Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1933-08-17, Page 6PAGE SIX aim, still trenebling from .the horror of his fear, came tip, and knelt be- side his friend. "Ah, but there's bin devilry in this!" he said; "I reckoned they sheep had bin badly skeared, and not so long agone." "'Sheep -murder, sure enough!" the other answered. No fox's dein' — a ,girt -grown two -shear as could maist knock a h'ox." Jim's hands travelled from. the body to the dead creature's throat. He screamed. "By gab, Piaster! look 'ee theer!" 1He held his hand up in the moonlight, end it dripped red. "And warm yet! warm!" "Tear some bracken, 'Jim!" ordered the other„ "and set a -light. We mutt see to this." The postman did as bid. Far a mo- ment the fern smouldered and smoked, then rhe flame ran crackling along and shot up in the darkness, weirdly light- ing the scene; to the right' the low wood, a block of solid blackness a- gainst the sky; in front the wall of sheep, -staring out of the gloom with bright eyes; and as centre -piece that still, white body, with the kneeling men and lurcher .sniffing tentatively round. The victim was subjected to a criti- cal examination. The throat, and that only, had been hideously mauled; from the raw wounds the .flesh hung in horrid shreds; on the ground all about were little pitiful dabs of wool, wrenched off apparently in a struggle; and, crawling among the ferneroots, a snake -like track of red 'led down to the stream. "A dog's doin', and no mistakin' that," said Jini at length, after a min- ute inspection. "Ay," declared the Master with slow emphasis, "and a sheep -dog's too, and an old un's, or I'm no shepherd." The postman looked up. "Why thot " he asked, puzzled. "Becos," the Master answered, " 'im as did this killed for blood—and for blood only, If had bin ony other dog—greyhound, bull, terrier, or even a young sheep-dog—d'ye think he'd ha' stopped wi'' the one? Not he; he'd ha' gone through 'em, and 'be rmnnin' 'enc down, till 'he'd maybe killed the half, But 'im as did this killed for ,i blood, a say. He got it—killed just the one, and nary touched the others, d'yo 'see, Jim?" The postman whistled, long and low. "It's just what owd Wrottesley'd tall on," he said. "I never nob'•but half believed him then — I do now though. D'yo' mind what th' owd lad'd tell, Master?" , "That's it, I've never seen the like a'fore myself, but I've heard ma gran - dad speak o't.mony's the time. An owd dog'll git the cravin' for sheep's blood on him, just the same as a mon does for the drink; he creeps oot o' night, gallops afar, hunts his sheep, down. 'er, and satislfles the cravin'. And he nary kills but the one, they say, for he knows the vallie o' sheep same as you and me. Be has his gallop, quenches 'the thirst, and then he's for home, maybe a score mile away, and no one the wiser i' th' mornin', ,And so on, till he teams to a bloody death, the murderin' traitor." "If he does!" said 'Jim. "And he does, they say, nigh al- ways. For he gets (bolder and (bolder wi' not bein' caught,, until "one fine night a bullet lets light into him. And same mon ,gets knocked nigh end- ways when theybring his best tyke home i' th' mornin', wi' the ch'eep's wool yet stickin' in his mouth." The postman .whistledagain, '"It's what owd 'Wrattesleyd tell on to a tick. And he'd say, if ye mind, M'aster, as hood the dog'd niver kill his master's sheep -kind o' conscience like," "Ay, 'I've heard that," said the Mas- ter.: "Queer too, and 'im being such a 'bad tin!" :Ji.tn Mason rose slowly . from his {knees. "Ma word," he said, "I wish Th' IOwd Un was here. He'd 'appen show us summat!". "I nob'but wish he was, pore owd lad!" said the Master. IAs he spoke there was a crash in the woad above them; a sound as of some big body bursting furiously through brushwood - The two men rushed to the top of the rise. In the darkness they could see nothing; only, standing still and holding their breaths, they could hear the faint sound, ever 'growing