Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-08-26
BY
ROBERT J. C.
STEAD
Author Of The Cow
PDnchsr. Etc.

years. II wasn't like as il | had been
dealing with strangers"
We will 90 deeper into that matter
after 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. II would be
unwise to move him for some DAYS
yet"
Il cant tell you how it happened,
Doctor" he said, turning his eyes,
larger now in his pale face, upon the
coroner, but ! think got very home
sick--l guess l was pretty tired, too
and ] began thinking of things that
had happened long ago, back when ]
was a little child, in 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 l sat up in great fright
I'm not coward" he said, with a
faint smile. when I'm feeling myself
1t 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 Allan'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.
las the minutes went by" Allan
continued, after an interval, that 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 saw
the fingers of mans hand. Then l
fred.
Perhaps l am murderer" he con-
tinued, simply, but before God
know no more why l 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. Most re-
markable evidence" he calculated.
Most extraordinary evidence i have
never heard anything so obviously sin.
cere and at the same time so altogeth.
ed unexplainable."
Perhaps it's not so unexplanable,"
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 We're 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 25 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
l was altogether alone. l stood 1t all
right for the first day or two. but my
nerves were not what they should
have been, and gradually a strange,
unreasoning fear came upon me.
suppose 1t 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
from night to night. l tried to busy
myself, to keep my mind active, to
throw Off the specter that haunted
me, but day and night 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, an1 all my protection was
blanket hung in the doorway. /
used to watch that blanket ut night
l 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, IL 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.