The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1888-05-18
scs-s, and ! started at once in the direo-

ing my step, he turned, and recognizing,
1t, came to meet mo. lie seemed to for
get the danger of making a false step.
and advanced with eager quiciinss-@ Nt.Is
whole body partakina the Expression of
anxiety imprinted ia his features.
rs hY',d, Ihornc!" he called.
Yes" l replied.
"What has happenedg"
l waited until | got up to him, then
putting my hand on his shoulder, / said:
- nave bad iews far ypa, Van Hoeck,"
He trenah!ei yioleh,,y nhdss, MY hahd.
and opened his lips to s1}s3k, Eat iS sound
came: Ms cord{.i6n MAS pitiab!e, and to
keep him no ionger in suspense. / said.
90 ave lost it. 1t has been taken from
mo"
who has taken it," he asked, in n
thick, husky voice.
81 cannot say. l could not see The
man who robbed me-.
He was silent fer a time, and then his
feelings found expression, at first iii eSe-
Grafton then in i~ncoheroht Sentences.
broken up with World of Dutch where
the English tongue failed to give sutfi-
Gent force to his anger and mortifica-
tion. He assailed me with every kind
OF lnvectlve, accused me of cowardice, of
completely in robbing him, Of I know
not what baseness md ieartlessnessln-
deed, it seemed as though the bleM Mad
deprived him of reason for a moment.
AT length, witen His passion was some
what exhausted, he said:
l And what is your ~defepce?pi
l took his arm, and m I leo him ND
the hill toward tGee crossroads, l went
oyer t!.e story once more. When / was
telling him how Lola had come to by
rescue, he STONED me,
THAT is a lie" he sai1; afor she has
been With t,e.o
"ihipossible!" I exclaimed.
impossible, according to your story,
but it is the truth for all that. l got off
the path, and could not find my way
back. She led me to a road-Godknows
where!-and left me-"
"Whenl"
"How can Itell7 The night has been
al age"
"Grantihg she led you for an hour
aud you would scarcely suffer her to
lead you longer-that would allow her
to return to th5 abbey, and come to my
rescue Ill the time l speak Of"
"Have it as you will; it makes no diff
ference now. She got me out of the
way, and that was her object in being
there. Go on"
L came to tile end OF MY narrative, and
then suggested that the theft might be
traced to one of the servants.
Anything to shield Brace" he said,
bitterly: and then, stamping his foot, he
added, "You knoec he took it,
1t was useless reasoning with him in
his present condition.
'Gou stand convicted by vour own
statement he continued; what crdir-
airy thief would be focl enough, having
obtained the diamond, to Wait there,
risking discovery and jeopardizc his own
Gfe--for the sake of b~utchcring you? If
Brace was the thief, such 4 thing is pos
siblei FOR lie must kill both you and me
70 profit by the possession of the diamond.
Where is he now"
"With Lola. in the woods looking for
you"
"What2 alreadym he exclaimed. in
alarm. VIE is losing no time. Where
are the woods?'
I'VE are in them now,"I replied, for
we had passed the crossroads.
He stopped short. Shaking off my
hand, ne muttered, in a tone of dread:
Are you three hunting together"
"Be reasonable, Van Hoeck," | said.
II am" he replied; "lenve me here"
made no reply; and we stood therein
the middle of the road, he quaking with
fear and turning his head from side to
side to catch the sound that might con-
firm his fears. He looked like a hunted
beast, that knows not which way to es-
cape the hounds.
whats that" he asked, under his
breath quickly. '.There's someone on
the road. It's his step. If you have any
mercy, a V me from him."
While l was turning to look up the
road To coo If bis faars xva,,a ;,,,t;Hal L.,
CROPPED about until he caught hold of my
arm.
l had heard no sound, but his finer
sense YVES not at fault. On the brow of
the hli-which we We're now descending
stood the gaunt figure of Brace. The
light OF the rising sun shone upon him,
but we stood in the shadow of the wood,
where the mist still hangover the sodden
earth.
81 do not hear him: where is he now?r
Van Hoeck whispered.
HE is standing on the hill. a couple of
hundred yards behind us. He does not
see u.s."
IF we could but get to the abbey,
Forget what | said, Thorne. Have pity
on me-" he murmured.
What do you want me, to do?"
Lead me back to the abbey. If es
cape from that man now, l may protect
myself after"
j saw no possible reason for refusing
compliance with this request. and. tax
ing his arm, | led him along that side OF
the road where the shade was deeper.
But, before we had gone ~ dozen yards,
q shrill whoop rang through the echoine
woods to Il right, and Van Hoeck again
stopped. l looked in vainovcr the brake
for Lola, whose cry l recognized; but,
glancing up the road, 1 perceived tia,
the Judge had heard the signal, and wa
coming after us. At the samo moment
Van Hoeck, starting forward, cried:
"Quick, q%nick--lle sees us-he is com.
ing down upon us!' and then, after an
other dozen yards, 'do you want him 10
overtaie us that you stick to this cursed
road?"
81 am looking for a path; we canno,
push through the brake" I replied.
CHANGING over my shoulder, l saw tn.
Judge, his shoulders bent forward, his
arms swinging from side to side, bearing
down upon us with long strides, and
rapidly diminishing the distance between
us.
"He is gaining upon us. How Ear arc
we from the abbey" asked Van Hoec,s.
Nearly two miles; we will run for it,
if you like"
We ran for some distance. Again
looking back, | saw the Judge still piod.
ding on, with the same Rhythmic swing
Of his long arms. Running had given H..
no sensible advantage: Van Hoeck's ca,
told him this. Drops Of moisture stood
on his ivid face, the result of terror
rather than excrtion.
There is no one in sight-no one we
can call to for help?' he asked.
one. l see a footpath through
the wood; if you think that will be safer"
YES, yes-anything is better than this
oped road!'
We took the path l had caught sight
of. 1t was a good sound bridle-way, o V
cred with short turf; we ran along noise
lessly. The angle we made shut off the
view from the road. Brace could not
cut off the corner without getting en-
tangled in the underground of bricrs in
terwoven with the tall brake.
lie must follow in our steps 10 over.
take US. The danger lay in the straight
ness OF the path; which kept the view
open from the road. Our escape depend
ed upon our finding It by-path that nigh,
deceive him as to the course we had TAX
en-. eSplojnrl This In Van Hnark N. NJ