fainter, of some creature splashing in a hasty gallop over the wet moors. "Yen's hien! Yon's no fox, I'll tak' oath. And a main big un, too, hark to him!" cried Jim. Then to Gyp, who had rushed off in hot pursuit: "Coom back, chunk-'ead. What's use o' you. agin a gallopin''potamus" {Gradually the sounds died away and away, and were no more. "That's 'im, the devil!" said the Master at length. "Nay; the devil has a tail, they do say," replied Jim thoughtfully. For already the light of suspicion •was fo- cusing its o-cusing'its red glare. "Woo I reck'n we're in for '.bloody times among the sheep for a }while," said the Master, as Jim picked up 'his bags. "Better a sheep nor a mon," answer- ed the postman, still harping on the old theme. CHAPTER XVI That, as James Moore h'ad -predict- ed, was only the ;first of a long suc- cession of such solitary crimes. (Those who have not lived in a deso- late country like that about the Muir Pike, where sheep are parambunt and every other man engaged in the pro- fession pastoral, can barely imagine the sensation. aroused. 'In 'market place, tavern, or cottage, the subject of conversation was always the latest sheep -murder and the yet -undetected criminal. Sometimes there would 'be a lull, and the shepherds would begin to breathe snore freely. Then there would come a stormy night, when the heav- ens were veiled in the cloak of crime, and the wind moaned fitfully over meres 'a,nld marches, and another vic- tim would 'be added to the lengthen - ng list. :I't was always such 'blac'k nights, nights of wind and weather, when eb man would ,be abroad, that the •murcl- erer chose for his !bloody .work; and that was h'o'w he /became 'known from the !Red 'Screen to the !Muir 'Pike as the Black (Ciller, In +the IDalel'and they still call a wild, wet night "A 'Black IC'flet's night;" for •they say: "His, ghaist'll be oot the night." .There ,was 'hardly a farm in the ceun'tryside but was marked with the seal of :blood. Ken'muir escaped, and the Grange; !Rab I5aunderson at 'the 7Halll, and Tupper at ISwinsbhwaite; and :they were about the only lucky ones. As for Kenlnuir, Tammas declared with a certain grim pride: 'He knows 'better'n to coom wheerTh' 'Owd Un be," Whereat M''Adern was taken with a fit of internal spasms, rubbing his knees and cackling 'insanely 'for a half-hour afterward; And as for the luck of the !Grange—we'll, there was a reason far that too, so the Dalesmen said. Though the area of crime stretched front the 'Black Water to !Grammoch- town, twenty odd 'miles, there was never a sign of the perpetrator, The 'Killer did his bloody work with a thoroughness and a rlevilsh cunning that deified' det'ection. [tt was plain that each murder might be set down to the same agency, Each was stamped with the sane unmis- takable sign -manual: one sheep kill- ed, its throat torn into red nibands and the other untouched.' !It was at the instagatio'n; o'f Parson 'Leggy that the squire imported a bloodhound to track 'the .Killer to his doom. Set on at afresh -killed carcase art the iOne Tree !Knowe, he carried the line a distance, in'the direction of he 'Muir Pike; then was thrown out Sy a little bustling beck, and never ac-, knowledged the scent again„• After- THE SEAFORTH NEWS. THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 1933 ward he became unmanageable, and could be no .'further utilized, Then {'here was talk of inducing Tommy Dobtbli aid, his pack to come over fionf Eskdale .but that came to nosh in , The 'Master of the Border Kant lent 'a couple of foxhounds,' who ef- fecte'd 0othing; aiuh there were a'hun- dred other e,ttempts, and as many fail- 11ic, Tim u1,bason set a euunlnp trap or two and caught his own bob -tailed tortoise-sthell and a terrible .wigging from his lnissus;''Ncd LT-Ioppin sat up with a gun two nights over'a new slain victim. .131.1t the .Killer ,n' ever returned to the 'kill, and went about in the midst of .hem all, carrying oi) his in- famous tralfific and laughing