The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-03-20

as II. I'M ClAAFTER yIl-(continued.)
1y0thewheer In the mountains" the
90MAn answered. II don't think as
S.ls queer place had q name, but do
\ ember 90 used to send my letters
DOmewheer In Kansas-that's what
mink the place was called; but then,
Lex did say as he had to ride some
b.! s mile or more to get them"
Ton mean the Rocky mountains,
le1Dp0sep Herbert suggested.
the farmer answered.; but IL
80 Pc 80 good, my lord, al to look at
u y " ere scrap-it's the lCst letter
fcNerf got from Dick, an perhaps it'll
to your mind. IL 1t he SO that
91'ye forgotten hinl-though it do
00em strange and no mistake"
k4e produced from worn Russia
/ ather pocket-book q faded sheet OF
QeRer, the folded edges and creases Of
Mhch had become ragged by wear.
3 Herbert had to exercise care not to
aear It while unfolding it.
dear Fred" it ran, ''luck's mine ut
LIST, and yours. too. through that.
I've found gold. bushels and bushels
- gold. The only difficulty is to get
FAs safely. have written to young Mr..
Herbert Chauncey, who is hunting
s1bOut 200 miles from here. and ex-
spect him here within the next two or
-HAree days. Give my love to Susan
md the chicks, and tell them that
yncle Dick will look after them now.
Don't speak about this to anybody till
YOu hear from me again, as it might
- dangerous If it got to be known be-
TORE the proper time. If you do see
my Of the young ladies at the Towers,
It'll them that their brother Herbert
yas hale and hearty when last l heard
1kom him, and If things turn out as 1
s0ln sure they will, you will see us both
- the old country before Christmas
comes round. I'm afraid that this will
nlDs this months mail. was going
% send 1t by neighbor of mine, Mr..
George Madame"
The young man thought his heart
VAS about to stop as that name stared
Alm In the face. He recovered in a
mOment, however. and went on as il
.nothing had excited him.
but was afraid to trust him. and
~ have to send this by an Indian mes
.o0nger, who, as likely as not. will get
drunk at every station before he gets
80 Fort Bent. GOod-by, dear Fred. and
God bless you. Your affectionate
Brother, Dick Ashland"
He had read the letter aloud. and
HIS clear melodious voice reached
tovery corner of the room. While thus
-1ngaged he had not noticed that Lucy
had entered. But as lie looked up he
-oaw her, pale as DEATH leaning against
1e wall for support, with eyes nearly
Dtarting from their sockets. The re-
Oemblance Of the living man to his
dead brother had frightened the girl
Vut of her wits, and Herbert, not guess
ing the cause of her illness, rushed to
her side and placed her half fainring
ON the sofa. A sip of water refreshed
her, and the cheeks that had been
white in anguish became flushed with
.feverish dread. Every word of that
netter had cut deep into Lucy's heart
and the mention of her fathers name
had been like deadly stab.
81 reckon I'll go to my own room. il
yew don't mind, Herbert" Lucy whis-
pered when she had regained her for
altitude. II don't feel at all WELL"
{. YOnng Cleve loaded her with kindly
-1ffentions and rang for the maid, who
escorted the girl to her room.
He had not breathed Il syllable to
lucy about his feelings concerning
that letter.
II am sorry, Mr.. Ashland lie said.
><GhAt have not the slightest memory
about your brother. suppose you
AAve heard of my misfortune, and that
will be my explanation to you. But
would be Obliged If you would leave
fhis letter in my hands, so that may
make further inquiries on the subject"
George Maclane, Dick Ashlands
Aeighbor," he muttered to himself
when the yeoman was gone. "And
Dick Ashland had never again been
beard of, and am here with four des-
spefate wounds on my head
He arose and walked up and down
-3he room in a slow, measured tramp.
and Lucy" he continued in a trem-
.ulous self-cOmmunion. has had des-
pernte quarrel with her father and her
cousin and will not go near them. and
will have nothing to do with them.
And Lucy is u good, true. honest girl
- kindly, noble girl-who would not
leave her father without ample rea-
son.
The tramp up and down became
1aster and dark shadow settled on
the young mans brow.
II can see it ALL" he continued.
Lucy knows something of this and
her father and cousin are in it. only
she Is too true to them even now, and
win say nothing against them. II
1here's treachery in it she'll never de.
nounce them. And she's right, Of
course. Right and good as she always
d. She can't be expected to be ex-
pected to be witness against her own
father. II ever the word brute was
written in mans face it is in George
Maclane's. Dick Ashland" he NUT
tered. 'Dick Ashland! Dick Ashland!'
The muscles of his handsome face
contracted as If in pain.
"Gody he exclaimed. sit is hard.
Why can't remember? why can't l
.remember?"
Then, on q sudden, he checked him.
self, and look of stern determination
took the place of the anguish that had
preceded 1T.
II will remember" he cried. II will
Yremember."
no otnnnad IN front of his t,b,o ond