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The Seaforth News, 1933-08-24, Page 6PAGE SIX I •r -'r THE SEAFORTH .NEWS, th--e GRAY "He was there when some one—I ,dine a say who, t'ho'ugh I hay e ma +though'tsl—tried to poison hint," sneer- ed the, boy, mimic'lcing hie father's mariner. 'M'Adam shook his head. • "If hewas poisoned, and .moo I think aThlins he was, he •didna pick it up at Kenmuir, I tell ye - that,' he said, and marched out of the room. fin the mean time the Black Killer pursued his bloody trade unchecked. The public, always greedy of a new sensation, took up the Matter, Contro- versy raged high; each had his own solution of theproblem; and each waxed indignant as his were discard- ed for another's. ' The Terror had reigned already two months when, with the advent of the lambing -time, matters took a yet more serious aspect, It was bad enough to lose one sheep, often the finest in the pack; but the hunting of a flock at a critical mo- ment, which was incidental to the slaughter of the one, the scaring of these woolly mother -about -to -be al- most out of their fleeces, .spelt for the small farmers something akin to ruin, for the bigger ones a loss hardly bear- able. earable. Such .a woeful season had never been known; loud were the curses, deep the vows of revenge. Many a shepherd at that time patrolled all ni'gh't through with his dogs, only to find in the 'morning that the Killer had slipped him and havocked in some secluded portion of his .heat. It was heartrending work; and all the more so in that, though his in- crimination seemed as far off as ever, there was still the same 'positiveness as to the culprit's identity. Long Kirby, indeed, greatly daring, went so far on one occasion as to say to the little man: "And d'yo' 'reck'n the Killer is a sheep -dog, M'Adam?" "I do," the 'little` man replied with conviction. "And that he'll spare his own sheep?" "liver a doubt of it." "Then," said the smith with a nerv- ous cackle, "it must lie between you and Tupper and Saunderson." The little man leant forward and tapped the other on the arm. "Or Kenmuir, ma friend," he said. "Ye've forgot Kenmuir." 'So I have," laughed the smith, "so S have." "Then I'd not anither time," the other continued, still tapping. 'I'd mind Kenmuir, d'ye see, Kirby?" St was about the middle of the lamb- ing -time, when the Killer was work- ing his worst, that the Dalesmen had a lurid glimpse of Adam M'Adam as he might be were he wounded' through his 'W uIlie, Thus it came about: Pt was market day in Grammach-town, and in the 'Border Ram old Rob Sann,derson was the centre of interest. For on the pre- tiious night Rob, who till then had es- caped unscathed, had lost a sheep to the Killer: and—far worse—his flock od Herd'wicks, heavy in lamb, • had ,been galloped with disastrous conse- quences. The old man, with tears in his eyes, was telling how on four nights that week he had been up with :S'hep+,.try• guard against inishap; and on 'Elie' tfifth, worn out with the double labor, had fallen asleep at his post. But a very little while, he slumbered; yet when, in the dawn, he woke' andhur- ried on his rounds, he quickly',came upon a mangled sheep and the pitiful. relic of his flock. A relic, indeed! Por all about were cold wee lambkins and their mothers, dead and dying of ex- haustion and their unripe travail -a slaughter of the innocents. 'The Dalesmen were clustered round. the old shepherd, listening, with law- : ening countenances, whetf ;dark gray ' h'ead' peered in at the divot and two wistftil eyes dwelt for moment on the spealer,. "Talk o' the devil I" muttered M'-' 1Adam, but no pian heard him: For }Rad Weill, too, had seen ` thlat sad !face, and; rising from his master's Ifee't, had leapt with a roar at his enemy, toppling Jim Mason like a n'inep'in in the fury of his charge, I Ln a second every- dog in the nacho, from the battered Venus to Tupper's big 'Rasp,er, was on his feet, bristling to have at the tyrant and wipe out past injuries, if the gray dog would but lead the dance, IIt . was not to, be, however: For Long Kynby wa's standing at the door with a cup of :hat coffee in his .hanld, Barely had he greeted the gray I dug with— " iiJ']lo, Owd Uni" when, hoarse yells of " 'Ware lad- 1 The Terror 1" mingled with Red Willis roar. Half turning, he saw the great drag bound'ing to the ,attack. Straightway he flung the boilingloonitents of his cup full in that rage -wracked counte- nance. The burning liquid swished against the huge bull'ltead. Blinding, bubbling, scalding, it did its fell work well; nothing escaped that merciless torrent. With a cry of agony, half bellow, half howl, Red Wull checked in his charge. From without the door was banged to; and again the duel was postponed. While within the tap- room a huddle of men and dogs were left alone with a mad man and a madder brute. 'Blinded, demented, agonized, the Tailless Tyke thundered about the little room gnashing, snapping, over - setting; men, tables, chairs swirled off their legs as though they had been dolls. He spun round like a fnon- strous teetotum; he banged his tor- tured head against the wall; he bur- rowed into the unyielding floor. And all the while .l'ItAdam pattered after him, laying hands upon him only to be flung aside as a terrier flings a rat. Now up, now down again, now tossed into a cprner, now dragged upon the floor, yet always following on and crying in supplicating tones, llrullie Wullie, let me to ye 1 let yer man, ease ye I" and then, with 'a scream and a murderous glance, "By —, Kirby, I'll deal with you later!" The uproar was like hell let loose, You could hear the noise of oaths and blows, -as the men fought for the door, a half -mile away, And above it the horrid bellotw and the screaming of that shrill voice. Long Kirby was the first .man out of that murder -(hole; and after him the others toppled one by one—'m'en and dogs jostling one another in the frenzy of their fear. Big Bell,.Londes- ley, Tupper , Hoppin, Teddy Bol - stack, white -(faced and trembling; and old Saunderson they pulled out by his heels. Then the door was shut with a clang, and the little man and mad clog were left alone. 'In the street was -already a big - ,eyed crowd, attracted by the uproar; while at the door was James Moore, seeking en'tran'ce. "Happen I could lend the Tittle mon a hand," said he; but they withheld him forcibly. Inside was pandemonium; bangings like the doors of hell; the bellowing of that great voice; the patter of little feet; the slithering of a body an the floor; and always' that shrill, beseech- ing prayer, "Wullie, 'Willie, let me to yes" and, in a scream, '"By—, Kir- by, I'll he wi' ye soon 1",, Jun Mason' it was who turned, at fength,- tie the !tnith and whispered, "'Kirby, lad, yo 4 lest skip it." The big ntan'olieyed .and rain. The stamp, stamp of his feet on the hard road rang above the turmoil: As the long legs vanished round the corner and the sound of the fugitive cried away, a panic seized the listening 'crowd. L4 woman .shreiked; a girl fainted and in two minutes the street was as naked of men as the steppes of Rus- sia in winter: here a white' face at a window; there a door ajar; and peer: "Ilt's the sanne wi' me," the Master ing round a far corner a frightened said. "He's not come to Kenmuir yet. boy. 'One man only s'corned to run. nor he'll not .so long as Th' Owd Alone, James Moore stalked down Un's loose, I reck'n." the centre of the road, slaw and calm, . "Loose or tied, for the matter a' Owd Bob trotting at his heels. ' that," the little man rejo!n'ed, "Ken muir'dl eiscape," He made. the state - Mt was a,lon'g half-hour 'before the ment dogtwoticelly, snapping his lips.. door of the inn 'burst open, and M'- The Mester frowned. 1Acianl came out with a run, flinging "Why that?" he. alsked,. the door behind him. Wthy,. that the''.'