The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-12-08

seen the face or Nhulue ia 'ittc. a
length he found himself In the sid
street where he had taken refuge tn
night before, and turning out Of thii
be came to the tree from the limb o.
which he had cut down the half
strangled victim of the mob. There CD
posite was the house and there was
the window at which he had seen Ma
| dimes face; but across the window,
boards had been nailed The other
windows, too. and the doors, were
nailed up; the place was deserted.
Could that face at the window have
been only a creature OF his imagina-
ton?
An old negro in nondescript livery
came down the walk from house
few doors away. He might have been
footman to harlequin. But when
BRACE spoke to him, the dignified
change in his countenance appeared
to alter even the aspect of his attire;
and now he might have been usher TO
a governor This quick change had
been brought about by his intuitive
discovery that brace was a man Of
consequence.
do you know anything about the
people who lived across the street,"
BRACE asked.
"Wall, no sab; da wus po' folks,
sah."
Then you don't know where they
went"
mo sab. My ployment is ter look
after folks OBJ er higher 'dltion, sab.
An den ter preach on Sunday"
"Oh, you are preacher"
"Called. sab, wild er blast from de
trumpet"
docs your church ever need
moneyT In a moment he lost his
dignity.
Look yeah. boss, whut.s er Niger
church fur eff 1t amt ter need money!
Co'se 1t need money. But what you
gwine do erbout it7
''Yassuh," he said. when BRACE had
warmed him with a greenback. II
reckon dey done moved away. There
was er kind Of rumpus last night. And
reckon they-all thought II wasn't no
place fob dem no mo-; dey lef mighty
uhly dis mawnin'"
And that was all Drace could learn;
10 one In the vicinity would admit
hat they knew them or their destina-
ion. Disliklng to call too much at
.ention to himself. BRACE walked away
l. I'D LNx- n ftr,,<x ln
wandered the streets. He came to the
levee, and the French market. He
went into the old st. Louis cemetery.
and looked upon the novel sight OF
bodies sepulchered In wall with
doors like a furnace. Thesz compart-
ments, he learned, were rented by the
month to the poor and short tenan
try II was for many son and daugli-
ter of penury answering Eternity's
call, for when the grim agent failed
to collect the pittance promised by
sorrow, the shrouded rerter was evict-
ed-an old Spanish custom. BRACE was
told.
Recalled by these grim surroundings
to the purpose that had brought him
TO the South, BRACE now determined
TO give himself wholly to his quest for
Stepho la vitte. He returned to the
hotel, and found Shottle nervous In
cloud of smoke. The floor was COW
cred with burned matches and the
stubs of cigars.
lib, I'm crushed" announced BRACE.
$50 am I. But how does It happen
that the dust-cart drove over you too7"
Nadine is gone. The place is nailed
up"
THAT'S tough. nll right. But what
are you going to do about III Are you
roIng to come to your puritanic senses
and give the whole thing up. or do you
IT expect to fulfill my sacred mis-
,ion. l must find Stepho la vltte."
Shottle got up and shook hands with
his friend. He swore that he would
make the search the aim of his life.
Suppose you hire me by the day." he
suggested. "a man does better work
,y the day. He always has fresh slim
illus every time the sun rises"
"very well-ten dollars day"
THAT'S liberal. Virgil. and I'll take
/. And let's get Old Josh to help US.
de is more or less acquainted with
Stepho's habits"