The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-06-21

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only twelve.
There were no nuts to gather now.
There were only the skins to depend
upon, and he must study hard. That
was the secret Of it: Sammy gave all
his time to the traps, for he had
nothing else to do. 1t was too bad,
thought Nat.
A feeling almost of despair had
possession of Nat's mind as he made
the rounds Of his traps one day. with
these thoughts upDermost. Why
couldn't he get money, when it meant
so much? He shad passed three of
Sammy's traps already that day,
which held a further store OF skins
for that lucky brother. They would
add at least another dollar to his a
ings. Not n of Mats W traps
had been sprung. Why couldn't it
nave been different.
Why 1t was a sudden, half
for ned idea which fitted through his
mind. out it startled him and
brought a swift color to his cheek.
1t made h m feel hot and angry, as
though some one had struck him.
But there it was again, bobbing I'D
as though it had nothing to lie
ashamed OF. 1t was more definite this
time too.
'.Sammy's skins" Those were
the two words which formed it. Nat
set his teeth together and plunged
ahead sturdily through the drifted
snow. trying to get it out of his
mind. 1t did not seem atall anxious
to 20, but came uD again and again,
stronger and larger with every ap-
pearance.
"Sammy's skins" "'Sammy's
lucky" Sammy has $15, and three
more skins in his traps today"
What will Sammy do with his
money when he gets it? Just
waste it-Spend it for some foolish
thing or other. Why couldn't'-
No. Nat wouldn't think of it!
And yet he did think Of it; he
couldn't help it.
There are Sammy's skins. There
is no n to see. Sammy doesn't
need the money. You could pay it
back to him, anyway, some time.
lake SaIumyS Kills.
Oh. the shame of it! lie would
not listen. He turned far out OF his
way after that, so as to avoid seeing
Sammy's traps, and hurried home as
fast as he could, to tind relief in his
studies.
But when he lay awake in the
night the first drifting bits of
thought were Of Sammy's skins: he
dreamed Of his little brothers good
fortune, and in the morning, when
he arose and went down to his early
hour OF study in the kitchen, he
could not faSten his mind upon his
work, but sat Tor a long time with
his eyes fixed upon the dancing red
flames.
To-day the thought did not wait
for him to get to the woods before it
attacked him. When he left the
house it vas busy in his brain. and
had persuaded him to listen while it
argued. Long and p%ersistently it
worked: and when he reached the
dark shelter of the timber land he
was too much occupied in his struggle
with it to think of avoiding Sammy's
traps to-day.
The very first II upon which his
eyes fell held a beautiful red fox.
Was it ordered to be SO? No one
can tell. Nat hardly stopped to
question. Ii it had been a rabbit or
a muskrat. he might have resisted;
now he did not struggle. but with a
sudden fierce determination he re-
leased the fox and slung it across his
back, then carefully reset the trap
and covered all traces Of his visit.
He did not care to stop to reason
now: it was too late. He only forced
himself to say. over and over again:
''l1l pay Sammy back. some day,
Then he won't care"
After that, yielding was easier. 1t
is always easier after the first strug-
gle is lost.
Then Mats dollars increased. Ii
seemed to those at home that some
kindly fate must be determined to
help Nat on, his little hoard of money
grew so rapidly. Sammy's grew, too,
but so slowly.
The beasts have found out it's
Nat that wants the education" their
father said, iOkingly: that's why
they've quit coming to you, sammy"
But Sammy had nothing to say: he
only looked across at Nat, seated at
the other side Of the fireplace, bent
owe his books. Nat would much
rather read the pages of his history
than look into Sammy's honest brown
eyes.
Well, and so it was accomplished.
The first Of March brought a new
sense OF living to the ambitious boy,
when he realized that he had only
three or four dollars more to win.
He would trust to good fortune in