. mere ilrepitatcon •o th 'best eheep-ddg in' '.the North• THURSDAY,` AUGUST 24, 1933 ale rushed into the middle of the should keep him aft. An' I guess road his sleeves were rolled et,, 6he they're reet," and he laughed' shrilly iweist like a surgeon's; and in rolled, et, as he spoke h'hnd was a black -handled jack-knife ,The Plaster passed on, puzzled, 'Noo by -1' he cried in a ter- "Which road are ye gaein' hame?" :ible voice, "where is. he ?" ll'IAdant ,called rater him Because," IhIe looked up and eosin the road, with, a polite smile, "Ill tak t'ither," darting his fiery glances everywhere; "Tin of` by the 'Windy Bran,' the and his face was -Whiter than his hvr. Master answered, striding on: "`Squire Tien he threes and hunted madly asked me to leave a note wi' his shep- down, the whole length of the High, herd Bother side o' the Ohair So nosing like a -weasel in every cranny, he headed "a say to the left,. `malcm:g elteb'b'ing at the air as he went, and lot- home oby the route along the :Sil- screaming, ''By—, Kirby, wait till ver Mere, I get yes" It is a long sweep of almost un- broken moorland,, the we'll -called shindy Brae; sloping gently down' in mile on )vile of heather from the _here Marches on the , top to the fringe of the Sil'ver Mere 'below. In al] that waste of moor the ocely break is 'the quaint -shaped Giaii't% Chair, puiele-of .geolo'gists looking as t'hro'ugh plumped down by accident in the heathery wild. 'The groundrises gently from the uniform grade of the arae; ' up it goes, over growing steep- er, until at length it runs abruptly inbo a Sheer curtain Sof rock—the Fall -= ;which rise's perpendicular some for: ty feet, on the top of which rests Witt tiny grassy , b'oIwll—no't twenty yards racilo's's—the'y call the 'Scoop. The Scoop foam's the seat of the Chair and reposes on its collar, of rock, cool and green and out of the world, like wine in a' metal 'cup; in front is the fortyfoot Fall; behind, rising sheer again, the wall Of rock which makes the 'back of the Chair. lfnaccessib'le Frohn above, the only means of entra'nee to that 'Little dell are two narrow sheep -tracks, 'wil'ich crawl dangerously up between the sheer Wall on the one hand and the sheer Fall on the 'other, dnitering it at opposite sides. ° II't stand's out clear-cut from the gradual incline, that peculiar emin- ence; yet as the M,as'ter and : Owl !Bob debouched on to the Brae it was already invisible in the darkening night. Through the heather the two swung, the Masker thinking now with a smile of David and Maggie; wond- ering what M'Adam had meant; musing with a frown on the Killer: ponde'eing on his identity --'for he was hale of David's opinion as to Red Wull's innocence; and thanking his' stars that so , far Kenmuir had ea -it caped, a piece of luck he attributed entirely to ..the vigilance of` Th' Owd. Urn, who, sleeping in the porch, 'f slipped out at all hours and went his pound's, warding off danger. And at � the thought he looked down for the s dark head which should be travelling 1 et his knee; yet could not see it, so thick -hung the pall of niggh't, So he brushed his way along, and ever the night grew blacker until, from the swell of the ground be- neath his feet, he knew himself skirt- iog' the Giant's Chair. 'Now as he sped along the' foot of the rise, of a'suddeir there burst on ' his ear the myriad p'at'ter of galloping t' feet. He turned, and at the second a s swirl of' sheep almost bore him clown. d It 'was • velve'tyblack, and they fled furiously by, yet he dimly discover'ed, a driving at: their trails, a vague hound- v like form,. u "'The Killer, by thunder!" he ejalcu- lated, and, startled though he was, k struck down at that past pursuing; shape, to miss and almost fall. fa' "'Bob, lad 'I" he cried, "follow on'!" en and -swung round; but,' in she darkness 1t could not see if the' gray dog 'had li obeyed. The chase swept on into the night,1 to and, far above hinton the hill -side, he tin could now hear the rattle of the fiy- th ing feet. He 'sbarted h:otil•y fn pursuit, l and then, recognizing -the futility of: following where he could not see his hand, desisted. So he s't'ood mo'ti'on-l'ed less, 'listening and peering • into the blackness, hoping The Owd Un was sp on the villai.e'e heels. He prajed for the