up his sleeve. ;An the mean while the Da'Iesinen raged and swore vengeance; their im- potence, their unsuccess, and their losses heating their wrath to madness. And the • bitfterest sting of ht all, lay in this; that though they could trot de- tect him, they 'were nigh to positive as to !the cul'pri't. Many a time was the .Black Killer named in low -voiced conclave; imany a time "did Long Kirby, as he stood in the Border Rani and .watc'hed MIAd'am and the Terrr walking down the High, nudge Jinn Mason and whisper: "Ilheer's the 'Keller—oneasy 'be his grave!” To'•wlhich practical J'ini al- ways.ni'ade. the s'am'e retort: "Ay, theer's the 'Killer; but wheer's. the proof And therein lay the crux. There was scarcely a man in the' country -side who dou'b'ted the guilt of the Tailless ITyke;,but, as Jami said, where was the proof? They oou'ld but point to 'his well -won ni'cicname; his evil notonie- ty; say 'that, magnificent sheep -dog as he was, he was known even in . his work as a rough handler of stock; and lastly remark, significantly that the Grange was one of the few farms that had so 'far escaped -unscathed. For with the belief that the .Black Killer was a sheep -dog they .held it as an article of faith that he would in honor spare his master's flock. There may, indeed, have been pre- judice in their judgment. Por each :had his private grudge against the Terror; and nigh every 'man bare on his own person, or Inc clothes, or on the body .of anis dog, the mark of that huge terror. Proof? "`Why, he near killed ma Lassiel" criee'Londesley. "A.n'd he did kilt the'Wexerl" "_And Wean Tromp!" "And see pore old Wenus!" says !John Swan, and pulls out that 'fair !amazon, 'battered 'almost past recog- nition, but a warrioress still, "That's Red Weill—bloody be his end!" "And he laid ma {Rasper by for nigh three weeks!" continues 'Tupper, pointing to the yet -unhealed scars on. the neck of the big bobtail,.",See th'isey —his work," "And look here!" cries :Saunderson exposing a ragged wound on S'hep's throat; 1Pthat's the Terror—black he his fa'!" "Ay," says Long Kirby with an oath; "the tykes love him nigh as much as we do." "Yes," says Ta'mnias. "Yo' jest watch!" iThe old man slips out ofthe tap- room; and in another moment from the road without comes a heavy, reg- ular pat -pat -pat, as of same big crea- ture approaching, and, 'blending with the sound, little shuffling footsteps. 'In an instant every dog in the room. has risen to his feet and stands star- ing at the door with sullen, glowing eyes; lips wrinkling, bristles rising, throats rum'bli'ng. An unsteady hand fumbles at the ,door; a reedy voice .oall's,"Wullie, came here!" and the dogs move away, sully, to either side the fireplace, tails dower, ears back, grumbling still; the picture of cowed passion. Then the door opens; Tanimas ent- ers, grinning; and earth, after a mo- ment's scrutiny, resumes his +former 'position b'e'fore the fire, Meanwhile over M'A•d.am, seemingly all unsuspicious of this suspicion, a change .had come..Whether it was that for the time Inc heard less of the best sheep -dog in the North, or for some more occult rea'son, certain it is that he became his old self. I -Bis tongue wagged as gayly and bitterly as ever; and hardly a night passed but he in- furiated lTammes n-furiated'Tamnnas almost to bl'o'ws with his innuendoes and insidious: sar- casms. Oid Jonas Maddox, one evening at the Sylvester Arius, 'inqu'ired of him what his 'not'ion was as to ''the identity of the Killer. "1 hae ma suspicions, Mr. Mad- dox; I hae .ma suspicions," the little roan replied, cunningly Wagging his head and giggling. But more than that they could not elicit from him. A week later, however, to the question: "And what are yo' thinkin' o' this black Killer, Mr, MIA'd'ani?" "Why black?" the little man asked earnestly; "why black m'air than white —or gray, we'll say?" ,Ltedlcily for him, hdwever, the Dalestnen are slow of win is of speech. David, too, 'harked the difference in his fauther,• Who nagged at him now with all the old spirit Atfirst he re. {eked in thechange preferring this outward and open -manta% to the a- ,foretime ste'althy enmity. But soon he almost wished the other back; for the. older he grew the more difficult did he :find it to endure calmly these ever- lasting bickerings. 