Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-02-14

are right. Perhaps we won't find 1t
pleasant sailing under false colors.
But. anything for a quiet life. as the
Frenchman said when his head fell
into the guillotine basket"
"You are growing very vulgar, Mar
ion. l fear New York life Is not good
for u.s."
Thank you for that word U.S. che
RE. l thought you were going to scold
me-"
Marion arose and seated herself on
the divan, throwing an arm about her
sisters neck.
"Have you not something to tell me,
Ve| she asked anectionately.
what makes you think I have?
What could I have to tell you that you
do not know already
Nothing, for l have discovered your
secret. You are in love-"
Yes? And 80 are you, May"
Marion blushed as she kissed the
face SO like her own.
How do you know that I amp
II might ask the same question.
There Is only n answer to both. We
are twins"
Marion laughed. There was a sci
entitic truth in her sisters remark
which seemed to jar ludicrously with
the romantic mood they were in.
"You love Jack Dalton. We"
"lou love Ned Dalton, May"
Then they kissed each other again
and whispered soft confessions till
the clock struck four.
CHAPTER 1.-TWO MEN.
John G. Dalton and Edward C.
Dalton, Attorneys and Counsellors at
law was the legend on a handsome
~ gilded plate on the door of a small
office In n of the large newspaper
buildings near City Hall Park. The
sign was SO situated that now and
b a sunbeam would fall upon it
through the hall window, and the
gold letters would glitter and sparkle
as though trying to allure clients by
their very brilliancy. 1t was a faith
full. Woodworking sign, for even ut
night 1t would sometimes catch a
moonbeam, and at once the gold letters
would begin to dance again in the
forlorn hope Of attracting some mid
night searcher after the consultations
or legal advice. Poor, loyal, industri-
GUS sign. Its wanton smiles never
Q the coy client to the Daltons'
door. and as time went on the
once cheerful and energetic plate seem-
ed to lose hope, for it grew dingy,
grum and l~ifeless, and even the most
joyous sunbeam could not make the
gllded letters sparkle as of old.
The same deterioration had taken
place on the other side Of the door.
The books on the shelf were not the
self-confident tones they had been
two years back. Dust had settled upon
them, and on the top row in a certain
corner a lawless spider had spun a
web about a particular volume of the
Revised Statutes. Perhaps in so do
ing he typifed a certain tendency of
the legal profession. The spider wish
ed to catch flies by taking undue lib
critics. with the law.
The empty tin boxes, once fresh and
inviting, were, like the books, dust
covered and depressed. The carpet,
the chairs, the desk all showed signs
OF a fall In life. The office in all it's
belongings seemed to jeer in a sullen
way at the legend on the other side of
n door. When the door was thrown
open so that the disappointed gold
letters could be seen from various
parts of the room, small clouds of dust
would arise from the hooks and tin
oxe as thrown up therefrom by
subdued and sarcastic merriment.
Jack Dalton and his brother Ned
may have realized all this, but IL
they did they never gave expression
to gloomy thoughts. They were much
more hceerful in fact and in appear
c than their surroundings. They
had never lost faith in the ultimate
triumph of the gilded legend. They
didnot notice the dust, the spider.
nor the gradual loss Of luster on the
part Of the gold letters. Every morn
ing they opened their office In a hopeful
way. Every evening they closed it
as though they were well satisfied
with the days business.
Jack Dalton sat alone in the Office
n afternoon, writing in that ener
getic way that shows enjoyment of
the work In hand. He was a tall.
somewhat ungainly young man with
bushy, light hair, earnest gray eyes,
and a nose and mouth that were far
from symmetrical. Hehad a strong
face, but no n would have called
him handsome. When he smiled, how
ever, his white, ~well-shaped teeth and
a peculiar arrangement of dimples in
his c~ountenance combined to add q
momentary beautyto a face lessat-
tractive in repose. As he smiled often
he had obtained the reputationof being
a very 'good-looking" man.
A hurried step in the hallway caused
him to start n~ervously. Listening in
tently for a moment, he thrust the pa
pers before him into a drawer In the
desk, turned the key In the lock, and,
selling a law book, began to read
eagerly. Whether the oncomer were
a client or his brother the same pre-
cautions were necessary. For, be it
known, Jack Dalton was writing a
play, and he feared his brothers rid.