The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1897-09-30
~ a. CONAN DOYLE

In the front room at three in the morn
ing. when he would come to receive my
last kiss and to bid me farewell.
BAD as he was, could not. when he
trusted me, betray him. l said nothing,
but l was there at the hour. He en-
tered through the window, and implored
me to give him the money. He was ter
ribly changed; gaunt, wolfish and spoke
like mailman. / told him that had
spent the money. He CRASHED his teeth
at me. and swore it was his money. /
told him that had spent it on him. He
asked me how. 1 said in trying to make
him an honest man, and in repairing the
results of his viliainy. He shrieked out
curse, and pulling something out of
the breast of his coat--a loaded stick, /
think-he struck me with it, and l re-
membered nothing more"
"The blackguard"' cried the Doctor,
but the police must be hot upon his
track"
Il fancy not" Mrs. Westmacott an
swered calmly. LAS my brother is a
particularly tall, thin man, and as the
police are looking for short, fat one,
do not think that it is very probable
that they will catch him. 1t is best,
should be adjusted in private"
My dear ma am said the Admiral
IF 1T is indeed this mans money that
has brought back my pension, then j
can have no scruples about taking it,
You have brought sunshine upon US.
ma'am, when the clouds were at their
darkest, for here is my boy who insists
upon returning the money which / got.
He can keep it now to pay his debts.
For what you have done can only ask
God to bless you, ma'am, and as to
thanking you / can't even"
Then pray don't try" said the wild
ow. Now run away, Admiral, and
make your peace with Mrs. Denver
am sure if / were she il would be a
long tive before l should forgive you
As for me, am going to America when
Charles goes. You'll take me so far.
won't you, Ida? There is a college
being built in Denver which is to equip
the woman of the future for the strug-
gle of life, and especially for her battle
against man. Some months ago the
committee offered me a responsible po-
sition upon the staff, and / have de-
cided to accept it, for Charles marriage
removes the last tie which binds ne to
England. You will write to me some
times, my friends, and you will address
your letters to Professor Westmacott,
Emancipation College, Denver. From
there l shall watch how the glorious
struggle goes on in conservative old
England, and if am needed you will
find me here again fighting in the fore
front of the fray. Good-bye-but not
you, girls; have still a word l wish to
say to you.
"Give me your hand, Ida, and yours.
Clara" said she when they were alone
"Oh, you naughty little pusses, aren't
you ashamed to look me In the face?
Did you think-did you really think that
was so very blind, and could not see
your little plot? You did it very well,
must say that, and really think that
1 like you better as you are. But you
had all your pains for nothing, you little
conspirators, for / give you my word
that had quite made up my mind not
to have him."
And so within a few weeks our little
ladies from their observatory saw a
mighty hustle in the Wilderness, when
two-horse carriages came. and coach
men with favors, to bear away the twos
And they themselves in their cracking
silk dresses went across, as invited. to
the big double wedding breakfast which
was held in the house of Doctor Walker.
Then there was Notwithstanding, and
laughter, and changing of dresses, and
rice-throwing when the carriages drove
up again. and two more couples started
on that journey which ends only with
life itself.
Charles Westmacott is now a flourish
ing ranchman in the western part of
Texas, where he and his sweet little
wife are the two most popular persons
in all that county. OF their aunt they
see little. but from time to time they
see notices in the papers that there is a
focus Of light in Denver, where mighty
thunderbolts are being forged which
will one day bring the dominant sex
upon their knees. The Admiral and his
wife still live at number one, while
Harold and Clara have taken number
two, where Doctor Walker continues to
reside. AS to the business, 1T had been
reconstructed, and the energy and abil-
ity of the junior partner had soon made
up for all the i'll that had been done by
his senior. Yet with his sweet and re-
fined home atmosphere he is able to re-
alize his wish, and to keep himself free
from the sordid aims and base ambi-
tons which drag down the man whose
business lies too exclusively In the
money market of the vast Babylon. AS
he goes back every evening from the
crowds of Throgmorton Street to the
tree-lined peaceful avenues of Norwood.
so he has found 1t possible in spirit also
to do ones duties amidst the babel of
the City, and yet to live beyond it.
THE END.