The Clio messenger., 1921-03-31

years. 1t wasn't like as If had beon
dealing with strangers"
"We will go deeper into that matter
after little" said the coroner. "It'a
very fortunate Mr.. Gardiner is here
TO add what light he can to the my$
terry. We will now adjourn to the room
where the younger Mr.. Harris Les
and hear his evidence. 1t would be
unwise to move him for some days
yet"
II can't tell you how II happened.
Doctor" he said, turning his eyes.
larger now in his pale face upon the
coroner, "but think got very home.
sick--I guess was pretty tired, too
and began thinking Of things that
had happened long ago, back when
was little child, In little sod shan.
ty that the old shack In the valley
some way seemed to bring to mind.
And then I guess fell asleep, too, but
I'm not n coward" he said, with a
faint smile. "When I'm feeling myself
it takes more than a notion or a dark
night to send the creeps up the back
OF my neck. But / own sat up there
SO frightened my teeth chattered. ]
had a feeling that l was going to bs
attacked--I didn't know by what
maybe by a 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 Allan's
face, and he SINK back weakly into
the pillows. Ber,Ah placed a glass to
his lips, and the doctor told him 10
take his time with his story.
"As the minutes went by" Allan
continued, after an interval, that ter
rible dread grew upon me, and my
sense of danger changed from fear 10
certainty. Something was going to at.
tack me through that door ] raised
my gun and took careful aim. saw
the blanket swing little; then I saw
the fingers OF Il mans hand. Then
fired.
perhaps ] am murderer" he con-
tinued, simply, but before God
know no more why fired that sho,
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. "Most re-
mnrkable evidence" he calculated.
Most extraordinary evidence. have
never heard anything so obviously sin.
cere and at the same time so altogeth.
cd uneXplaiDable."
Perhaps It's not so unexplainable."
said a quiet voice; and Mary Harris
made her way through the circle Of
men 10 the side of the bed. She sc.
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 will be twenty-five
years old this coming winter. A lit
tie less than % years ago my husband
was obliged to leave me alone for
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
i was altogether alone. / stood il al
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.
suppose 1t was the immensity Of the
prairies, the terrible loneliness Of IL
al, >. and my own state Of health, but
the hread grew from day TO day and
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 was oppressed
with n sense of impending danger. We
had no wooden door on the house; we
hadn't money to buy the boards 10
make one, and all my protection was
blanket hung in the doorway. l
used to watch that blanket at night;
would light the lantern 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, II that is possible; my minG
could not balance things; nothing
seemed too unreasonable or terrible
to expect. So l took the gun, and SAT
in the corner. and waited.
CTO BE CONTINUED)