Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-04-09


She Read the Truth.
again tomorrow morning while you
have the watch, couldn't you contriye
TO turn your back and shut your eyes
and pretend to drop asleep while
change clothes with her, and let her
walk out closely yelled in my placer
"Eh! What. No, Miss"
But why?'
"Lawk, Miss, / dar'n't."
"Oh, you need not be afraid Of con
sequences; there would be no danger
to you. You might be suspected, but
you could not be convicted, for no one
on earth could prove that, overcome
by fatigue you didn't fall asleep; and
so the worse that could befall you
would be the loss of your place-for /
do suppose they would not keep a
female warder who was addicted 10
falling asleep on her watch. But, Mrs.
Barton, any loss you might sustain.
should be made up TO a hundredfold."
"T'aint that, Miss, l amt afeared Of
nothink but doing wrong. / dar'n't
let her escape"
But it would be a m%eritorious act,
helping the innocent TO evade I'm
merited DEATH
s 1t would, Miss, under some cir
cumstances; but, You see. when I took
this place, l pledged myself to obey
the laws, and to watch over the safe
custody of the prisoners under my
charge. And 81 / dar'n't break my
word, or betray my trust, Miss-no.
not even to save her precious life. as
1t melts my heart TO see her suffer
So said Mrs. Barton, putting her
apron up to her face, and beginning
to cry again.
Not If l was to offer you five luE-
dred pounds-a thousand pounds.o
Not IL so be as you were to offer
me ten thousand, Miss" sobbed the
woman.
Look at Eudora. then; If you won't
let her go, only look at her." said An
nella, artfully.
Mrs. Barton dropped her apron, and
turned her eyes towards the prisoner.
who sat upon the side of her bed, with
her head bent forward, her cheeks
flushed, her lips apart, her eye
strained outward, and her hands
asped n extended in mute, elo-
quent appeal for freedom.
L can't look at her: it cleayes ny
u In two. it does sobbed Mrs.
Barton, covering her face again.
With a sudden impulse Eudora start
ed forward and clasped the hand Of
her warder, exclaiming:
"Oh, listen to her, Listen 10, nv
friend! Give me leave to get away If
l can; give me this little chance of
life. Think have got but n week
to live; n short week. and then I
am to die such a horrible death. Oh,
pity me. let me go!'
"Oh, this is dreadful-dreadfuli I
would do anything in the world for
you, poor child: but l dar'n't do this
l darn't betray my trust" replied
Mrs. Barton, wildly weeping.
suppose l was your w child, you
would let me go-you would risk your
salvation to free me; or, IL /
had a mother, she would move heaven
and earth to save me-but l am moth
erless. Oh, pity me as il | were your
child. and let me go-
Il darn't; Lord help me, / darn't.
And even IL | did. poor dear, ii would
not save you; you'd be known and tux
up again afore you got outside of the
prison gates. Lawk. yes; afore you
even go TO the head o. the stairs o.
this very ward; and then your case
would be worse not 1t is now"
1T could not lie worse; and IL the
chance Is ever so small. still il is one.
OH, give me this little, little chance of
life! l do not deserve to die this hor-
rible DEATH"
I'D rather die this minute myself
than refuse you. l mustn't be a trait
or. Sure, you wouldn't have me go
agin my conecienceg"
Without another word Eudora turn
ed and sat down on the bed. dropped
her clasped bands upon her lap. her
pale face upon her breast, and sat In