moon; and' b as though in answer the lantern of Oh the night shone out and lit the dour ,far face of the Chair albove him. He shot's 1 a glance at his feet; and thanked fur heaven on 'finding the gray dog was not besidethim. Then he looked up. The sheep had tls 'broken, and were s'ca'ttered over the steep hill -side, still galloping. madly.! In the root oiae pair of darting figures caught_ and held his gaze: the fore- mgst dodging, twisting, speeding up - zit wand, the lilin'der, hard on the leader's :heels, swift, remorseless, never c'hang- CHA'PTE'R. XVIII( 130 futeher harm ,cane. of the i•n:- cisidnt; bet it'served as a 'healthy ob-: jecet-lession for the Dlalesmen. A coincidence it may have been, but, as a fact,t for 'the fortnight suc- ceeding Kir'by's,exploit' there was'a lull in the crimes. There followed, as though to make amenid's,, the . seven days still remembered in the Dale- land ale lan;d'a:s the Bloody Week. On 'the Sunday the ,Squire lost a Cheviot ewe, killed not a hundred yards from the Manor wall. On the Monday a farm on the Black Water was marked with rhes -red cross. On. Tuesday --a Malek 'n.ighit'-'Tupper at Swinnthwaite came upon the murd- erer at his . work; he fired into the dea'rdcness without effect; ,and the Killer escaped with a scaring. O:n the following night Viscount Bird- saye lost a sheanling ram, for which he was reported to have paid a fabu- lous sum. Thursday was the one blank might of the week. On Friday Tripper was' again visited and pun- ished heavily, as though in revenge for thlatt IOn the Saturday afternoon a big meeting WAS held at the Manor to d'iscus's measures. 'The Squire presid- ed; gentlemen and magistrates were there in numbers, and every farmer in the country -side. To start the proceedings the Spec- ial .Commissioner read a futile letter from the Board of Agriculture. After him Viscount Bird'saye rose and ,pro- posed that.a reward more suitable to the seriousness of the case than'the paltry £15 of the Police should be offered, and backed his proposal with a £25 cheque. Several others spoke, and, last of all, Parkin Leggy rose. IHe briefly stnniiarized the history of the crimes; reiterated his belief that a sheep -dog was the cri'min'al; declared that nothing had Occurred to shake 'his conviction; and concluded by offering 'a remedy for their con- sideration. Simple it. was, so he said, to laughableness; yet, if their sur- mise was correct, it wdtild serve as an effectual preventive if not cure, and would at least give them time to turn round. He paused. "My suggestion is: That every man jack of you w'h'o awns a sheep -dog ties Irian up at night." The farmers were given half' an hour to consider the proposal, and clustered in knots 'talking it over. Many an eye As directed on 1'P- •Adain; but that little man appeared all unconscious. • "Weel, Mr. Saunderso'n," he was saying in shrill accents, "and shall ye tie Shep ?" "''W'hat d'yo' think?" asked • Rob; eying' the man' at whom the measure was aimed. "Why, i't's this way, I'm thin'kin'," the little man replied.,"'Gin ye haul lShep's the guilty one `I wad, by all scanner o' means -4 sh'ootin'd be eilbins better, 3d not, why" - he shrugged his shoulders s'igni'ficantly; and having s'ho'wn his hand and driv- en the nail well home, the l'i'ttle man left the meeting. James .Moore stayed to see the Parson's resolution negatived by a large majo.nity, and then he too quit- ted the hall. He had foreseen the re- sult, and, previous to ' the meeting, had warned the Parson how it would be. "Tie upl" he cried almost indig- nantly, Is Owd .Bob came galloping LIP to his whistle; "I think I see my- self c'hainin' yo', owd lad, like ony murderer. Why, it's yo', owd has kept the Killer off Kenmuir so far, I'll lay," Alt the lodge -gape was M'Aelem, 'for once without his familiar spirit, playing with the lodge -keeper's child; for, ,the little man loved all children Ibut his own, and was beloved of them, As the Master approached he- "W.eel, Moore," he called, "'ansa are you gaein' to :`tie yer, dog?" "I