The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-10-22

d Hille Ill 'front.' OF me, walking near the
edge of the sea. l quickened my steps
and rapidly diminished the distance
between us.
did not want to get so near, if he
turned, he might recognize me. l did
not NEAR to overtake him. I meant
to follow him until he turned to re-
trace his steps, then, as soon as he
liked, he might discover me. My only
fear was that some path up the cliff
might, unknown 10 me, exist-a path
that he might take, and so go home
across the tabie-land.
Grant walked leisurely, so l was soon
within three hundred yards of him. I
noticed that his head was bent for
ward, as is natural to those who think
as they walk. His hands were behind
him, and he paced the coast with a
slow, but lengthy stride. Little he
guessed who was upon his traces!
Suddenly he turned aside. and struck
up the beach toward the cliff. l stood
still and watched him. I saw him reach
the top of the beach; then, as it were,
disappear into the face of the cliff. l
laughing in vengeful glee. I had him
now! For by this time I knew every
foot of that coast line. I knew that at
the spot where Grant had vanished
some CONFUSION of nature had torn
the rocks apart; that entering through
WI 81 1oN1-oI ill., ~,o, cs-,
came upon a straight smooth space,
bounded by unscalable crags, and car
peted by a soft white sand. Not a cave,
because it was open to the heavens;
but all the same a natural cul de sac.
| had found this place. I had ex-
plored it. l had even longed that Eus-
tace Grant might be in there, while /
stood at the entrance and held him like
a rat in a trap. And now the thing
l longed for had come to pass. Per-
sun my enemy had chosen the one
place in which i wished to meet him.
| was right in saying that fate was
shaping everything to my hand. Here
| should face him, force him to fight,
and Stay him! l had him now!
Strange to say, no thought of an is
sue adverse to myself entered my
head. So confident, so certain l felt,
that I paused for a while at the en-
trance OF the trap. and steeled my
heart by recalling ali the wrongs which
I had suffered. I stood there until the
sun made the barrel of the pistol,
which I had drawn from my breast, as
hot as fire.
Then I crept between the two rocks,
n went to reckon up with Eustace
Grant!
The change from the brilliant sun
shine to the cool gloom of the grot, or
whatever it should be called, was so
! sudden that for a moment / could not
distinguish objects. When my eyes
| grew accustomed to the shade, ! saw
that Grant was lying on a heap of
sand at the farthest end of the ravine.
His broad-brimmed hat was by his
side, and he seemed fast asleep. l
crept toward him. My feet made no
sound as they trod on the soft dry
sand. I stood ove him and looked
down on his powerful face, strong,
sun-burned neck, and large, muscular
limbs. He looked the type of man
hood. Al! no wonder he could win a
woman's love if he strove for it!
A note book lay near his left hand.
Most likely he had been jotting down
something which struck his fancy,
when the grateful shade and the muir
muir of the distant sea had lulled
him to sleep-a sleep from which
he would awake only to sleep
again forever! Nay, I might have
placed the muzzle of the pistol next
his heart, and have sent him, without
awakening, from one sleep to another.
But I had no intention of numbering
the man in cold blood; nor would it
have suited me for him to die without
knowing to whom his death was due.
Besides l meant it to be a fair duel-a
duel to the death-between us. So
stopped, and 1 laid one of my pistols
near his right hand; then 7 walked
back toward the mouth of the grot,
leaned against a rock, and waited for
him to awake.
Not for a moment do I attempt to dis
guise the devilish, vengeful feelings
which could urge me in this calm man
ner to plan and compass this mans
death. Now that years have passed
since that daY dn NOT even ash ro11