Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1894-07-06

had become a little loosened. He de.
scended with slow and rickety steps,
pausing now and then, for he was full
of a novel emotion which rendered ex-
ertion difficult.
The man at the door greeted him
heartily. He vas tall and in the prime
of manhood-forty-five, perhaps. or q
little more. A great. dark-brown
beard streamed around his sharp,
bronzed face. The deep gray eyes CON
vincing with their honesty. and the
sinewy form, 1.-THE and wiry. but broad
in the chest and shoulders, denoted
strength and power Of endurance of no
ordinary kind.
Again. as the musician approached,
he imagined that he saw a second
figure dart away into the gloom and
vanish there. But the thought was
merely momentary, ami he knew his
eyesight to be SO treacherous that he
smiled at himself for believing to see
what was not there.
"Old gentleman" said the stranger,
"the air of that good old tune once
made me strike q fellow-being down in
murderous rage. Oh, don't shy off. 1t
has just a contrary effect now. Yes,
when once on q time 1 heard q comrade
singing the words of that hymn. 1
drove q pickaxe into his brain and was
glad to believe that l had killed him."
What could have impelled you to
such a dreadful crime?:" And the old
man shrunk back in horror from a
creature who 30 calmly and coolly mem
toned his own guilt.
But the stranger did not look like an
assassin. for he had frank eyes and q
kindly voice.
ut has given me great pleasure, sir"
said the American. ito hear you play
that good old psalm so beautifully, I
have not been long in England and I
quite at home with anybody who q
play for me that lovely melody. If you
will do me the honor, sir, to come to
the George, where lam staying, and to
drink a bottle of port with me, or
sherry, Or Madeira, If you prefer 1t, 1
shall feel proud and flattered."
You are too good, sir" the old man
replied, after q moments reflection,
smiling feebly. II thank you, and /
will accept your Offer"
For awhile they walked in silence
along the leafy laue, with its arch Of
beech and elm and oak and its border of
fern and of buttercups, which led from
the church to the village, and the old
man fanciel that he could see his COM
panion look back, as If searching for
somebody who was following them. 1t
mattered not to him, he thought, and
whoever the stranger might be he
looked honest enough and gentlemanly
enough to warrant that his acquaint-
anceship might be accepted by SO poor
a person as the village organist.
"Your name is Spencer. Is it not?:"
Il neIynl tho Avn M, Ill.,. A.-1r-l
along.
The old man stared and stopped
short.
How do you know" he inquired
family.
II know it," retorted the bearded
man, with a smile, because Iasked at
the inn: SO you need not be astonished
O. my fullness of information. That is
a fine organ that you have there, MI.
Spencer. and q lovely church. Such q
church as that would be worth a lot of
money if it could be taken out West
and put up in the place where 1 have
been living"
The simple word "West" vibrated
holly in the old mans ear.
"YOu e out in Western America
amid the prairies and the mountains: is
that it," he asked dittidently.
Yes, that is It,, replied the other.
"In Arizona-that is my home, though
| don't stay there all the year round
I've been living there these twenty
years past, off and or. and an old Nor
man church like yours here-why, it
would set the folks crazy-the women,
they'd kiss the ground. But it can't
be, of course. These things don't grow
in q few years, any more than an oak
gets to be a mighty tree in the same
space of time"
The organist gazed in mild inquiry
and establishment at the American.
whats queer that you see in me, old
gentleman" the stranger asked.
ut seems strange to me-" MIR. Spen-
Ger replied, after a single moment of
thought, that man could be at the
same time a lover of music of churches
and q slayer of q fellow-crcature."
"Ah! but I am not both of those
things at the same time. 1t was twelve
! years ago that l committed the crime"
Twelve years ago." Mr.. Spencer
cried out: why. it was twelve wears
ago that my son Charles died in Amer
lea! You knew my name. 1t was he
whom you murdered.."
The old man staggered and would
have fallen If he had not been caught
in the strangers arms.
CHAPTER IL.
The American supported MI. Spen-
Ger to q seat, gently and tenderly, and
/ fopno6 him with a haf until ho hol 49,