Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1900-09-13

It fell at dawn, just as big red rooster
under the house crowed and tapped his
wings. Dave came upstairs and shook
his brother, who had fallen asleep only
about an hour before.
''Well," he said, 1.-THE old man has
handed in his checks. Geewhilikins
Ron, I'm beginnin' to think I've run m.
blasted head into a secret of ma an
pas that they've kept from US fur over
quarter of century. All night long,
an up to the time he tuck his last suck
of air the old man talked of nothin
else but you-you-you, an some dead
soldier"
'He seems to imagine" Ronald be-
gan, but Dave interrupted him.
Imagine a dogs hind foot!" he blurt.
ed out. "Thar's some'n behind all them
hints an threats that have been passin
betwixt ma an pa sence was knee
high to a bow-legged duck, an have,
at this late day, jest got my fust Whit
of dead mouse. You don't have ia
| knock me down with load o. mill
rocks as a general thing; I can see a
inch fore my eyes, eff I am cross-eyed
The old man kept runnin' on last night
about baby an its dead daddy; an
ma kept tryin' to keep me from under
standin' till she fell asleep out o pure
| WEAKNESS of the brain an then the
truth begun to creep into my noggin
Ron, 1 never did think you was Bit
like the rest of us, an now I'm sure
you don't belong to this litter"
Ronald sat up on the edge of his bed
as white as death could have mad,
MIN. 49,
care you in earnest, Dave ?" he ques
toned.
| If ever was in my life"
''Did you find out anything-posi
tiEe?" the last word came out with 9
jerk.
mo, but you can, Ron; ma is all broke
up. She knows you saved the insurance
an she would answer any question yo,
ask. Id go to 'er, after the buryin'
an demand to know it all. She'll tel
YOU"
At this juncture the voice of Mrs
Fanshaw came up to them as she shook
the latch of Ann Josephine's door
Wake ur, JOSIE she said, "yore PAL
been dead a good half hour, an thai
amt nobody to cook breakfast"
Ronald began to dress himself.
'Dave," he said, ''your suspicion has
taken me completely by surprise;
have suspected for good many year:
that they did not feel towards me a:
they did to the rest, but cannot YET
believe am not really-a Fanshaw."
'Wait till you talk to ma" counselec
David. ''Be shore you come at 'er ex
actly right. Make 'er feel shore 20,
won't give 'er speck O trouble an
she'll let the cat out the bag"
The next day when Jade Fanshaw''
implanted box was lowered into thu
grave near the meeting house, half {
mile over the hills, the snow was falling
so fast that the faces of the few mourn
ers and neighbors who stood around
could hardly be recognized. The mount
had scarcely received its shape wher
it was robed in white. 1t was as-if Ma
ture had spread an emblem of forgive
| ness over Jade Fanshaw's last resting
| place.
Ronald rode home in the wagon con
tanning Mrs. Fanshaw, Dave, the twt
girls and Bud Tarbell. Arriving a
home the girls went into the house ant
Mrs. Fanshaw hustled about on tn
hackpcrch, opening the window blind
which she had closed that no one nigh
gain access to her house during tn
absence of the family. There Ronald
found her, still in her bonnet and heavy
shawl. Her eyes fell before the hun
CRY stare of his own.
81 want to see you in private" he said
excited in spite of strong effort a
calmness. She moved as if to pass hin
and 60 into the house, and then sh'
paused before him, logged expression
in her unsteady glance.
"Dave's been blabbin' to you, Ron,
she said; II wouldn't pay no attention
to that boy" ..s ... ".. .atf
you've been keeping something
from me-something concerning my
self, all my life,' he heard himself
saying in deliberate tones.
She caught her breath, and ther
looked through the hall at Bud Tarbell
who was turning his wagon away from
the gate. "
"Dave tor me back thar at the grave
jest now" she faltered, 'that you sale
you never would give me no trouble
about anything. If I knowed that
you would not bring me to court, an
that you would let us have the insur
ance money to buy land in Texas, Ron
I'd not keep back thing"
"Your name shall never be men
toned" he promised, now chilled tc
the center of his heart by what might
b-revealed. shave right to know it
if am not your son, and not his. Yor
know you are welcome to the insurance
money"
| "Can't you put it off till after supper
when all the rest is asleep? l am sc
| excited"
| mo, I'd rather know now" he said.
| ITO Be Continued