1Foa one reason he was truly glad of the altered .00ind'ition of affairs; he salievecl that, for the 11 once at least, his father had abandoned any ill de- signs he might have cherished against Dames Moore; those' sneaking night-. visits to 'Kenrmiir were, he hoped, � dis- continued, Yet Maggie Moore, lied she been on speaking terms with ,hini, could have undeceived' hien. For, one night, when alone in the :kitchen, on suddenly looking up, she had, seen Id her hor- ror a dim,,tnoonlike -face glued against the window -piano. 'I•sa the finst niiad p'an'ic of ,the moment she almost s'cre'amed, and dropped her work;. them -a true Moore—controlled her- s'ell'f and sat; feigning to work, yet watching all the while. It was WA'dam, she 'recogn'ized' that: the farce pale in its framework of black; the heir lying dank and dark. on his 'forehead; and the White eye- lids blinking, slo_w, , regular, h'orri'ble. IShe thought of the stories she had he'a'rd of his sworn ve'nge'ance on her 'father, and her heart s'to'od still, though she never moved. At length 'with a gasp of relief she dis'cern'ed that the eyes were not directed on her. (Stealthily, fol'l'owing their gaze,, she saw they rested on the Slheplhends'. Trophy; and on the Cup they remain- ed fixed 'im'movable, while she sat mo- tionless and watched. • An hour, it seemed to her, elapsed 'b'efo're they shifted their direction, and wandered round the room.' For a sec- ond they dwelt upon her; then the face withdrew .into the night.' 'Maggie told no one what she had seen. Knowing well how terrible her father was in anger, • she ,dedmed it wiser to keep' silence. • \5Jh'ile as for iDavid MIIA'dam, she should never speak to him again! And not for a moment did that young man surmise whence his father came when, on the night in question, 'M'Adam returned • to the Grange, chuckling to himself. David was of late growing accustomed to these fits of silent, un'provo'ked merriment; and when his father began giggling and muttering to Red Wu'li, at first he paid no heed, - 'Hel he! 'Wullie, A'iblins well beat him. yet. There's many a stip twixt Cup and lip—eh, Wullie, he! he!" And he made allusion to the flourish- ing 'o'f the wicked and their fell; end- ing always with the same refrain: "Het het 'Wullie. Ai'blins we'll beat him yet." In this ,strain he continued until David, his patience exhausted, asked roughly' "What is't yo' inuinblitt' about ? Wfia is it yo'll 'beat you and .yer Wullie?' • The lad's tone was as contemptuous as his words. Long ago he had cast aside any semblance of respect ' for his father. l'1iAdani onlyrublbed his knees and giggled, in the taking of the Cup ;from him, Hark to Nhe, dear tact, addresses Lis- 'father 'and son lead been like two ves- ten too pleasantly he addresses his gels charged with electricity, con'taci aul'd d'adl" Then turning on his son; and leering at him: "Who is it, . ye (between which might result at any ask? What s'houl'd it be but the Black was in a shock and •a flash.' This Killer? Wha else is there ,I'd be wush- the outcome not of a moment, in' to' hurt?" but of years, 'The Black' Killer!" echoed the boy, Of late the -contest had raged the tailless Tyke, who was lying at his master's feet. 