Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-05-17

AFTER NGWrS Ill hopeless NAHGFf3Hss
the old doctor was forced 1 sink down
upon a rock that guarded
a crystal Surfing, and as he refreshed
himself hv a draught Of the ice-cold
water. ackn0wl edgeI that Nature and
TFne together were too much for him.
He didn't kn0w where be was. nor
bow far he had been, he only felt that
his limbs we're sore and his strength
gone. end that he had proved himself
an old fool for nothing.
II don't spp why I should concern
myself about the girl. anyhow. nut
tered the doctor. rs a sharp twinge of
rheumatism struck his knee. There's
plenty If policemen ia the neighbnr-
hood. whose business il is 10 look after
robbers and murdererS. without my
I taking the work I'm hand. Confound H.
there must De some witehcraft about
that girl, Her eyes have been haunt
Ing me ever since the first time | saw
her-thoSa eyes that are SO like-so
Ike Svbil Lees"
sSyvho iS III that speaks Of Sybil IeeT
said a voice behind him that made the
doctor spring TO his feet, regardless Of
his fntigue and rheumatism FWh0 =
1T that can look over a gulf Of fye-and-
forty years, and still speak Of Sybil
Lee? All. Master Harry-Master Har-
rs, tif she had been wise enough TO
walk her way with you, things would
have been different nowr
what the Who are youg EaSped
the doctor. almost startled into pro
family hy the w~itchlike figure that
met his gaze; for II was RiZpah who,
leaning on her long stick, looked out
upon him from the underground.
tyho am Il? Ha, la! You knew me
well enough lve-and-forty years ago,
Master Harry. though / was younger
and comelier than | am now. Do you
remember the old Africans hut where
You came with her 10 have your for
tune read: DO you remember the old
Africans daughter, 10 whom you
threw a dollar for a wedding gift? Do
you remember Rizpahr
"Rizpahg Rizpahf Good heavens
exclaimed the. doctor. in wonder; 'the
beautiful Young mulatto whom She
my Sybii-used 70 teachT'
"Aye. ayeIl" answered the old wo-
man. bitterly; "the beautiful young
mulatto Of five-and-forty years ago is
the withered old witch OF to-day. Ii is
the way the world goes-the way the
world goes! And If your Sybil had
lived she would have. mayhap, been as
ugly. and withered, and weakened as
old Rizpah Is now. The dead only are
ever young"
"Impossibler' answered the doctor,
with a shudder. .But. alas! / forget
the changes that time can make in FIVE
and-forty-years-I forget what / am
myself
You haven't changed so much that
these old e could not gee Harry
Bond in you still" answered RlzDah,
fixing her fierce gaze upon his face.
You haven't changed SO much, Mas
ter Harry. Unless your looks belle
heart. I can trust you still. If the
thought of SybiI Lee is still fresh in
mind. IL her memory Is still green
in Won heart. follow me"
sNot unless / am a mailman" was
the doctor mental rejoinder, for the
cleaning eyes and fierce words or the
old rearu warned him she was
crazed. 1--WE got myself deep enough
in the mud now without wading fur
Their into the mire. AT sixty-fiye we
never lose our wits for more than a
couple Of hours at a time, and my so
Der senses have come back to- me with
this twlnge Of rheumatism"
4+No. my good Rizpah,7 added the
doctor. aloud. 'I've gone far enough
enough on a fools errand THIS evening
Ina too old nowadays TO travel on any
romantic missions. II you've ever had
the rheumatism. you'il help me, In pure
pity. out OF this COMPOUNDED wilder
ness; for. unless I'm in bed within an
with a good drink Of herb tea in
stomach, I'll be crippled for a
week"
'Bah. Are you coward enough to
fear PAIN she asked, s~cornfully.
Look there'-she held out her long,
thin hand. that was bent and drawn
into a frightful claw. spain has
griped my every sinew into shapes like
that. and vet I scorn TO let in conquer
me. | can defy paint can defy weak,
ness-I can defy death, when they
would bid me shrink from serving
those dearer 70 me than wretcbed life.
But I am n woman. You-ha. ha! I
forgot-you are only a man. There is
well-spring that can keep the heart
OF man fresh and green for flve-and-
forty years. 1t il only -woman-weak
WOfifdli--IndI cdU love ana SulIPr-ioNe 4
and suffer while a shred Of the thing
she worships remains to her-loye and
suffer still!'
'9The old bag talks like a book. NUT
tered the doctor TO himself. II wonder
the deuce she is driving at?
These haif-stricken creatures 90 al
round and round the point. I've
half a mind 70 follow her. and see
she Will lead me. I'm in for the
rheHmatics anyhow, and n little extra
folly can't make me more of a fool.
She can't take me into much trouble,
ut any rate. while l have this"
And the doctor felt again for his
pistol, then added. aloud:
.'Go on. mother. I'll follow you, since
you put the old man On his metti.
Lead me anywhere, 80 it's outside of
his COMPOUNDED Cretan twist. where
syery path seems knotted up TO bewild-
sr wandering Christians. Go on I'll
come as fast rs these stiffening limbs
will allow. Harry Bonds heart may
De as fresh as IT was fve-and-forty
ago, but there's no mental elixir
hat will keep ones legs nimble. Go
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