Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-06-06
CHAPTER I.

Mil lAvI 0Al'AISs
CHAPTERI.
WHITE vIoLErs.
| Maple Leaf Farm lay bathed in the
golden sunlight OF a rare autumnal day.
They had named the place we'll those
sturdy old Forsythes who, for three gen.
erations, had drawn from it's soil the rich
fruits of an inexhaustible fertility, re-
deeming the broad acres from the will
derness. and building and improving un-
til the square mile OF field, timber and
brooksidc resembled some notable En-
glish grange.
| Where the many gabled house stood,
the thrifty naples shut it in to nest
| foored with golden -hued fallen leaves,
and famed by crimson beauties still
pendent to the mother stem, Haunting
their gay tintings like vari-colored ban
ners.
1t was now, when the glories of the
harvest still fingered, when each field
looked like some swept lawn, and the
barn groaned with golden store, and ma
ture, man and beast seemed resting for
Il later battle with winter and storm,
that Maple Leaf Farm looked its best
and it was now that stalwart, iron-knit
John Elliott, gazing across the fenced
IN paradise OF his hopes and ambitions,
thrilled proudly.
| Ten years agone he had brought his
motherless child, Ruth, to the farm, to
be welcomed by old Geoffrey Forsythe,
his dead wife's bachelor brother.
| Il wrote for you, the sad-faced re-
cluse had said, because the farm was
going to ruin, aid you have the vigor
and the ambition to redeem it. l am
failing daily. give you the use of the
place as virtual owner while you live.
After that'-and he gazed Affect onately
at golden haired little Ruth-"she shall
be my heiress, and her husband shall
carry ON the work you begin"
And then Geoffrey Forsythe had kissed
the wonder eyed child who so resembled
his dead sister. had retired to the gloomy
stone residence he owned in the village
OF Ridgeton, mile distant, and dropped
out Of their lives as fully as though he
had gone to foreign parts.
A reclusc. an invalid, once a year he
came to the farm, once a month Ruth
visited him in the hermitage, where he
seemed to dwell only to brood over a
broken past.
They told of love episode in his
| career that had left him in its wake only
heart-wreck and sorrow. She had Tilted
him, but he could not recognize the
coquette in the fair being who seemed
an angel to his blinded, longing gaze
| She had welded another. They had
both died, leaving son. Ralph, and
when John Elliott came to the farm old
Godfrey had said to him:
| Il make but one restriction to your
exclusive control of everything. A sense
| al I,lfx %r boz
OF the pOorhOuse. You are to take
Ralph, make man Of him, and some
day, may be, he and Rdth------"
Grim John Elliott understood. and
Ralph had become a member of his fam
| lily, to all eyes. except the blind ones of
Godfrey Forsythe and John Elliott, de-
veloping traits Of secrecy, cunning and
rudeness that carried out the defective
training OF a deceitful mother and a
reckless. unprincipled sire. 4.
Since then the years had gone on, each
one adding to the beauty and value of
| Maple Leaf Farm, and John Elliott might
we'll experience flush Of joy as he sur
veyed his goodly heritage that bright,
glowing afternoon.
1t took time to get the hang of
things" he murmured, with elf-gratula-
ton, but / managed it. There isn't a
farm in days journey that equals this.
| The last year has mended every broken
fence, propped up every crooked barn,
and the prOflts--I she'll be rich before
die. very rich!'
Farmer John spoke truly. The last
year had been a golden one indeed. In
his stubborn pride he took all the credit
| for it, but his was not the hand that had
wrought the change.
He half guessed 1t, as tall, manly
fellow Of about twenty five came from
one Of the granaries.
Mr.. ELLIOTT, the wagons will be here
for the wheat tomorrow" he remarked.
"Very we'll, you can attend to it. And,
say, Dalton, we had better cast up ac-
counts tonight.
The young man bowed with dignity
that told Of q past career considerably
above the level Of farm culture. Farmer
John turned and watched him with cal
culating eye as he strolled toward the
road.
Il can't make him out, he muttered.
l never could. l never will. He came
here, quiet and gentlemanly, year ago,
and asked for work-no friends, no ref
erences. He thrashed like q bound
hand, but I'll wager he never saw q fail
before. Then put him In charge Of the
men. Then he began to help me out
with my accounts, and he's been n
jewel, earning double his wages, saving
me four times as much, and always the
quiet, gentlemanly, unassuming fellow
Great Goshen! it never struck me be-
fore. But suppose it is him him that's
| at the bottom of the new mischief I've
scented!"
Farmer John brought his sinewy fist
down on the fence till it quivered, under
the force OF a new and overwhelming
idea.
Black rs thundercloud grew his
broad, bronzed face, SO lately wreathed
| with smiles OF satisfaction.
Some one is at the bottom of it.
Some ones robbing me systematically.
It can't be him, but-who knows3 He's
| stranger; he knows where the keys
| are, and III watch"
Muttering, black browed, the farmer
took his way slowly towards the house.
The sun had gone under hazy cloud,
/! the first forerunner Of damp weather.
1 ~ A. A 4 u.