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

had given him a good supper, and, as it
was Important that he should reach his
destination, in time, had gone into her
bedroom, whence she returned with a
new S. bill, to help him on his way, ard
his fathers silver watch, which she said
might now be of use 70 him.
She had not asked him to remain all
night-probably she feared his meeting
with Bessie in the morning-and, it be-
ing a mild, moonlight night, he had re-
sumed his journey, sleeping q while in
the shed of a wayside blacksmith forge.
This was the account he gave of him
self, in explanation of his possession of
the watch, which later Bessie identified.
Only one person believed him, and
that was Bessie herself. The rest of the
stolen money, people gald, he must have
concealed somewhere along the road.
1t was remembered that he knew of
the secret place where his aunt was ac-
clstomed to keep the keep the key of
her secretary, which accounted for its
being unlocked instead of broken open.
70 strengthen the circumstantial evil
dence against him, his footprints were
of just the size of those found beneath
the window, while the wooden threads
by half a dozen self constituted judges
to correspond with various delapidated
portion of his garments.
Blu the most conclusive evidence
against him was that of Stephen Greer,
who declared that, having remained at
TIE village inn till past nine o'clock on
the evening in question, he had then
started for home, when he had seen a
man corning hastily down through Miss
Phoebe RowelPs orchard from the direc-
ton Of the house. He had a good view
of him in the moonlight, and could take
oath that Robert Steel was the man; and
further, that he had in his hand small
bundle not found upon him when arrest
ed; and that on seeing hun he skulked
in the bushes, apparently e~ndeavoring
to conceal himself-two circumstances
which RoberL positively denied.
1t was in the early Aprll.tEat this trag.
Ical event occurred at the Hillside farm
and the trial of Robert Steel would not
come off for some months.
Meanwhile the little red farmhouse
was deserted, except by David Barnes,
who retained charge of the place; for
Bessie had gone to live with her aunt
in the village.
She ha not visited the Hillside farm
for many weeks since that fatal event.
which had given it an evil name in the
country.
But one day q neiglbor, having so me
business with David Barnes, induced
Bessie to accompany her back to ker
old home.
The place had been bleak anu bare
when she left it in April; but she now
found it in all the luxuria ace OF early
summer; the trees in full foliage, Miss
Ph@be's tavorlte roses and pinks in
bloom, and the garden-walks and flow
er-beis choked up with grass and
weeds
Beneath the window by which the
burglar had entered had sprung up quite
q little wilderness of weeds.
Bessie's companion approached this
spot, in order to get a glimpse, of the
room within. At the same moment q
strong, spicy odor arose from the tram
pied weeds beneath the window.
why, Bessie" she said, in surprise,
II didn't know as you had sweet alys
sum here"
"Is that sweet alyssum?' Bessie an
swered, indiiIerently, looking down at
the delicate little plant. 1 never saw i:
be fore"
"That's odd. l never knew of a bit of
sweet alyssum in this ncighborhood ex
cept what Mrs. Winterby brought from
her sisters last spring. Mebbe she gave
Miss Phoebe some OF the seeds. AT any
rate, IN take away a hprout. Dear,
dear, what a lot of EN- there Is %springing
among the grass! and here's one
growing in the moss and dirt in the
corner of the window sill. The wind
must a'blown 'em here, Pm think
ing"
Bessie made no reply, and she was
unusually silent on her way home. The
circumstance had set her thinking.
She knew that Miss Phoebe had never
had any seed of sweet alyssuln. How,
then, came it to be growing on the
place? From the scattered manner in
which it grew the seed must have been
dropped acci'enta ly, and on the sill of
that very window by which the burglar
had entered the house. She knew, she
felt in her innocent heart, that Robert
Steel had never crossed that whidow
sill. Who, then, had left that mysteri-
II trace to rise up in silent accusation
against him."
Restless and agitated. Bessie slept
none that night. The next morning,
before the sun was fairly risen, found
her on her way to the Farmers Rest.
1t was q distance of some five or more
miles, yet she thought not of fatigue as
she steadily tramped along the lonely
road through the increasing heat. She
had invented q little business errand to
Mrs. Winterby, and on her arrival, hav-
ing dispatched this, she adroitly turned
the subject to the garden, OF which she
knew the laDdlady TO be so proud. OF
was n~otlong ere she described,,the plot of
sweet alyssum of which she had heard.
THAT'S the only sweet asylum in this
part of the country, Mrs. Wlnterby OBJ
served proudly. It's a very skeerce
yarb and powerful sweet smelling. l
dare say you never saw any of it be.
fore, Bessie?"
"Only once" Bessie sale in answer. "I
the seed?"
Swell, I hadn't any to speak in the
spring-not more'n a thimble full that l
got from my sister Lampkin down
south. Mrs. Lawson wanted some pow
erful bad, and l did send her a little
how it was growing she said she never
got it. I'll have plenty to give away
this fall, and you're welcome to some, If
you want it Bessie. It's a nice thing to
have ina garden, smellin' 80 sweet of
an evening, and some folks like it put
away in a clothes press. 1t keeps away
moths, I've heerd.
I'll be glad to have some, I'm sure"
said Bessie, adding: It's a pity Mrs.
Lawson didn't get her seeds. Who did
you send them by?"
by Stephen Greer, one evening
when he stopped just outside the fence
here; while I was fixing my flower beds.
He asked what l was planting, and
when ! said sweet alyssum, he said he'd
never heard of it but once, when Mrs.
Lawson was wishing for some, because
it used to grow in her mothers garden.
So then l gave him a plnch, and he
dropped 'em in his weskit pocket, care