will if you will yours," the Alas - ter answered grimily. '"No," the little man' replied, 'it's Wuablse asfrichts the Killer aff the Grange. ,That's why 'I've left him ing. Ile-lookec! for a. third pursuing Iforan; bet itone could he discern. He mutt ht missed him in tete. deal,' the',blaster mutteied, the sweat tt standing on his brow, as, rte strained his eyes upwat d, • IlJ'igher and higher sped those two. dark specks, fan out -lopping the scat tercel rennianit of the flock,: Up and up, until of a sudden the sheer Fall d'ro'pped its relentless barrier in the path of, the fugitive Away, scudding along the loot 'Of the rocs: -wall struck the familiar track leading to the Scoop, and up it, bleating pitifully, nigh 'spent, the Killer hard' on her I"Heibl dloom, her i in the Scoo'p!' cried the Master hoarsely, following with fascinated eyes. "Owd Unl Owd Un! w'hee'e iver are yo' gotten to ?" 'he called in agony; but no'` Owd Un made reply, • As they. reached the summit, jusit as Ile had prophesied, the two black dolts were one; and clown they rolled together into the hollow of the Scoop, out of the Ma'ster's ken. At the same instant the moon, as though 'loth •to. watch. the last a!ot. of the .bloody, play, veiled' her face. IIt was his chance. P"Nloo!"-and up the,hillside he sped like,a young mean, girding his joins for She struggle. ;The slope grew Steep and steeper; but oil and on he held in' •the dark- ness, gasipnng painfully, yet run'n'ing still, until the fake of th,e ,Plass rock blocked his way too. There. he paused a moment, and whistled a law call Could' he but dispatch the old dog ui) the one path to the Scoop, .while he took the other, the murderer's one road to safety would be blocked. He waited, all ex'pecta'nt; but - no cold ,muzzle was droved into his hand. (Again he whistled. A pelblb'le 'from above almost dropped'on him, as if the criminal 'up there had moved .to the brink of the Fall to listen; ' and he dared no more. fHe waited till all was still again, then crept, oat -like, along the rack - foot, and hit,' .at length, the track up 'w'hich .a while before had fled the Killer and victim. Up that ragged way he crawled on. hands and knees. The perspina'tion-rolled off his face; one ehb'aw brushed the rock perpetually; one hand plunged ever and anon into hat naked emptiness on the other side IHe pnayed that the moon might keep in but a little longer; that his eel might be saved from falling, 'there a slip might :well mean death, certain destruction; to any chance of access. He cursed. his luck that Th' Owd Un had somehow missed hint in the das'k; for now he must trust to ch'an'ce`, his awn great strength, and his good oak stick.. And as he climbed, he laid his plan:: to rush in on the Killer as he still gorged and grapple with hfm. Ilf in the darkness he missed'—and in that narrow arena the contingency was improbable—the murderer Wright still, in the panic of' he moment, forget the one path to afety and leap over the .Fall. to his estruction. IAt length he reached the' summit nd paused to draw :brealth.'The black aid before him was the Scoop, and 1 its • bosotn-not ten yard's away- must be lying the, Killer and the 11101. He crouched against the wet rock- ce and listened. In that dark sli- ce, poised 'twiet heaven and earth, e seemed a million, miles apart from v No sound, and yet, the•, murderer ust be there. Ay, there was the kle of a dislodged stone; and again, e tread o'E'stealthy 'feet. The Killer was moving; alarmed; was off. Quick. IHe rose to fiis full height; gather - him, and lept. S'onlething collided with him as he rang; something wrestled madly th hint something wrenched from' neath him; and in a clap he heard e thud of a body striking ground below, and the slithering and attering of some creature sllaeed'ing iously down the Elle -side and away. 'Who the ,blazes," roared he. 'W'het the devil ? screamed a lit= voice. The moon shone out. 