The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-05-24

sN". 'A"AiioL ildu totu Hiui Sne WanteQ n0tl-
ing Aore 10 do with him, and he had had
the good sense to give her up.
Idaresay a good many people would have
gone to where the girl lived, and found out
for themselves what they wanted to know,
but Cherry and l are bld-fashioned folks
rather slow-m!nded, pefhaps,-and it never
occurred to us. We knew that Ralph would
Bring her to see us soon, and one Saturday
ne said he was going off to see her and, If
she could get away, he would bring her back
with him the next day. She couldn't for
he came back without her and rather down.
hearted we fancied; but she was to COME
the next week. her mistress had given her
leave and had been very kind to Ralph, and
entertained him quite no iIi,ably.
There had been something n little UNI
plcasan; b. tween HIM and Harriet which
account u for his low spirits. The otlei.
man had been hailgin about her again, and
she had irsatcd il lightly and as if it were a
geo iake, in,tead of life and death TO the
lad Who lovcd her so seli.
She's a heariless tussy, if she's playing
fast and loose with my boy" Cherry said,
WHEN he had told us about 1t, Il shan't like
her, Ralph, l an sure of it,
"Oh, yes, you will. mother DEAR he said.
mo II can help loving my Harriet, she's
prettier than any IN you ever saw,
mother; she's like All angel.'
"Handsome is that handsome does,n
Cherry said, and she was right good looks
aren't everything, and Ralph would have
fonnd it so if-but I'm getting Oil too fast.
there's q deal to be told yet about Harriet
Belt. She didn't come on Sunday, and
Ralph wts in a dreadful way. Something
had happened 10 her, lie was sure, and moth
Ing would do but THAI lie must go eff the
| very first th!ng on Monday morning 10 in
quire. The squire WIS very kind aid let
| him go: he was in love himself once upon a
time, and said, and understood how it was
| with Ralph.
"He won't do any worS,n ne said to me.
| and laughed; VI don't Want everything turn
ed upside down because his head is some
where else. He'll do all the better when he
| comes back"
But he didn't, poor fellow; things were
ten times Worse. lie brought back terrible
news. Harriet was missing; nothing had
been seen of her for three days, aud the i'm
preston was that she had run off with
Ralph. Her mistress said that they had
been there in the cleaning tle very day
that they lost her, and that they had
been met together a couple of miles or so OH
the road towards Squire Inconsistencies
place. Ralph told her he had not been any.
where near the place on that evening, but
he said she did not seem to believed him, and
they came to quite angry words about it be-
fore he came home. She declared that she
did not want to see Harriet aguin-she was
Al ungrateful hussy, and deserved anything
that might happen to her. 1t was very odd,
and in the midst Of my wondclment I sud
denly remembered that Ralph had beer
away from home all that evening and fal
into the night, and had come bar'i moody
and quiet, and had said nothing of where he
had been.
you were out, laddie," l said, ION tina
evening""
II wasn't there, father he replied, mo,
anywhere near it"
Where We're you"
Idon't know what made me ask him thu
question; l had a queer sense that all was
not right somehow, and he didn't seem te
relish it at all.
II was making 4 fool of myself" he said,
shortly. "1'm thankful 1 didn't find the
person l wanted to see; there'd have beer
murder perhapsm
"Murderm
JUST utat. Iallier. l was looking forJeT
Hackitt-yon don't know him. but that's the
fellow that has so nearly taken my girl from
me. think l have got over it now, but ]
should like to have taken him by the throat
and shaken him the other night, when ]
thought of what Harriet told me on Sun.
day."
Then he wasn't at homc?s"
no" ..s
"And you didn't see him?n
NO" .
"Im glad of it" I said. Its always a
bad thing when there is i'll blood between
Two Young fellows; as you say, Ralph, il
leads to murder sometimes. DON'T go after
him again, my Liable satisfied that yo,
have the best of it; If ii is the best u add
ed to myself, for | hal my doubts of it, and
should have been Just as well pleased il
Jem Hackitt had been going to marry liar.
riet Belt.