The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-10-26

seen her when I wouldn't get within
nifty miles Of her. Goodness only
knows what would happen to a person
who fell into her clutches when she's
got one of those Immortality streaks
on"
Zone of those whatH" Harry looked
up in surprise.
Immortality. That's why you1l
find her sneaking around g~raveyards
at night, gathering herbs and taking
them to that old house on the George
Vile road, where she lives, and brew
ing them into some sort of c~oncoction
that she sprinkles on the graves. She
believes that it's a sure system of
bringing immortality to a person.
Poison-that's about what 1t u.s."
Harry shrugged his shoulders.
"Poison's what she isl" he ex-
claimed. "Ain't it enough that I'm ac-
cused of every crime in the calendar
without 'er getting me mixed up in a
murder? And" this time he looked
at Fairchild with dolorous eyes
SOW re we going to furnish bond this
time, II the grand jury indicts me?"
Tn afraid there won't be any"
Mother Howard set her lips for a
minute, then Strengthened proudly.
SWELL, I guess there will! It's bond
able-and I guess I've got a few
things that are worth something-and
q few friends that I can go to. I don't
see why I should be left out of every
thing. just because I'm a woman"
"Lor' love you" Harry grinned. his
eyes showing plainly that the world
was again good for him and that his
troubles, as far as a few slight
charges of penitentiary offenses were
concerned, amounted to very little in
his estimation. Harry had a habit Of
living just for the day. And the sup
port Of Mother Howard had wiped
out all future difficulties for him. The
fact that convictions might await him
and that the heavy doors at Canon
City might yawn for him made little
difference right now. Behind the great
bulwark Of his mustache, his big lips
spread in a happy announcement of
Joy, and the world was good.
Silently, Robert Fairchild rose and
left the parlor for his own room. Some
way he could not force himself to
shed his difficulties in the same light,
airy way as Harry. Looking back he
could see now that his dreams had
led only to catastrophes. From the
very beginning. there had been only
trouble, only fighting, fighting, fight
ing against insurmountable odds.
which seemed to throw him ever
deeper into the mire Of defeat. with
every onslaught. The ROdaines had
played with stacked cards. and so far
every hand had been theirs. Fair
child suddenly realized that he was
all but whipped. that the psyche
logical advantage was all on the side
of Squint Rodaine, his son. and the
crazy who did their bidding.
More, another hope had gone glimmer-
ing; even had the announcement not
come forth that Anita Richmond had
given her promise to marry Maurice
Rodaine, the action of a coroner's
jury that night had removed her from
hope forever. A son of q man who
has been called q slayer has little
right to love a woman. even if that
woman has a bit Of mystery about
her. All things can be explained
but murder!
1t was growing late. but Fairchild
did not seek bed. Instead he sat by
the window. staring out at the shad-
ows of the mountains. out at the free.
pure night, and yet at nothing. After
q long time, the door opened, and q
big form entered-Harry-to stand
silent a moment, then to come for
ward and lay a hand IN the other
mans shoulder.
Don't let it get you. Boy" he said
~softly-for him. tits going to come
out all right. Everything comes out
all right-if you amt wrong yourself"
II know, Harry. But it's an awful
tangle right now"
"Sure it is. But 1t amt as if a sane
person 'ad said it against you. There1l
never be anything more to that; Far
refill ave 'er adjudged insane If 1t
ever comes to anything like that
She'll never give no more testimony,
I've been talking with 'im--'e stopped
in just after you came upstairs. It's
only a crazy woman"
"But they took her word for It.
Harry. They believed her. And they
gave the verdict-against my father"
81 know. ! was there, right beside
you. / 'eard it. But it'll come out
right. some way"
There was q moment of silence,
then a gripping fear at the heart of
Fairchild.
"Just how crazy is she, Harry"
"'Er? Plumb daft! OF course. as
Mother Coward says, there's times
when she's straight-but they don't
last long. And, If she'd given 'er tes-
In writing, Mother coward
1t all might ave been different,
and we'd not ave 'ad anything to
worry about"
I'm writingT
"Yes, she's 'arfway sane then. It
seems 'er minds disconnected, some
wye. I don't know 'ow-Mother
got the ole lingo. and every
body In town knows about 1t. When
ever anybody wants to get anything
real straight from Crazy Laura, they
make 'er write II. That part of 'er
brain seems all right. She remem-
bers everything she does then and 'ow
crazy It Is. and tells you all about it.