'Tate little man ceas- ed rubbing his knees and eyed the boy Daviel shifted uneasilybeneath that cline, persistent stare. "Well?" he said at length gruffly, 'The little main giggler:, and his two thin hands took (rip thea task again. "A,blins his •pair auld doited - fool of a clad 'liens viae thani the dear lad' thinks for, ay, or wus'hes—eh, Wcilie, hel h,el '111,e little man no'dcled and chuck]- ed N'aethin' ava, laddie ifaethin' worth the mention. Only, ai'blins the Killer ;will be caught afore' sae hanig," ,David smiled incredulous'ly, 'wagging alis head in offensive stceptic'isan. '"Yo'lI catch him yo'self, I sipose, you and yer WtnlIie? T'ak' a chair on. to the Marches, whistle a while, and when the 'Killer comes, whypit a phtech o' salt upon his taunt --if he has nue.,, {At the last words, ,heavily ,punctu- ated by the speaker, the little' mean .s'topped his rubbing as though • sh'ot. "'What wad ye mean by that?" he asked softly,' • "What wad I?" the boy replied. "I dinna 'ken, for : sure," the little mien answered; "and its aiblins just as well for you, dear dead"—in fawning .ac- cents—"that I din:n." He 'began rub- bing and ,giggling a'fre'sh.' "I't's a 'gran' thing, Wullie, to ha' a .dutiful son -a shairp lad w'ha has no s'i'lly sense o' shame aback shanpenih' his wits at 'his auld datl's expetns'e. And yet, despite nor facetious laud there, a1blins we will ha' a hand in the Killer's catchin'., you andI Wteliie—'hel het" And the great dog at his feet wagged his ,stum'p tail in reply. • - • ID'avid rose from his chair and walk- ed across the room to where his faith- er sat. u - "Ff yo' know sic a .mighty hop," he shouted, "happen yo'll just tell me what yo' db know!" M;Ad'anr stopped stroking Red Wull's massive head, an,d looked' up. "T'el'l ye? Ay, wha sh'oul'd I tell if not ma dear David? Tell? ' Ary, I'll tell ye this"—with a sudden snar of bit- terness—"that you'd be the vairy last person I wad tell." , CHAPTER XVII !!David and Maggie, meanwhile, were drifting further and further apart. He naw thought the girl took too much upon herself; that this assumption of the woman and the mother was over- done. Once, on a Sunday, he caught her hearing Andrew his catechism. He watched the performance through" a oracle in the door, and listening, giggl- ing, to her simple teaching. At length this merriment grew so boisterous that she looked up, saw him, and, straight- way rising to her feet, crossbd the room and shut the door; tendering her unspoken rebuke with such a sweet dignity that he slunk away for once decently ashamed. And the incident served to add ;point to his hostility. Consequently he was seldom at tK•enmuir, and more often at home„ quarrelling with his fa'th'er. Since that day, two years before, whenthe boy hand been an instrument and looked at his fat'h'er in amaze- ment. Now David was almost the only man in Wastrel -dale who denied Red !Wall's identity with the Killer, "Nay," he said once; "he'd kill me, given half a chance, but a sheep—no," Yet, though himself of this opinion., he knew well what the talk was, and was astonished accordingly at his father's rem ark. The Black Iziiiar„ is it? What d' - you know o' the Killer?" he inquired. "Why black, I wad ken? Why black?" the little- man asked, leaning_ forward in his chair. Now David, though 'repudiating in the village Red W'all's complicity with the crimes, at home wasnever so hap'p'y as when casting :'cunning in- nuendoes to that effect: "What would you have him then?" he asked. 'Red, yeller, muck -dirt col- or?" -and he stared significantly : at tttarlcedly fierce; far MlA'dam noticed his son's more frequent presence at home, and commented on the fact in his usual spirit of pl ylfu'1 raillery. 'What's come to ye, David?" he asked one day, "Yer meld dad's head is nigh turned wi' yer conde'scens'ion,. Z's Taffies Moore feared ye'll steal the Cup fra him, as ye stole it from me, that he'll not ha' ye at Kenniur? or what is it?" "I thought I could maybe keep an eye on the Killer gin I -stayed here," David answered, leering at Red 'W'ull. "Ye'd -.de better at Kertmuie—e'h, Wnidiel" the little man replied. "Nay," the outlier answered, "he'll not go to Kentnoir. There's 'Th' O'wd Use, to see to him there o' nights." The little man w'hi'pped round. "Aire ye so sure he is there o' nights, min lad?" he asked with slow signiii'cante. (To Be +Continued.) A DOLLAR'S 'S WORTH '" Clip this, coupon