Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-03-31

IL SHILLING W u poOI Lhhh
near the Olympic Theater.
Mot for me, my boy. Shilnngs are
not so plentiful with me as all
was it you, do you say, blanche! wen.
/ wonder what he can wart with you
Perhaps he's dying, and wants TO leave
| you a fortune. / should go and see
him, if l were you."
Meanwhile. Blanche had opened the
dirty envelope. and with Il very grave
, face was reading the pencilled note IL
contained.
When she had finished it, she stood,
undecided, for a minute or two, anu
then said, suddenly, Il will go.
The boy scuttled on before them like
a puppy dog, and led her into one or
the numerous slums of Soho. Ihey
assembled a staircase in a house or uh-
describable ilthiness, and reached a
door in the attics. The boy pointed ~
il and said, "In there II vanished.
Blanche Knocked at the door. \
hoarse voice called out in answer, ano
she went in.
The man she had come TO see was
living on "A wretched bed, in a poverty
stricken. half-dark room, filled With Il
%sickening. fetid odor.
The man was gaunt with sickness,
if not with famine. His hair and
beard were long and matted: a Wild
light shone In his eyes. When he rec
ogniZed the visitor a look OF satlsfac-
ton came into his face.
Il thought you would come-God
bless YOU" and he sank back again on
his filthy pillow.
I'm afraid YOU are very i'll. Hadn't
YOU better go TO the hospital! sald
Blanche, gently.
Never mind that now. It's not
about that | wanted 10 see you
Blanche stared. The mans words,
his tone, his manner. seemed SO en-
tirely out of keeping With his sur
roundings.
You must have n nurse, said
Blanche, firmly. Don't trouble your
self about it. | will arrange it all"
He seized one of her hands as II
hung within his reach and carried II
to his lips. She did not draw II away,
as it was her first impulse to do, but
when he let it go she o on her
glove. and laid her cool palm upon hrs
burning head.
For a mipQte or two he lay still, and
blanche WI hdrew her hand.
Scarcely had she done So, than the
sick man started up into a sitting pos
ture, threw out his right hand and
pointed a skeleton forefinger ut some
thing invisible.
See. See, he cried, in a trembling
whisper. .-See the smoke. A steamer
he has gone fu her, gone with all |
had. and left me to perish, There Is
Isa,.lI,. o,,v x-1tn. aud nnNf fn no food
What is TO become of me- What a
death TO die Can there be justice on
earth that such men are allowed TO
live? See! See! 1t is going out of
sight, When it is gone / shall be
alone-aiOnc,."
The terrified girl at his side had
sdrunk back against the door, longing
TO fly, but fascinated and unable TO
move. The mans voice, which had
risen almost TO a scream, had died
away until the last words were barely
audible. He sank back on his pillow,
exhausted. and Blanche. released from
the spell that bound her, turned TO
leave the room.
Don't go. painted the man in the
bed. Il haven't yet said what L
wished TO say. I want to see a law
yer. l mean to make my WILL
Blanche could scarcely restrain a
smile.
Il ought to be at rehearsal" she
said, but it's not often that I'm alb
G n so. perhaps they'll overlook it,"
'.You will stop a bit. them" asked
the man. %anxiously; and when the girl
answered yes" a look Of relief came
into his face. and he closed his eyes.
Il think 1 could sleep" he said.
speaking with his Eyes shut: ''but I
have such dreadful dreams, that l am
afraid TO close my eyes. Would you
mind, just for once, sitting by me
while / sleep. and waking me if l be-
gin to dream ana talk out loud?'
Wen, I'll stay" said Blanche, after
a moments hesitation.
And what il you get into trouble at
the theatery
..I1l chance it,"
She drew an old, cane-bottomed
chair TO the side of the bed and 4
down. One of the invalid's hands,
lean, and brown and dirty, lay outside
the coverlet. Blanche thought of TAX
ing ii i'll hers, but 1t seemed too dirty.
and she refrained. Presently, howev-
er, the lean, dirty hand moved hither
and thither, as il seeking something.
Blanche could not resist the mute ap-
peal. She put her hand in the hand OF
the sick man, and he became quiet.
Almost Immediately sleep overpower-
ed him; but it was plain, from the
workings OF his face, the spasmodic
movements of his hand, and the uniL.
telligible mutterings that came now
and then from his lips, that his brain
was not in repose. By-and-by the
words became intelligible-they forced
themselves on the ear of the girl ut his
bedside.
"He knows him! Go! OF course /
will go. What does he suppose l care
to live for? But he shan't have the
diamonds. No, no! That would be too
much.'
He was not screaming, as he had
done before. His words came i'm an
even, level tone, some Of them scarce
ly %articulate, from the way he kept his
teetii fixed together. But very soon he
began to labor under some strong ex-
element. He moved ~uneasily from,
side to side; his face twitched: his
hands clutched B%lanche's with so firm,
a grip that when she tried to with
draw II she found she could not.
Again he spoke, and now his tones
We're more piercing, his voice shriller.