Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1922-10-20
By Courtney Ryley Cooper
copyrisb, by Little. BrOvs g. Co

II mustn't--you've spoiled II now.
Roady."
"No-Honey. can show you the
way. He's nearly gone. What were
you going to do when he WENT
He'd have dissolved In air, Ready
know. The spirits have told me-"
Perhaps So" The voice of the scar.
faced. mean.visaged, Squint Rodaine
was still honeyed, still cajollng. "Per-
haps so--but not at once. Isn't there
barrel OF lime In the bnsementT
ayes"
Come downstairs with me-"
They started downward then, and
Fairchlld watched them pass, Rodaine
In the lead, carrying smoking lamp
with Its half-broken chimney careen-
Ing on the base, Crazy Laura, mum.
hands extended before her, shuffling
along In the rear. He heard them go
far to the rear Of the house, then de-
! scend more stairs. And he went fiat
to his stomach on the floor, with his
ear against a tiny chink that he might
hear the better. Squint still was talk
ing In his loving tones.
"see, Honey" he was saying. "rve
I've broken the spell by going in up
stairs. You should have told me. I
didn't know-I Just thought-well, l
thought there was some one In there
you liked, and l got jealous"
did you, Roady?" she cackled.
"Did your"
"Yes--I didn't know you had him
there. And you were making him i'm
mortalp
81 found him, Rondy. His eyes were
shut, and he was bleeding. II was at
dusk, and nobody saw him when car
ried him In here. Then l started CIV
ing him the herbs"
THAT you've gathered around at
night?"
ELSEWHERE the dead sleep. I get
the red berries most. That's the blood
Of the dead, come to life again."
The quaking, crazy voice from be-
low caused Fairchlld to shiver with q
sudden cold that no warmth could
eradicate. Still, however, he lay there
listening. fearful that every move from
below might bring cessation OF their
conversation. But Rodaine talked on
"Of course I know. But I've spoiled
that now. There's another way, Laura
Get that spade. See, the dirt's soft
here. Dig hole about four feet deer
and six or seven feet long. Then pu
half that lime from the barrel In there
UnderstandT
"What fort"
j Its the only way now; We'll have
I to do that. It's the other way to i'm
mortality. You've given him the
herbsw
"Yes."
"Then this is the end. Seer Now
do that, won't you, HoneyT
you'll kiss me, Roady?"
"There" The faint sound OF a kls:
came from below. "And there's an
other one. And another"
"Just like the night our boy wa:
born. Don't you remember how yor
bent over and kissed me then and helt
me In your nrms?'
I'm holding you that way now
|
Foney-just the same way that helt
you the night our boy was born. AND
I'll help you with this. You dig tn,
hole and put half the lime In there
don't put 1t all. Wen need the rest I,
put on top of him. You'll have II don,
In about two hours. There's some
thing else needed-some acid that I've
got to get. It'll make 1t all the quick
err. I'll be back. Honey. Kiss me-"
Fairchild, seeking to still the hor
ror-laden CULVER of his body, hearC
the sound of kiss and then the clat
ter of mans heavy shoes on tn,
stairs, accompanied by slight clinl
from below. He knew that sound
the scraplng OF the steel OF spad
against the earth as 1t was dragge,
into use A moment more and 10
daine. mumbllng to himself, passed tn,
door. But the woman did not come
upstairs. FalrchiId knew why; he
crazed mind was following the In
structions OF the man who knew how
to lead the lunatic intellect into tn,
channels he desired; she was digging
digging a grave for some one, a grav,
to he lined with qulcklImel
Upstairs was some one who hat
been found by this woman In an IN
conscious state and evidently kept Il
that condition through the potation
of the ugly polson.laden drugs sh
! brewcd-sOme one who now wa
; doomed TO die and To lie In n quick
lime grave! Carefully Fnlrchild game
his feet; then, as silently as possible
he made for the rickety stairs, stOl
, ping now and again TO listen for dis
! covery from below. But II did no
come the insane woman was chantin
louder than ever now. Fairchild wen
on.
He felt his way up the remainin
stairs, rat scamperIng before him
he sneaked along the wall. hands eN
, tended, cropping for that broken door
finally To find II. Cautiously he peere
: within. striving In vain to pierce "a
; darkness. At last. listening INTENT
( for the singing from below, he dre'
! a match from his pocket and scratche
II noiselessly on his trousers. Ther
, holding Il high above his head,
I looted toward the bed-and stared I