The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1890-04-04

trst!'
In her agitation she. betrayed. her
feelings as shs had never dono before.
l caught her II, my arms:
And il ! should 60 will you let them
force YOU to marry him?" l cried.
"Nayf' she answered. firmly. with
her beautiful, serious eyes fixed full on
mine. They could never force me.
Sec horem She placed her little hand
in me. I'm no wife for you, but 1 love
you, dear, and for your sake I'll go
single to my grave"
Tho moon had risen higher now and
hor light made all things visible,
Scarcely had tho words left Lizzie's
lips, when With n cry of rage a man
sprang from among the pines, and
made rs If to seize her. Instinctiyely,
as l recognized Ben, l flung her round
beyond his reach. and placed myself
before her. That movement saved INV
life.
Fof, on the instant, tho report of a
gun was heard, aud old Ron Allen,
with M ~agonized cry, fell dead before
us; while Liz, with y wild screum of
horror. dropped on her knees beside
him,
/ stood. for one brief second, be-
wildcred. horror-str;cScn, then darted
away in tho direction whence the shot
had been fired. Tho crashing of tho
under brush, rs under tho feet Of somc-
one in full flight, guided me. In
among the pines l picked up q gun,
whose warm and still smoking barrel
showed that it had been tho murdcrer's
weapon, but found not him who had
fired it. So, after n hasty, fruitless
search, l returned TO the sccno of
death. where I found, despite the lone
ly spot and latencss OF the hour, a
crowd had already collccted-rough,
uncouth fellows; wood-cutters and
charcoal burners. and the like, all
sworn friends and comrades Of the
Aliens, and natural enemies of all men
richer than themselves. They received
me with n howl of loathing.
"Hero's the murderer. Seize him,
boys! The gun is in his hand" 1t was
Jim who spoke, Lizzie's rcputed cous-
in. looked around for her, but she
was gone.
l was seizod. of course, without be-
ing allowed to say q word. and hustled
TO the neighboring town-a rough, wild
place, ut best. but | was glad to get
shere, for that was n rough, wild ride
that led to l., with such rude escort.
among the pines.
l had laughed contcmptuously to
myself, at first, over the accusation
mAde against nc. l knew Liz could
prove my innocence with n word. But
the matter began to look far more SER
ious when | learned that tho girl could
not be found.
Jim Allen, the foul traitor. swore
that he had Jcen me fire, and that Liz
ras nowhere near us at the timc, and
81 score of vindiotivc voices cried out
tnat I had come from among the pho
trees with the gun still In my hind,
and that tho gun was minc'
1t was so, indced-the weapon that
had lost, and that now appeared in
fatal evidence against me
Liz could have saved me, but Liz
was gone; and greater than my anxiety
over my w possible fate was the tor
turing fear Of what might have bcfallen
her.
They pro Jed that / had loved tho
backwoods beauty. They dared to cast
II slur on the fair fame of tho girl /
lovcd-pure MS the %proudest lady In the
land she was!-in order to show that
there was angry blood between me and
her father. l rose in my place TO bear
witness to her purity.
you vic slandcrcrt'' | cried to Jim
Allen, "if ever I leave this accurscd
place, and find her, Liz of the Pines
shall be MY wife,
of hate.
You will never leave this place
a%live!'' no said.
l began to think that he spoke the
truth. The bitterness, the haste, tho
prejudice which they brought to bear
upon my trial, left me no room for hope
of justice. The circumstantial evil
dcncc was terrible, and q verdict of
guilty SEEMED almost n foregonc con-
clusion.-when suddenly there stag.
gered into the courtroom a pale, worn,
hagga,d woman. who fcll-with a
moan Of angu'sh-prone at the judges
fcet.
No Dnc kneii her. An officer came
forw&rd to tai e the wretched, ragged
creature away. Then, as he lifted the
scnselcss forn, the head fell back-a
miserable boz act dropped from it
down tumbled \ mass of magnificent,
long, black hair, and in an instant we
recognized-ll Ing apparently dead be-
fore us-Liz O! the Pincs!
All was immediate confusion. Idon't
know how l got to her, but l did, and
had her in my arms, and never knew
that Jim Allen had aimed q pistol at
me until l saw him struggling and in
custody.
1t was all orcr directly. She re-
vivcu and proved my innocence and
Jim's guilt-told of the plot against
my life. Ben Aliens theft of the gun,
and that Jim had borrowed it. 1t APP
peared that size had seen him fire the
fatal shot, AMI that when l dart 4
away, and she fell fainting with horror.
he had return I'd, and lifting her in his
arms, secured her in q hut near by un-
til the crowd lad removed me.
And then hD had carried her further
away, and bel ten and starved her in
his desire to f,rco her into marriage
more than ever desirable now. consid-
cring what size knew against him-un-
til reduced to sickness and almost
death by sufi ,ring, she had made good
her escape NJ last, and arrived in time
to save her flithful lovcr-her husband
before that evenings sun had set. Tho
Judge who ad been so near to con-
demning m, to death married US
poor, and SEX, and ragged rs she was
in that very hour. WHO but should
nurse, and .omfort, and console her for
all the pain and sorrow that my lovo
had brought?
And 10y, brought only happiness
henceforth TO both of us. l took my
backwoods bride to England, and sho
became my pupil in more than love
an apt pupil, of whom her teacher
may well be proud. My fair, sweet
wife! No stalelier. lovelier lady adorns
society to-day. nor none more univer-
sally admired; and yet, in all save
ignorance and sorrow, she is the same