The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1895-03-08
cssts,sar 81 Rasp hensLLy xcs

spent a few days in wandering about
the premises and making mental notes
of all he saw. He talked to the SER
wants at the hotel about their late mas
ter; he stared at Mrs. Blake when he
had opportunity, and he studied the
face of Sam Blake with a gaze which
at length appeared to that gentleman
insulting.
who are you looking at, sir?:" said
Mr.. Sam Blake.
81 am looking at you, uncle; don't
you know me??" replied the young
man, with a leer.
"Who are you, sir??" demanded
Blake, with threatening aspect and
stern voice.
81 was Little Joe, but I'm not very
little now
"We'll see about that" said Blake.
''Tom," Ito a %servant) "give my com
pliments to Mrs. Blake, and ask her
to step here a moment on urgent
business"
When Myra came, Sam Blake said to
her:
do you know this fellow"
Mrs. Blake looked c%uriously at the
stranger for a moment, and asked:
What is your name, sir, please"'
"My name is Joseph Blake
"Any relation to this gentleman?"
inquired Myra, not yet suspecting the
mans real claim, and pointing to Sam.
"Well, I should think so! Don'tyou
know me, mother? l knew you in a
minute"
"Do you pretend to be my lost SON
poor little Joe? 1t is impossible!"
mo, mother, it is not impossible. I
am Little Joe.' and you are my
mother-Myra Cushing Blake, and the
widow Of my dear father, jefferson
Blake
Mrs. Blake did not believe a word
of this story, and she was dunn
founded at what she believed to be
sheer impudence.
"What about the medal, sir??" said
Sam Blake, without any suspicion that
it would be forthcoming.
ssThat look like it??' asked the man,
showing a medal from his neck to
Mrs. Blake. Myra recognized the
medal in a moment, as that worn by
Little Joe. She stood silent and trem-
bling. She knew the medal was Joe's,
and she was equally sure this man
was not her son.
"Let me see it, said Sam Blake.
Then examining it closely, he said:
very fair imitation, Myra, but it is
a fraud; and l think I know it's origin
"But l know this is poo Joe's
medal know it is" said Myra. ut
has my private mark; nobody knew it
but /, and ! can not be mistaken"
"But | have reason to know, Myra,
that it is not genuine-any more than
this impostor is our Little joe"
Perhaps you will not call rec an
impostor, sir, when the courts have
decided the matter-as l find 1 must
resort to the law for my rights"
Let me ask you one more question:
said Sam Blake. 'sHow have you hap.
pened to keep that medal all this
timer"
81 kept it because my father,
before we started for Ohio, warned me
to take care Of it if any accident hap.
pened; and / have done so.
sWhere did your father tell you tc
put it in case of accident??. asked Myra.
I'm my shoe"
"Oh, Sam! that is true; and nobody
heard it but Joe and l. Can this mar
be my dear little joe! Please let mi
look at your ear, sir??'
The man hesitated a moment, ano
then said:
mo, mother; if l must go to the
courts to establish my rights, l mus
retain all proper advantages. Every
possible thing your son ought to know
I know, and. at the proper time, vii
answer to the law of the land. Ianswel
no more now"
"That is just where you fall, sale
Sam Blake. "You know a little too
much; and in trying this case, l vii
stump you in five minutes" a
Goodbye, mother" said the man
until you become satisfied of tn.
truth. This uncle Of mine / expected
would oppose me. You will hear from
me through the proper officers of tn.
law"
The first result of this remarkabl,
conference was jealousy and sus
picion between Sam Blake and Myra
Myra's request for permission t,
examine the mans ear indicated t,
Sam either that she wavered in he,
doubts as to the strange mans iden
tity. or that she was disposed to favo