The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1900-06-28

have. occasion to display; for Mike had
il warm Irish imagination. and he was
as vain OF his vaior as he was sure of
it. The doctor had omitted to mem
ton, as detail of his plan, that he
had not us yet presented the same to
Faith. He was deliberately conspir-
ing with the cruel circumstances that
beset the girl to capture all her scruples
at once; there was no other way but
TO harden his heart against doubts and
computations, and to put confidence
in the men he had chosen in the place
Of her natural protectors. The doc
tor was no bungling judge of male
character, and, in his opinion, man
may be a young girls natural protector
in other than the established way;
but the doctor was not yet father.
AS he left the cellar, his ear was
shocked by sound of pitiable screams
and hoarse brutal cries, and, looking
across the guich, he saw, as in vision
of the Inferno" wretched, struggling
figure hailed along at the end of
rope, towed by a mass of men, as fast
as they could go over the rough ground,
in the direction of the secret tamaracks.
The person of the victim was scarcely
distnguishable, but the doctor knew
it could be only the miserable China
man; und strange familiarity with
the fact crossed him, us if he had beheld
the shameful scene before in some mo
ment of prophetic consciousness, and
had always known that such would be
the end of Wan.
In that horror-stricken moment
Faith had flown to her father. forget
full of the breach between them, and
| confident OF his protection for the
wretched Wan. She could not yet
count him as nalght. or quite believe.
for all the doctors unrelenting sum
ming up of facts that were sadly in
evidence, what "a king of shreds and
patches" was the manager of the Big
Horn.
At this after-dinner hour he was
usually clothed ON with his evening
liquor, and uncomfortable to the
pitch of surliness. 1t was thus that she
| found him. lie had risen from his
| chair, and was moving with circuIn-
xpection from the table to the side
board, when his daughters excited en-
| trance startled him. lie let fall the key
which he held-that very precious
| duplicate key of the sideboard cltsSet
where his liquors and brandIes were
kept, the possession of which he had
thus far been able to conceal from the
yigilant Abby. AS it shipped from has
fat, smooth, shaking fingers, all that
was left of his intelligence groveled
after it upon the floor.
Father, fatherl" cried Faith, rush.
ing upon him. Come, come with me!
this fearful thing!"
Seeing no hope of comprehension in
his CLASSY, floating eyes. which tried to
fix hers with a reprehensive frown. she
seized him and shook him passionate
ly, trying to awaken in that dead hear
some spark of warmth from the indig
nation that burned in her own.
will you listen to that poor thing
begging for his life! Do you want t.
have your people murdered"
But the late Mr.. Bingham simply
stared, working, his empty fingers
feeling for the lost key; his mind wa
concentrated solely on that interrupted
Journey to the sidebroad.
Keep 'way-don' talk sho lou
where Ssh it? Only key got. Abby fin
she-I-wha' sh'u l do?" he within
pered.
"Oh, obi" shuddered the girl
Mr. Bingham CROPPED for the chair b.
had imprudently forsaken and seated
himself majestically upon the arm. TIL
heavy chair tipped with his weight
Faith helped him to regain his seat
She stopped to search for his key, dash
ing the tears from her eyes.
Here it is, poor father" she said
putting the key back into his hand
There; have you got itf Let me pu
it into your pocket. See, you will los
: it again."
1t was all that he cared for; so lie
him have it and find his way to tn
sideboard and so out of the world ,wher
be was no longer of any use. Faitl
blooded fashion; she acted on the i'm
pulse simply to do one little thing TO
him that he wanted done before sh
: left him. If not that night, yet sh
: must leave him soon; she could not al
I ford to be harsh with what was alread
q memory, grave. t
e There was yet one man in his sense
, in that distracted place whose courag
and humanity could be counted on; th
, doctor, Faith knew, had returned to th
3 mine. But as she few to seek him q
] his Office he was on his way to he
/. and thus they missed each other by col