The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-10-12

never murdered Miss Ph9bew said Bes-
sic, standing erect, speaking with such
trm and imost exulta mt emphasis that
the landlady was startled.
Then she took a hasty leave and hur-
ried homeward, flushed, excited and
with an occasional sobbing exclamation
of THANK God!" on her trembling lips.
Oh, blessed little plant, appearing in
that fatal window like an accusing angel,
to clear the innocent and point out the
guilty!
And with this thought in her heart,
she hurried straight to the lawyer who
had been chosen as Robert Steel's coun-
| sci.
We have but little more to add to this
true story. Following up the clue so
fortunately, so almost wonderfully Of
fered, a clearer case of circumstantial
evidence was made out against Stephen
Greer than had served against Robert
| Steel.
On hearing the whole, Stephen in or
der to defend himself against the charge
of murder, voluntarily pleaded guilty to
that of burglary.
He had, it is said, On that.fatal evening
remained in the village With some friend.
until about 8 o'clock, when, starting
homeward, he had been led by jealousy
to turn a little out of the way to satisfy
himself whether his rival, Robert Steel,
was really Al the farm house.
he had seen a light in the kitche~1
window and another in that O. Miss
Ph1be's room. CHANGING through the
latter as he passed, his attention was "a
rested by seeing in old lady at ar open
secretary drawer, unrolling a bill from a
large number of bank notes. which she
then proceeded to replace in a lutte in .
ner drawer, and locking it, hung the
key on q nail behind the ec.atary and
left the room.
dow, he saw her talking earnestly to a
young man. as the latter sat at the table
eating; and it instantly occur red to him
that there would be a good opportunity
of helping himself to the money, the
sight OF which had excited his cupidity.
Cautiously raising the sash, inch bv
inch, he stepped through the window,
unlocked the drawer ard possessed
himself Of the roll Of bank notes. All
this had taken considerable time, and
meanwhile Robert Stee! must have left;
for, as he was in the act Of shutting the
drawer Miss Phoebe appeared at the
open doorway and instantly darted for
ward an | seized him as he ~endeayored
to escape.
a struggle took place and to compel her
to relax the hold he had seized her by
the throat; but he firmly protested that
he had nc thought or intention of injur-
ing her, He wished to escape unrecog-
nized. and when she staggered toward
the bed he had hastily effected his re.
treat through the window, catching his
clothing on a nail as he sprang to the
ground. 1t was in his LAY that the seeds
were scattered which had now arisen
from the ground in silent evidence
against him.
Stephen Greer was sentenced to a
long term in states prison. When at the
end Of those weary wears he came forth
a free man, Hillsdale was one of the
most prosperous little farms in the coun-
try, and Farmer Steel and his wife,
Bessie, as happy a middle aged couple
as could be met with, while a family oil
stalwart sons and comedy daughters
We're growing up around them.
There was a fine garden at Hillsdale,
stocked with rare and beautiful flowers,
but it was observed that among these the
simple and unpreterding sweet alyssum
seemed always the favorite with Bessie.
Susan Archer Weiss. @