Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-09-10

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ceiving what was required Of him.
without relaxing his speed, rushed ct
the barricade.
The next minute the horse and mis-
rider were rolling in a green field to-
getier.
A few moments sufficed to recover
Ernest from his bewikerment. and to
enable him to satisfy himself that he
had sustained no worse injury than Il
few bruises. and then he turned his at
tcntion to his horse.
The poor beast stood now quiet
enough. trembling and bleeding about
the forelegs.
1t was evidently the greatest pain to
the animal to move. and his master
knew in a moment that he would be in
capable of bearing him n single mile.
1t seemed as ii there were a ciuel
fate at work to prevent him from as
sisting her he loved SO well.
Leading his injured horse to n farm
house which was at no great distance.
he sought and obtained rcrmiss.o on to
leave the wounded animal there. but
to lend him another animal was M of
their power.
There was nothing for it hut TO walk
IN. trusting hat fortune would favor
him so far as 10 help him To make mp
for lost time by borrowing a horse in
the first village through which he
passed..
The delay was most ve%yatious, for
every minute was row of consequence.
But IT the next village he was forum
ate enough to succeed I'm obtaining Il
horse. though ont of 4 different breed
To his W steed: and though he was
able 10 urge the animal into some sem
blancc of a trot, he got but slowly over
the ground. aud soon found Ii was
quite useless for him TO hope TO reach
Portsmouth in time to find anyone in
mt the bank t. which his aunt Agatha
had directed hird to 20 to obtain the
money he required as Il loan on her
valuable jewels.
His fears were realized. for it was
nearly III o'clock when he entered the
town of Portsmouth.
What should he do: The delay might
be fatal t. May Rivers: and to send the
jewels instead of the money would be
worse than ~uSclesS-for what could be
done with them in n little country vii
lage like Annadalc?
Then ii was Ernest ~IIartrey be,
thought himself Of an old Jew, who at
that time was n famous character in
Portsmouth--aT' old man who was re-
ported To BE- very rich. though he lived
in The greatest sqlalor. This Jew cot
his living by buying from the sailors
the clriosities-cften very valuable
which they had collected during their
travels.
1t was an easy meter to find his
| house. for he was as well known IS
the town clock: and Ernest Harley
sought hirt ont. determined that 20
effort on his part should be wanting TO
obtain the money which was 10 clear
his betrothed's father.
1t was Il har,l task. the lagglinS with
| the Jew. whose eyes glistened rs he
saw the splendid Jewels which the
Young man displayed.
He doubted their genuineness. and
tested them; he questioned their value:
| he beat about the bush, and then Of
Tered TO advance half the amount re-
| qnire,l in n weeks tine. Iiut Sir Har-
| old's son was in no mood 10 he trihed
With: and. with some touch of his
fathers spirit. he spoke lis ilind free
ly 20 the Jew. who. after many signs
AMI lamentations. agreen 10 advance
the money at an exorbitant interest:
and slowly opened a huge iron box,
curningly let into the wall of the
| house. and drawing forth n roll of
banknotes. counted the money into the
| young S.luire's eager hands.
1t was past IL o'clock when Ernest.
| with the thousand pounds about him.
left the Jews house to proceed in
| search of tie inn at which Mays mes
senger had told him he would be
found
1t was situated in one of the lowest
and nest disreputable parts Of Ports
mouth. and it was long before he could
find his way through the labyrinth of
lanes which led 10 it.
Following carefully the directions he
| received from n a who appeared TO
be thoroughly mt home in the neighbor-
hood. Ernest arrived. after some time.
upon a small quay. at the foot of which
the tide splast.ed lazily in the moon
light.
From one window alone. of all the
| houses which were on the quay, shone
forth a light.
1t was but n wrctched glimmer. after
| all: but toward it Mays lover bent his
steps. and perceived. TO his satisfac-
ton. by the light of the moon. 4
rough-painted sign which told him
the candles rays shonc from the win
dow of the inn of which he was In
search.
He tapped gently at the door. and in
q few men it was opened by the
man who had brought him Mays let
ter. aud whom the reader knows was
no other than John Gridley.
As the naltstcr's clerk had sat in
the low-cailingad. Smokc-hlackened
room. waiting for Ernest Hartrey. his
thoughts had ru.l wholly upon crime.
His plot was working bravely. but
che finishing stroke must ie = bold one.
First to get the thousand mounds. =
he thought. "and Ihen-taen the yeiiag
squire must be put out of the way.
But how? A pistol makes too much
noise Il knife leaves behind a gha5tly.
terrible STAIN and he %sliuddered as
be thought of the fate Of the half-wit-
ted lad 10 whom May had entrusted
her letter. ~ sudden pusli-a splash
in the water. anu one cry for help
that would be the safest. Many peo-
/ pie are drowned by accident why
should not young Har.rey be n of
tlpm:'