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

OHM evening. Perhaps
not until morning,
| if the roads were bad.
rs his wife at home?"
He is a widower, madam" an
swered the man.
His daughter, then? am sure | have
heard that he had a daughter. Is she
here"
Miss Fulton is in the parlor."
Take me to her at once. Let me see
Miss Fulton
What name shall | take TO herr"
None. She does not know me. | will
explain everything to her, and bear the
blame. il any falls"
He opened door leading into spac-
ious room, shadowy with the soft gloom
OF crimson curtains, but wonderfully
frightened by the CLEAN OF wood fire
on wide hearth. Before the fire, curl.
ed up on a lounge. kitten purring in
her lap and a book in her hand. was
little golden-haired girl Of 16 or Is.
She startled up at sight of the Wis
itor, and opened her wide, brown eye.
in amaZement.
Get down, Juno" she said to the
kitten-then to Agnes. Whom have
the pleasure of meeting?"
Are you Miss F'ulton?" trembling.
~ asked Agnes.
Yes
Agnes caught her hand in hers.
You look good and kind-your faith
or must love you. Will you help me?"
To be sure, if can. What shall
do first? C'ean the mud from your habit
or comb YOU hair? Both are shocking"
Il know | am in wretched array, bat,
my dear girl. | have ridden on horse
back from Portlea. almost 200 miles,
and only halted when my poor horse
could go no further. | have been too
miserable to think of my appearance. l
have come on an errand OF life and
death. Miss Fulton. let me tell you
very briefly my sad story. and then
judge whether have any chance with
your father. You have heard of the
murder at Portlea?"
Yes. The beautiful young bride was
murdered almost at the altar"
She was And You know. perhaps,
that there is a man under sentence Of
death for this murder"
Yes: papa told me-
Wei, have come to ask this mans
life Of your father. Not his pardon
that were too much to plead for-but
his life. the life of this man, falsely ac-
cused, wrongfully convicted"
Miss Fulton gave a little incredvlous
stare.
II think he deserves to be hung"
No, because he is innocent. IL he
| had done the base deed though he
| were dearer TO me than my own soul,
| | would not lift finger 10 save him.
The girl they said he murdered was my
adopted sister-she was to have been
| the wife of my only brother"
And what is this Lyndo Graham to
/ you?"
! Agnes b,uShed scarlet. and stood
| trembling and abashed before the gov
ernor's daughter. But Helen Fulton was
| quick-witted; she understood it all, and
put her hand on the dropping head
caressingly, as she said, softly:
He was your lover?"
No; not that. But he has been my
companion from my earliest childhood
-and-and-you can guess the rest"
You loved him? Poor girl. No won
der you are wretched But what il he
did murder herr
He did not. Never think 1t for a
moment. l would stake the salvation of
my soul on his innocence. The real
murderer is yet to be brought to JUS
tice. VIII you take my word? viii you
help me?'
1 Yes. I think will" said Helen.
thoughtfully-"that is. will go to papa
with you. if he don't happen to be
bearish. ! asked him for the money to
buy new bonnet, this morning, and
he told me to go to Flanders-just as
IL they made Partisan bon nets in that
Dutch placer