Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-03-21

IL ollSut htC dHu liz III ptIttl
company Of the young 'un" had put
MIR. Nicksey into very good humor,
and Emmeline was bordering how she
could approach the subject Of the let
tiers when he cried:
After all, tits all the same to me
whether l am here or anywhere else,
so long as j have Il good fire and
plenty Of light, and am not alone" and
shivered slightly as he repeated alone.
/ don't like to be alone!'
Those words furnished Emmeline
with a hint as to how she might pro-
coed.
Il understand" she said. with as
sumed pleasantly, you prefer plenty
of company, a grand party such as that
OF last night at Mrs. ChestertOn's?'
Nicksey grinned and rubbed his
hands together gleefully.
THAT was a grand ball, that waS!'
There were, then, a great many
things in that pocket-book|' Emme-
line asked, with pretended careless
ness.
Bank notes for about $3.50, that was
ALL"
You do not mean that there Wa
really nothing moreT' Emmeline in
quired with great difficulty assuming
something like compoSure.
"No; nothing more"
And Nicksey had closed his eyes, and
was doing off again.
Emmeline raised her voice.
Your friend harrington, however,
asserts that the pOcket-book contained
something beyond b~ank-nOtes."
"Ah ,yes-true" mumbled Nicksey;
bits of papt r-letters-"
"Letters-yes!' Emmeline exclaimed,
with an eagerness which, If Nicksey
had not now been half asleep, could
not possibly have escaped his obserVa-
ton.
They were not worth a farthing.
and So" And the sentence was left
Incomplete, for Nicksey was asleep
again.
Emmeline ventured to shake him,
and he merely said:
Whats the matter, young 'unT'
About those lettersT'
YES, l read them. They could be of
no use to anybody, and might have
done harm to somebody, and that's
why
You have torn themT
"No,"-Nicksey vas again more than
lldll dSlttp. ALS" "ANAS hSN
the pieces"
Burnt them, ,perhaps?"
"Yes-thats itv' mumbled Nicksey.
Emmeline's heart collapsed, and she
with difficulty saved herself from fall
ing.
you've hit It, young 'unv exclaimed
Nicksey, suddenly wide awake again,
and starting to his feet; that's the
host nlan--J'n hnrr thpmf"
Those words restored animation to
Emmeline.
at IS not, then. yet doneT' she asked,
striving arnestly for calmness.
But 1t won't be long first" said
NickSey. Here's a prime bit of fire,
which viii be so obliging as to do us
that little service"
And where are those papersT
"In a place where Old Scratch him
self would have some trouble to find
chem, unless | were good enough TO
show him where they were hidden
But you might tell me-" insinuated
Emmeline.
you wait here, young 'un-I'n 90
and fetch them. and We'll make an
end of them at once"
What was Emmeline now to o
Sile COlilt Iol atltAiipI w ~ uSSiS "'Sh
that man for the possession of those
letters, nOr might she venture to snatch
them from the flames.
Nicksey rose from his chair, and
would have proceeded towards the
door. but found himself unable to
reach il. His head was swimming, fs
legs were sinking under him, and he
would have fallen. but that Emmeline
sustained, and assisted him to regain
his, chair.
The f-e. which he had expected to
brighten him up, had completely mud
died him; 50 said the inebriated fellow,
and remarked upon 1t as a very singu-
lar circumstance.
Emmeline volunteered. II he would
tell her where those letters were, to
procure them for him.
But again Nicksey's head had sank
upon his breast again, and his eyes
were closed.
"Presently--by and by!' he mutter-
ed. 81 am sleepy again"
Emmeline pressed him with ques-
| tons, but received no anSwer.
Presently Emmeline raised her voice.
81 have forgotten what you just now
told me concerning the place where you
had cocealed those letters"
The ruse succeeded.
you've got a thick head, young
'unw muttered Nicksey. II told you
the back yard"
eyes; l remember that. But 1t Is
the precise spot I have forgotten"
"Under the shed-in a hole beneath
| the third log Of wood"
THE third-beneath the third piece
of wood! You are certain you are not
| mistaken" Emmeline eagerly asked.
'And the bank-notes are there, too.
murnbled Nicksey, more than half
1 asleep. Half of them l shall take:
the other half between you and your
friend what's-his-name? That's fair.
because I did the WORK, you know
Emmeline hastily lighted a second
candle, and with 1t she quilted the
room, aud commenced to descend the
stairs.
The letters which Nicksey had stolen
from Mrs. Chesterton were relied on
by her purauers 10 furnish evidence
which would enable them to accuse
her before the world. and those let.
ters would. too, perhaps, reveal who
had been the two male assassins OF
| One Tree Square.