The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1898-06-16

hardship and danger, like ramparts,
between my misery and me. with that
| conviction strong within me SUN, l
| tell you 1t is no matter whether L stay
here with the sick or go hence with
the strong. shall live till have met
that man. There is day of reckoning
appointed between us. Here IN the
| freezing cold, or away in the deadly
heath battle or in shipwreck-in the
| face OF starvation, under the SHADOW
of pestilence-I, though hundreds are
falling round me, shall live! live Tor
the coming of one day! live for the
meeting with one man.!
He stopped, trembling, body and soul,
under the hold that his own terrible
superstition had fastened on him.
Crawford drew back in silent horror.
| Wardour noticed the action-he resent
ed it-he appealed in defense of his
one cherished conviction TO Crawford S
own experience OF him.
Look at me" he cried. Look how
have lived and thriven, with
the heartache gnawing at me
a. home, and the winds OF
the icy north whistlng round me
here! / am the strongest man among
you. Why? I have fought through
hardships that have laid the best-sea-
sCned men of all our party on their
backs. Why? What have done that
my life should throb as bravely
through every vein in my body at this
minute, and in this deadly place, as
ever it did in the wholesome breezes
of home? What am | preserved for?
| tell you again, for the coming Of one
day-for the meeting with one man"
He paused once more. This time
Crawford spoke
Richard" he said "since We first
met / have believed in your better ma
ture, against all outward appearance.
| have believed in you firmly, truly as
your brother might. You are putting
that belief to a hard test. If your
enemy had told me that you had ever
talked as you talk now, that you had
ever looked as you look now, I would
have turned my back on him as the ut
terer OF vile calumny against just.
a brave, an upright man. Oh, my
friend, my friend, IL ever I have de-
served well OF you. put away those
thoughts from your heart! Face me
again with the stainless look OF a man
who has trampled under his feet the
bloody superstitions OF revenge. and
knows them no more, Never, never.
let the time come when I cannot offer
you my hand as | offer Ii now-to
the man | can still admire, to the
brother / can still lover
The heart that no other voice could
touch felt that appeal. The fierce eyes,
the hard voice. softened under Cray
ford's influence. Richard Wardour's
head sunk on his breast.
You are kinder to me than I de-
serve" he said. "Be kinder still. and
forget what have been talking about.
No! no more about me; am not worth
it. Well change the subject, and
never go back to it again. Let's do
something. Work, Crayford-that's
the true elixir of our life. Work, that
stretches the muscles and sets the
blood a-glowing. Work, that tires the
body and rests the mind. Is there
nothing in hand that l can do? Moth
ing to carry?"
The door opened as he put the ques-
ton. Bateson-appointed TO chop
Franks bed-place into firing-appear-
ed punctually with his ak. Wardour.
without word Of warning. snatched
the ak out OF the mans hand.
What's this wanted for9" he asked
TO cut up Mr.. Aldersley's berth
there into firing, sir"
I'll do it for you, I'll have II down
IN no time" He turned TO Crawford
you needn't be afraid about me. old
friend. l am going to do the right
thing. am going TO tire my BODY
and rest my mind"
The evil spirit in him yas MAINLY
subdued-for the time at least. Crav-
ttrd took his hand in silence, and (foI-
lowed by Bateson) left him to this
work.
ITO BE CoNrINUEp)