a coward" he said, with a
faint smile. ''When I'm feeling myself
it takes more than notion or a dark
night to send the creeps up the back
Of my neck. But own sat up there
so frightened my teeth Chartered. ]
had feeling that | was going to be
Attacked didn't know by what
maybe by wild beast-but something
was going to rush in through that old
blanket hanging in the door and
pounce on me-"
The sweat was standing on AIlan's
face, and he sank back weakly into
the pillows. Beulah placed a glass to
his lips, and the doctor told him to
take his time with his story.
'As the minutes went by" Allan
continued, after an interval, shat ter
rible dread grew upon me- and my
sense Of danger changed from fear to
certainty, Something was going to at
tack me through that door l raised
my gun and took careful aim. l saw
the blanket swing little; then l saw
the fingers of a mans hand. Then ]
fired
perhaps / am a murderer" he con-
tinued, simply, but before God l
know no more why fired that shot
than you do"
There were deep breathing and shut
fling of feet as Allan completed this
part Of his statement, but only the
coroner found his voice. '8Iost re-
markable evidence" he calculated.
"Most extraordinary evidence. / have
never heard anything SO obviously sin.
cere and at the same time so altogeth-
ed unexplalnable."
perhaps it's not so unexplalnable,"
said quiet voice; and Mary Harris
made her way through the circle Of
men to the side Of the bed. She sat
down on the coverlet and took the
boys hand in hers. 1t mattered not
how many were looking. on; he was
her little boy again.
"You will understand, Doctor, and
some Of you men are parents" she
began. "Allan viii be twenty-five
years old this coming winter. A lit
tie less than % years ago my husband
was obliged to leave me alone for a
considerable period in our little sod
shanty on the homestead where we
had located down In Manitoba. There
were no near neighbors, as we count
distance in Well-settled districts. and
/ was altogether alone. / stood 1t all |
right for the first day or two, but my |
nerves were not what they should |
have been, and gradually strange, |
unreasoning fear came upon me. i /
suppose it was the immensely of the |
prairies, the terrible loneliness Of it
all, and my own state Of health, but |
the dread grew from day to day and I
from night to night. tried to busy
myself, to keep my mind active, to
throw off the specter that haunted
me, but day and night I was oppressed
with sense OF impending danger. We
had no wooden door on the house; we
hadn't money to buy the boards to
make one, and all my protection was
a blanket hung in the doorway. III
used to watch that blanket at night
I would light theNlantern and sit in
the corner and watch that blanket.
My fear gradually pictured to itself
an attack through that doorway
didn't know by what; by white man,
or Indian, or wild beast, or ghost, or
worse, if that is possible; my mind
could not balance things; nothing
seemed too unreasonable or terrible
TO expect. So | took the gun. and sat
In the corner. and waited
frd M 5CONrTNTTE0