The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1898-02-10

mad made good pace. and set out early
the next morning. At noon she rested
couple OF hours. and pushed on. She
came now upon the very gloomiest part
or the way. The road lay through vast
tracts OF forest. with here and there
a hut In clearing, to show that the
| hand OF civilization had not entire. Y
vanished from the world. It almost
! seemed as ii Jove understood the i'm
| portance OF the errand upon which he
was going. for ne gave no sign of weari-
ness, but hurried on, animated perhaps
| by the spirit of his rider.
About sunset it began to rain heavily,
and the horse sank TO his fet.ocks in
mud. Agnes drew rein at the first
| shelter she reaChed-a small. rude hut
In the heart of dense pine forest. It
was a most forbidding- looking place.
and had her mind been less occupied.
Agnes might have hesitated about
seeking shelter there: but just now she
was not thinking of danger to herself.
The inhabitants, an old man and
woman, were as rude as their home
They gave her a gfuff invitation to
walk in. and led Jove off to a shed at
| the rear of the hut
She seated herself before the fire to
! dry her clothes. and the woman
| brought her bowl of milk
The man now came in, and the ava
ricious eyes OF the couple wandered
frequently to the costly watch Agnes
| wore at her girdle. The look in itself
would have been very suggestive TO
| an acute observer, but Agnes was 50
absorbed in her own thoughts that she
noticed nothing that was passing
| made few rough attempts at CONVEX
sation, but meeting with no encourage
ment. they soon relapsed into silence,
and after little while they told her
| she might retire when she chose. She
rose quickly. glad Of the prospect OF
up the rude ladder leading to the cham
| Der above the kitchen.
In one corner there was a sack filled
with dried leaves and covered with a
warm quilt The woman pointed TO
this meagre bed.
1T be the best we've got" she said :
but it's not such as the like of ye
have been use 70. But | hope ye'.l
sleep we'll"
Agnes thanked her, and when left
alone she got on her knees and asked
God to take care OF her and give her
success, with all the confidence little
child feels in asking bread of its
mother.
She lay down on the outside of the
bed, without undressing, and tried TO
sleep. But slumber held aloof The
longer she lay. the more wakeful she
became. Full two hours passed, and
she was still restless.
| Just as she was about to rise and walk
| about little in the hope that it would
| bring the sleep she needed, she heard
| a distinct and ominous whisper coming
| from the room below. Some secret,
unaccountabe impulse led her to put
| her ear To a crack in the flooring and
listen. The woman was speaking.
1T can be done in a minute, and it
will make us rich. You are a fool TO
daily"
Softly. old woman. She may not be
| asleep. She looks like lady in some
sort o trouble Sech don't go to sleep
as innocent like you and | do And
he gave the woman a nudge intended
to be facetious
She answered. !mpatiently:
What I want 10 know is will you
do 1t or not" Times passing. She'll
die easy. The knife is sharp. And the
old well is safe place to rest in. No
danger of ever being rooted out"
It's a deed don't ike to do" said
the man rubbing his grizzled. bald
head thoughtfully. "A man | don't
mind but woman is a different thing
But | won't be coward. Give me the
toothpick. That watch would tempt a
speaker in meeting"
Agnes waited 10 hear no more. She
knew that il was her own death she
had heard planned. and stepping noise
lessly TO the window she opened it and
looked out. The rain still! fell. but I.
was not so very dark. Somewhere
under the clouds there was a nearly
full moon. The window looked out on
a shed, and within it's rude shelter she
heard Jove quietly munching his coarse
provender. The very sound gave her
courage. She did not feel the danger to
herself; she was only thinking that IL
she persisted there, Lynde Graham
would be sacrificed.
She sprang lightly upon the shed