The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-05-14
arernd the room, slipped in

nv t Wv vi IL. aDuJ, YOU StC---.
Stop that" he growled; for. as he APP
preached me, / recovered myself a
little, and gave a good loud scream.
Quick as thought he had his hand
over my mouth, holding my chin and
nose in such a that l was
nearly suffocated, then he gave me a
shake, saying:
"If you do that again, I'll pay you
out, you little fool! There-she is 60
ing to be nice and quiet now, amt
she? A picterof good behavior, Icalls
her!"
Talking thus, he gagged me dexter
ously with some OF my work-which,
however, waspleasanter than his hand
ugh, that ugly grimy hand!-on my
mouth. and then producing some cord
from his pocket, and in a minute or
two ] was--poor feeble thing-bound
hand and foot in my chair.
He grinned at me as he remarked:
Nov, you know. sducky, l wouldn't
have served you SO if you'd have the
sense to keep quiet. l never could
bear to be rough to the ladies-never!
But time is short, and you might have
been hard to persuade; SO perhaps it
is the best way. after all.
While speaking thus, the fippant
rascal kept running his eyes around
our neat little room. | read disdain
i'll his glance, and at that moment a
suspicion darted into my mind that
he had come with the object OF steal
ing some OF Ned's work-perhaps the
jeweledbracelets which then were I'M
der my feet. With this thought there
came to me a firm resolve to save my
brother such a loss, ifIpossibly could;
ay, even though | had to endure tor
lures, | would not speak. l set my
teeth hard and watched the man. His
wandering glances soon reverted to me.
'Look here, dear, if Iloosen this
cloth a bit, and you take breath, will
you speak to me nicely? Only don't
scream again. 1t makes me quite
nervous to hear you scream, and can't
do no good" How we'll l knew that,
in a back room in a quiet street,
"There, amt it much more comfort
notwithstanding hecloth. "TeH me
now, popsy, your brothers got some
valuables here, amt he?"
/ shook my head.
ooh, but he has, so you needn't Jog
your noodle like that. Better tell me
where he's put them. 1t will save lots
OF time, and bes more pleasant for
you"
But / only shook my head the more.
"Did you ever see SIGH stubborness?"
muutered the fellow, tying up my
mouth again. ~ am afeerd l shall
have to make youspeak directly. But
l never like to be unkind to the ladies,
unless they drive me to it-oh, neverll"
Saying this he began an examination
as I suppose, would be described by a
PROFESSIONAL as the "best styles"
anyway, his movements were charac-
terized by extraordinary celebrity.
Within q few minutes he had gone to
the bottom OF every drawer and box
in the room, and also turned out the
sofa bedstead where Ned slept at night.
A pretty litter he made OF it ALL But
he had not yet discovered the secret
of my footstool. Can any one mag
inc what Iendured as l sat there, help
less a a poor little Chinese ''joss,"
the cold perspiration Of fear on my
forehead, while Iasked myself: what
will the fellow do next?"
He turned round while proceeding
with the search and, looking at me,
said:
"Hallo, Poppet, how pale you are!
Amt going to faint, are you? Oh!
don't faint, for J. shall want youto
talk to me a bit. I'll open the. win
dow and give you a mouthful OF fresh
air. This room is precious close"
He went TO ttle window-the window
which dear Ted had cautioned me not
t otouch that neutrality-suspicious. the
catch and Would have let down the
upper part; but he was saved the
trouble, for, the cord being broken,
down, quick AS "a shot, came the win.
dow, and, asluck would have it, caught
his eight fingers tight between the up
per and middle frames.
The pain and the shock must have
been dreadful, the window-frame being
a wide and very heavy one. Heuttered
a howl, then kicked frantically; but
all was in vain. There he stood, with
hands held aloft, caught in as nice a
trap as could have been devised for an
evil-door.
Then he glanced at me, and, the
sight Of me, ''pictero OF good behavior"
that l was, must have filled his soul
with remorse, since through his own
act 1 was rendered powerless to assist
him. He whined, however.
Cant, you help me?"
AS it was impossible for me willingly
to look on while a fellow-creature
suffered such anguish as | knew he
must be enduring, | used every effort
to get free, but vainly. He had tied
me too firmly for that. He took to
kicking again, and began to swear
horribly. May l never again hear
such language as l was forced to
listen to that afternoon.
His hands soon swelled, and I saw
some drops Of blood trickle slowly
down the panes, the rings he wore on
his dirty fingers having been forced IN
to his flesh. The piercing air, which
rushed in freely through the
wide apartment, must have greatly
aggravated his suffering. 1 know Twas
nearly frozen. And all this time the
American clock on the mantelpiece
kept ticking off the moments tran
GULLY, as though to assure me that
time could not be hurried into a quick
err pace by any consideration ofhuman
distress.
1unaSl1 Wiat wv Bouis III suCL ~
situation meant for both of us! l
think the poor wretch at the window
tainted; but the horrible dragging OF
his body on his poor manned hands
reused him directly. Trembling with
cold and commiseration,I sat watch
ing him, the tears rolling down my
cheeks. Oh, why had l refused Ted's
kind proposal to send Cousin Milly to
me? Why had l been so captious
about her dear little baby? Better a
room full of babies, all doing their