'Moores"- " . "1\11A'da'nt 1" And there they were still strug- ig over the body of a dead sheep. (To Be Continued.)' A'•DOLLAR'S WORTH Clip this coupon and mail it with$1 for a six weeks' trial subscription THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR 't..' Published by TUE CNoosroAN SOIENCE Prrausnmro SOCIETY Boston, Massachusetts, U. 8. A. In It you will And the dally goad news of the World fromits ase. special writers, as wall as departments devoted to women'.- and children's: Interests, sports, music. 50(0,0, edaeation, radio. etc You w111 be glad to welcome into your home so fearless an advocate of peace and prohibition: And don't miss. snubs, Our Dog, and the Sundial and the other feature,. 0 TBE CnaI0TIAN SCIENCE MCNITOa, Duck Bay Station, Boston, Mass. Please send me a six weeks' trial. subscription.. I enclose one dollar' 151)', (Name. Please print) ;(Address) tTown) - - -- (State)' PROFESSIONAL CARDS Medical DR. H. HUGH ,ROSS, : Physician and Surgeon; Late of London Hos- pital, London, r England. Special attention to diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat Office and reek - deuce behind Dominion Bank. Office Phone' No. 5; Residence Phone 104, DR. F. J. BURROWS, Seaforth, Office and residence, Goderich street, east of the United Church. Coroner for the Cpunty of Huron. Telephone. No. 46. ' DR. F. J, R. FFOIRST.ER—Eye, Bee Nose and Throat. Graduate in Medi- cine, University of Toronto 1817. Late Alssistant New York Ophthal- mic and Aural Institute, M000refield's* 1 Eye, :and Golden' Square throat hoipi bale, London, England. At Comm- ercial 'Hotel, Seaforth, 3rd Monday iii'• each month, from 11 a.m, to 3 p.m., DIR. W. C. S!FROAIT.—'Gradua'te cd' Faculty of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London. Member' of College of Physicians and Sur- geons of Ontario. Office in rear od Aberhart's drug store, Sea'fotlth, . Phone 90. Hours 1.30-4 p.m., 7.30 =9 p.m. Other 'hours by app'ointraemt.. Dental DIR.. J. A. MUN1N, Successor to , Dr. R. R. Ross, graduate of North- western University, Chicago, I11. Li • - centiate Royal College of Dental Sur- geons, Toronto. Office over Sills' hardware, Main. St.,, Seaforth. Phone 151. DR. F. J. BIEOHEL•Y, graduate Royal College of Dental Surgeons, Toronto. Office over W. R. Smith'. grocery, Main St., Seaforbh, Phones, office 1851W, residence 185J. Auctioneer. GEORGE ELIJIIO'TT, Licensed Auctioneer for the Cou tty of Huron. :Arrangements can, be made for Sale. Date at The Seaforth News. Charges moderate and sati'faction guranteed. WATSON AND :REID'S REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY (Succssors to .James 'Watson) MAINN ST., SEAFORTH, O'NT. All kinds of Insurance risks effect- ed atlowest' rates in First -Class. Companies. THE McKILLOP Mutual Fire Ins urante Cor HEAD .OFFICE—:SE'AFORTH, Ons OFFI CE'RS Geo.' R. McCartney, Seaforth - Pres, James 'Connolly, Goderich Vice -/Pres. Merton A. Reid, Seaforth-Sec. - Treas. AGENTS:' W. E. "Hinchley, Seaforth; John Murray, R. R. 3, ,Ses:fort'h; E. R. G. Jarmouth, ` Brodh'agen; James Watt, B'1yth;C. F. Hewitt, Kincardine;- IW+nr, Yeo, Hblmes'ville, DIRECTORS: William Enobc, Londes'horo; George Leonhard t, Brodla a g n, 'James ',Con- nally, Goderic'h; 'Alex, 33road:foot; No. 3, Seforth; Robert Ferris, Blyth; George McCartney, No. 3, Seaforth; John Pepper; Bru•cofield; James 'S'hol- dice, Walton; Thomas Moylan, Ido. 5,, Seaforth. Parties desirous to effect insur aacb or trans'a'ct other business, will be • promptly attended to by applications to any of the above named officers ad- dressed to their respective post ofeces, Asthma ICan he Cured. "Its, suffer- ing is as needless as it 'is terrible to - endure, After its many years' of re- lief of the most s.tu'bifiorn• cases no sufferer can doubt the perfect effect- iveness of Dr, J. D. Kellogg's As- tfinua Rem'edy, ,Comfort of body and peace of mind re'tu'rn with, its use and nights of 'sound, sleep come back for goad'. IA'sk' your druggist; he can su'pply you, Don't keep money in the 1i'ank or anywhere else if you have Bills to `rays Pay .them, This. will pet people... beek ta• work, hasten profperi'ty's ret'urnt.