The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-06-19
CHAPTER ~.

fell he could not say. Sir Laurence's
coming was the signal of his deliver
ance, and he left the hall an hour
later for his own house, much CON-
forted by the plasters and lotions
which the housekeeper had recon-
mended, and his old friend, the but
Ter. had applied.
Even more benefited, perhaps, was
the worthy postman by certain
strong and comforting inward appli-
ances which some good friend en-
dowed him. 70 state the truth in
SO many plain words, the steps of
the little man were none of the
steadiest, and he saw twice as many
stars in the horizon as were really
shining there, SO potent had been
the draughts which he had swal-
lowed.
While he was corkscrewing along
the woodland paths toward his
home, a voice hailed him suddenly,
and a familiar figure issued from a
covert of ~underbrush, and took him
by the arm.
Il have been waiting for You this
half hour-nay for this hour-or
ten, as It seems to me-" said the
voice. Look here!!"
The sight-whatever it might
have been-that was displayed to
the postman's eyes beneath the har-
vest moon. sobered him instantly.
..Merciful heavens! how did this
come about" he CALCULATED. with.
uplifted hands and staring eyes.
''Never mind. Ask me no ques-
tions if you r my friend, for I
have sworn to be silent about this
nights work, and you must swear it
too; Don't hesitate; if you do, l
seek help elsewhere. or go without
it, even in a flight like this!"
:Heaven preserve us-that can
never be. Well, l swear, then,
since it is SO necessary, though I am
sur l cannot understand q thing
about IT,"
ut matters little II you do not.
Keep silence at least till I return
that is all l ask. And now, Willie,
take me to your house, if we can
get in there without being seen.
"Oh, that is easy enough, I'll war
rant, since l am a bachelor"
$50 much the better. I will go
with you. And you must find me a
horse by fair means or by foul,
Willie. l must be in London before
l am t~wenty-four hours older"
$50 you shall, if my own little
pony does as well by you as he does
by me. when I ride him through the
forest to Southampton. You'll be
there in time to catch the earliest
morning train"
Come, then"
They fastened along the narrow
path as rapidly as possible, and in
due time arrived at the modest little
hut which Willie called by the name
of house. A coy little den it was,
just fit by its small size and thou
sand cunning contrivances to be the
dwelling place of a confirmed old
bachelor. The whole house consisted
Of one square room, lighted by
three narrow windows, and only
sheltered from the weather by q
rustic porch above the door. But a
trimmer, better ordered parlor, one
might go far to see. Everything
was in its place-stowed away as
snugly and compactly as in a ships
cabin-ard when Willie had lit the
lamp and stirred the fire, his guess
looked round with a pride and {
sigh upon the snug apartment anc
said that he wished for nothing bet
ter to spend the remainder of hi:
life in, provided-and then the
smile faded and a look of care ane
anxiety took it's place.
.'0h, ay," replied Willie, cheer
fully, Il understand it all. Yol
would never be satisfied, man, with
out two blue eyes to keep you com
p~any-while l am we'll content to b.
here alone. Cont wait now-her.
is warm water, and there are lin
and bandages, and in ten minutes
time we will have you out Of pain
at least, if not as we'll as you eve
were in your life. Your color i
coming back, too. POUNDS! when
first saw you, I could scarcely tell i
it was you or your ghost"
'No doubt l look pale"
"And the blood, man-it turns m
sick in an instant when I see it
There, now it is washed away; an,
the cut is but a scratch. after ell.
at might have been a deep one, ]
/ had not sent the knife flying in tn
air." replied his friend, with q smile
And you'll not tell me, man, no,
1t came aboutp"
well, Willie, keep a still tongue
as you say about it, and you sha
hear; for you deserve it after play