The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-09-19
KING OF NEUCES COUNTY.


1t was a winter night; winter not only
by appointment of the almanac, but by
the more potent authority OF the fierce
"norther," that raiding wind of the
Sierras, thatshrieked wildly through the
streets, battering i'll its loud, hectoring
way, at shutters and doors, as if de-
mandmg admission apon penalty, bully
ing and tormenting the helpless trees
as if it would at once and forever make
m end of them, catching the unresist-
ing rain in its strong CLUTCH whipping
it against the windows and walls, and
driving it through 1000 unsupported
crevices-a sort of Goliath of Gath
wind, that roared up and down through
the camp, daring the wholehostto come
out and battle with it.
Of the few unfortunates whom cir
cumstances compelled to meet this rude
challenger the omnibus Of the Island
City hotel held two, just arrived by the
train from some indefinite region to the
northward, ard continuing in thisperil-
Gus manner their journey toward rest
and shelter. They were of opposite sex,
the mana hurley, black-bearded person,
with black eyes that glowed beneath the
shadow of his broad brimmed hat with
a fire scarcely inferior to that of the i'm
posing diamond upon his shirt front.
He sat squarely in the middle of the
seat, with M arm stretched along its
back, nursing a heavily booted foot up
on one knee, and complacently thread
ing the fingers of his brown hairy hand
through his thick beard. The woman,
whom wen the uncertain light of the
Intellectual lamp showed to be young
and attractive, was buttoned from the
throat to ankle in an all enveloping
waterproof, but her hat was q stylish
affair of felt, trimmed with a handsome
plume; and q muff of rich dark fur,
which reposed upon her lap, united its
testimony to that of the Russian leather
travelling satchel upon the favorable
side of the question as to her fortune
and social standing.
She sat with her back as nearly turn
ed upon her fellow traveller as the con-
struction of the vehicle would allow,
gazing fixedly out of the front window,
where the Pickering rays of the drivers
lamp showed her the wet backs and
dropping ears of the horses. Her posi-
ton afforded an admirable view of
the solidly coiled braids of hair, with a
fringe of little unpredominated curIs,
that fell from beneath them upon a
slender well-moulded neck, which the
black bearded man seemed to find pleas
ing.
The omnibus labored heavily for
ward in the gale, which had laid its
lash of raindrops sharply across the
closed glasses. All ut once, with a
fearful lurch, it came to a momentary
stand, hesitating apparently upon the
verge of catastrophe; while the flicker
ing ray CLEANED brokonly upon the
agitated surface of a body Of water of
undetermined extent. The young lady
started up, grasping her satchel, and
looking about her for some means of
escape.
Don't be frightened, ma'am," said
her fellow traveller in q deep bass
voice. Gust fordin' one of the city
ponds; keep your seat"
"Is there no danger? The driver
hasn't gone into the gulf by mistake,
you think?" painted she in q sweet tre-
mulous treble.
ooh, no; we're all right. I'll be dog
goned if the omnibus oughten to be a
schooner rugged, tho, or tho city ought
er keep ferries on their lakes. They
never know whether they're afloat or
ashore in this town. I'll be logged eff
I'd live in itef they'd give me tn hol'
layout"
The numbering vehicle resumed it's
dark and painless way, the young wom-
al sank into her seat and the burly
nan into silence, still combing his
whiskers with his brown hand, and
nursing the heavy foot on his knee.
Here we are" he said cheerfully, as
with a final lurch, and o jolt, the ark
rested, and gathering his valise in one
hand, and laying the other upon the
door, he seemed to dive headlong into
space. AS the young woman timidly
followed, however, she saw that he was
waiting for her, his figure indistinctly
outlined against q luminous doorway,
opening into a huge, square shadow,
which she guessed rather than saw to
be q hotel.
cts mos too wet for them there shoes
of yourn, /" he said by way ofexplanation,
and without further speech he cast an
arm about her waist, and crossing in
two strides the intervening strip of
water and sand, set her down upon the
gallery in front OF the open door.
A waiter pounced upon them, and
taking the satchel and valise INTO one
hand as if satisfied that they belonged
together, led the way to the ladies par
lor.
Here's a fire." said the burly man;
"come set by it and warm you'se'f. You
must be pretty nigh froze."
She yielded quietly, though with a
little air of reserve, to his direction, and
accepted the chair he placed for her be-
fore the open fire, which was doing its
inefficient best to warm the large empty
room. She looked like a ac-
customed to being taken care of, one
toward whom every man would natural
~ experience the protective impulse,
and her present self-elected guardian
regardedher With a N expression at once