The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-10-22
STEPHENS REVENGE.

Chic ago s.ews.
Anywhere else she would have beer
called Maud, but Smoketon peopl.
were too busy making money to pa,
psoper attention to diphthongs, SO BY
them she Was simply called mod"
Mod 'ssurname was Bangs, The vow
81 OF which was unduly prolonged by
the Smoketonians. as her diphthonl
was unjnstly shortened. There was
nothing visibly heroic about Mod.
She was the eldest daughter of q
Smoketon operative, teaching in one
OF the Smoketon public schools. She
was small and slender, awkward in
person and movements, with pro-
truding forehead, lifeles ookingsandy
han, and small,.dull, unexp xpressive
Stephen Dare was not bad fellow
especiallysln his own opinion. Hewas
handsome young giant, with a frank,
s merry face, usually obscured by a
cloud Of SCOT; for Stephen, though
only twenty-five years old, was a
'sbosss at Browns mill. the largest
nail millin Smoketon. He was we'll
of, too-very wealthy for place
whose richest men only counted by
tens Of thousands; SO it was not won
derful, perhaps, that he was much
petted d5and spoiled by the Smoketon
1asses.
The Eleventh Ward School House
was on Stephens direct way home
from work. and, as Mod always re-.
s nlained there until g o'clock to study,
4 Stephen had gotsin the habito of calling
for her; and thence, one September
afternoon, they were walking home to-
gether, when they first met Myra
Tracy
By jiaksis amt she a. daisy?" ex-
claimed Stephen, recovering his breath
and his Smoketon vernacular when
i the vision was gone. .tShe's awfully
swell, but I bet You We got as much
money, every time. Look here Mod,
don't tell anybody, but wouldn't t
mind marrying that girli''
Whether she'd have you or not,
suppose?"
"Have mel She'd be lucky to get
me poor as church. mouse. She'd
jump at me, Iknowl" &
Stephen was more in earnest than
Mod supposed.
It was a difficult matter to obtain
an introduction to Miss Tracy, and
when he asked permission to call the
Eirl hadsno as she said afterward, suf-
ticient presence aof mind to refuse.
Myra, indeed, was profoundly amused
at herself and scarcely less so at Ste
phen. The handsome, illiterate young
giant was Q new type TO the highbred,
cultured = iladelphian; and, though
she considered flirting very unlady-
like proceeding, her esthetic interest
was sufficiently visible to afford
Stephen oil the encouragement he
needed. When Stephen, at last, ask
ed Myra to be his wife, and was re-
jected with n naughty surprise which
she could not quite conceal, it was
Mod who was the least astonished.
Stephen believed ne understood the
whole matter perfectly, for it was, in
fact the presence Of Champ Preston
IN Smoketon which had hurried him
on to q declaration.
Along, lazy, tow-headed fool" was
his tGrse description sof the all-con-
iqnering Champ, whose soft voice,
handsome face. languid elegance OF
manne-, i5o1 to speak of his attrac.
tions IN the way Of stocks, bonds and
landed property, had for several sea.
sons made him the lion of Eastern So
ciety. He had been abroad at the
time OF Mr. Tracy's death
Immediately Upon his return he fol
lowed Myra to Smoketon, where, he
icoolly informed her, it was his inten.
tion to biveuac with the aborigines
until she was ready to be married and
return with him to civilization.
Myra readily allowed herself to be
persuadefl. Smoketon was more dis
tasteful to her than ever since Stephen
lad taken his dismissal in such vehe.
mently bad part.
The wedding day arrived at last-a
warm February morning, pouring
withsrain. Indeed, it had rained for
/ two days sover all the surrounding
country. The river was unusually
high, and the Smoketon Trumpet had
already warned its readers to expect
afiood.
Mod had reason to fear that Ste.
pllen intended to do some injury to
his successful rival. She knew he had
bought o evolyer, and she saw him
going to the railway station on the
morning Of the wedding rs if olie in
wait for the bridal party. She fol
loved him and found him there.
Stephen she said, holding his
eyes with hers, "they willnot leave to-
day The river is rising; all Smoke
ton is under water and the people are
drowning. Come with me and save