and mail it, with $1 for a six weeks' trill subscription to Published by THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE PUBLISHING BnasErr Boetan, Massachusetts, U. 9. A. r �g 9 coed news of the world from Its eon apoclW writers, ,as welleeflep¢rtments devoted to women's and ohlltlren's lgterests, sports, music, nnanoe, e6Rcatlon, radio, eta You w111'be sladto welcome into your home so fearless an advocate of peace and prohibition. And don't mise Snubs. Our nog, Please Read m a i k' trial I d Il (SI) Cfo r THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE' MONITOR In 11 ou. WN find the' ail and the Sundial and the ether features. THE Cnersansi SCIENCE Mooctroa, Back Bay Station; Boston, MM. asix wee s subscription. enclose one o ar . (Town) (Name,' Maasii. print) (Address) (State) PROFESSIONAL CARDS Medical ,DR. H. HUIGIH RO'S'S, Physician, and Surgeon. Late of London Hos- pital, 'London, England: Special attention to diseases of the eye, ear, nose and 'throat. Office and real-' dente behind ,Dominion Bank. Officcr Phone No. 5; Residence Phone 104r DR, F. J. 'BURROWS; Seaforth Office and residence, Goderich street, east of the United Church. Coroner for the County of FIuron. Telephone, N'o. 46. DR, F. J. R. F10'RSITER-{Eye, Ear Nose 'and Th'rnat. Graduate in Medi- cine, University of Toronto 1. Late Assistant, New York Ophthal- mic and Aural Institute, Moorefield's, Eye, and Golden Square throat 'hoapi bads, London, England. Alt Oomtnr ercial Hotel, Seaforth, 3rd Monday fa, each month, from 11 a.m, to• 3 p,m... • DIR. W. C. SSPIR1OA'T.-Graduate of Faculty of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London: Member of College of , Physicians , and Sur- geons of Ontario. Office in rear of Aberhart's drug store, Seafoslth. Phone 90. Hours 1.30-4 p.m., 7.30, -9 p.m. •Other hours by app'ointment,. Dental R. J. A. MLT'NN, Successor to Dr. R. R. Ross, graduate of North- western University, Chicago, I'll. Li- centiate Royal College of Dental Sur- geons, Toronto. Office over Silas" hardware, Main St., Seaforth. Phone, 151. DR. F. J. BIECHtELY, graduate Royal College of Dental Surgeon, Toronto. -Office over W. R. Smith's grocery, Main St., Seaforth. Phones, office 185W, residence 185J. Auctioneer. +GiBOIRIGIE• ELIII'O'TT, Licensed Auctioneer for the County of Huron, Arrangements can be made for Sale Date at The ,Seaforth News. Chargee moderate and satisfaction guranteed, WATSON AND REID'S REAL ESTATE ilk AND INSURANCE AGENCY (Succssors to James 'Watson), •MALN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. Ail kinds of •Insurance risks effect- ed at lowest rates in First -Class', Companies. THE McKILLO,P Mutual Fire Insurance Cu, HEAD OFFICE—SE'AFO,'RTH, Ont OFFICERS Geo. R. McCartney, Seaforth - Pres, James Connolly, Goderich - Vice -Pres.. Merton' A. Reid, Seaforth-'Sec.- Treas. AGENTS: W. D. Hinckley, Seaforth; John (Murray, R. R. 3, ,Seaforth; E. R. G. Ja'ren'outh, Brodhagen; James Watt, 'Blyth; C. 'F, Hewitt, .!Kincardine;, Writ Yeo, Hblmesv'ille. DIRECTORS: William Knox, Londesboro; George Leodnhardt, Brodh'agen; James +Con- nially, God'erioh; Alex. Br'oa'd'foot, No. 3, Seaforth; Robert Ferris, Blyth; George McCartney, No. 3,, Seaforth, John: Pepper, Brucefieid; James' Shol- dice, Walton; Thomas Moylan, No.. 5,. Seaforth. Parties desirous to effect insuran•'et, or transact other business, will be promptly attended to by applications' to any of the above named officers ad- dressed to . their respective pout office's. 'I't Will Relieve a 'Cold.—Goilds'are'. the 'commonest ailments of mankind and' if neglected may, lead to serious l conditions: IDr, Thomas' Eclec i c 'Oil ; will relieve ' 'tr e the bronchial p;as'sages of 'inflammation -.speedily and thor- mighty and will ?strengthen theme a- gainst subsequent ' attack, And as it eases the inflammation it will usually stop the coug,h because it alila'ys the irritation in the throat, ,Try it and prove it. Want and For Sale Ads, 3 times, 50c