The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-06-05

and friendesS amid suspicion, GROWN
prejudice, avertei faces, whispered lies an
| back of all these stood the being on earth
most loved, transformed at once from n
angel of mercy into an Implying and mi
taken judge
These were my thoughts for days an
nights They were my company--a nunlei
GUS and busy crowd They were kept aliv
by tn, frequent sight of Blanche abou
Pratts cabin Mine was but three hundre'
yards distant. she had house put up 70
her own accommodation For assistants sh
had every man on the Bar--save myself.
The crowd was absolutely hungry to d.
something for Miss Seftou The area oil
which her cloth-roVered house was erected
alongside of Pratt'S, was leveled as If by
magic If Miss Seton wished "A bowlder
pitched out of the way they were ready ant
liable TO remove q hundred Volunteer
went up the mountain, cut young sapling
and built her n fence. Pratts well va
cleaned and deepened
Fifty mon with picks and shoves clear Vt thu
trail lending from her residence to the store o
intcrcepting bushes AM impeding powders
one evening after knocking OF work from
tho claims, physical inference that in THEN
estimation, Mis- Seton would probably want
often to 'go shopping or possibly droT
down OF an evening and have a chat with
the boys If Mss Seton had desired the
enormous bulk of Scrub mountain to I've re
moved, | think the matter would have beer
seriously considered In all this Mr.. VIII
liam Setter was the lady's scIE-consttutod
right hand mau and even while working on
his claim would be seized with spa,m of anN
ioty and solicitule in her behalf, anl rush ~
10 Pratt'S in n chronic state of fuss about
and-do-littcnns
Why did ! not seek nm interview with
Blanche aud CaleayoT to Justify myself
did make the attempt, or rather paved the
way for one owel her thrc, hundred dol
lars sent her the money with interest
due, through Rankin explaining to him tie
circumstances under which the debt was con
tractcd This Of course, let Rankin into u
portion of my secret Fortunately, he was a
man who could keep secrets. lie realized
that there was money in this kind OF hankina
also, ana that cash and confidence often g
together
His manner toward me in this business wa
serious and considera'c He seemed TO re
spcnt the burden he knew | WIS carrying
md he was one Of the few with a mind in
herently judicial that demanded clear proc
before any conviction.
| felt for while relieved after having in
trusted this commission 10 Rankin lie sal
to me nothing of the Pratt matter But
thoughts can be felt, knew that he sympa
thizei TO some extent with my lonesome ana
miserable situation
Blanche sent back, through Rankin, only
formal receipt for the money To my re-
quest for an interview she made the follow
ing reply;
81 would prefer not to SEQ you under thu
present circumstances
BLANCHE SETON
SO matters went or FOR eight or ten days
Broener continued absent Did | find any
consolation in the thought that he might b..
miserable in not finding Blanche at Marys
ville' But what Blanch', His or-mina. !
was about to say, Tn, man hti been so reti
cent on the subject, and Bnn' he herself bein2
harInetirally sealed against ne, | was still i
doubt whether the w11aai next door was Tn
one | had seen IN the play ~ not
could not visit the store Thai was M,
place for M. Ny work mt the Bank wa
quite done kept at work on the riyelI
claim making six or eight dollars per day
TO which wa. perfectly Indifferent Worse
my position while at Worl, gave ire frequen
gllmpSeS Of blanche as she fitted in her nca
morning dress between her own house anc
Pratts She was a rare spectacle to tn,
miners whose claims commando view o
the situation. | saw them at times pecpins
at her from llndry vantage points, a sh'
tripped about, displaying at times aslipperet
foo, and neat ankle, which cahsed many
hcary sigh
Why not write her. ! did write hcr--pag,
On page, telling the whole story, detailing al
the misery OF my situation, upbraidng he
for her injustice and cruelty, and beseechin'
nor for n personal interview But there wa
no local postohlco delivery on Bull Bar |
Rankin WINS the only one to whom 1 coulc
Intrust these letters That would reveal IN,
Ia him too much the s,Ippliant SO | woulc |
keep tho letters ! re-reni them | found |
then. one too harsh throw it in the fire |
The next was too humble, too supplicating |
threw tina. in the iirc Within twenty -foul
hours after writing, and the mood | com |
posed in had cooled or FCouid not find on,
Df the right tone and temper. There seemed |
no hitting the golden mean" SO they al |
went in the fire On tho whole am dispose, |
@ think Tint as good destination n any to |
,opouS and cxuberaut love beforehand. liii, |
mine, before delivery If you don't think ;,
read your own, say three years old and looI |
the self that wrote them al that time siraigh |
in the face, AMI tell mo your deilberat, |
opinion Of hi'n
From Rankin aSccrtaricI that Pratt la
most Of the time in a condition bordering o,
lnconsciousncss Tie had, he said, ''lit up |
little ON Blnnrhns arrival She, he added |
was bully nurse"
What docs tho doctor say of himr
lsIrL
"Oh, something scientific" he answered |
Something HI, learned ont Of his books tina |
nobody can make head nor tail of. Look
profound to match, especially when he taka
his whisky It's biz-hN, you know
1t was CLEAN nf sun'hinl that Rankin |
had resumed this vein OF talk with me-"
One morning found pinned to my door
note withou, signature, bearing these words |
Better leave Bull Bar Trouble brewing
for YOU"
! felt that this was friendly warning |
from Rlnklu felt, also, 1t portenled som,
secret "vlglante' business regarding my
self
What to do knew not This was a newer
blacl,ncsS to the c,oud ! was greatly dis |