The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1901-09-26

MN& ing as though she
MT were the arbitress
of his destiny.
II am Farmer Moore, my lady
Farmer Moore land want to speak to
YOU"
Lady Caraven stood quite still; he
was a man SO old and venerable that
his appearance alone commanded re-
spect.
Farmer Moore" she repeated, "and
you want me. l am very pleased to
see you. Will you come into the
house?"
mo. my lady; I cannot enter your
doors with my present trouble on me.
Your husband is young man, but he
is driving my white head to the
grave"
MY husband" exclaimed Lady Car
aven. "Yo, must not speak i'll OF
him."
'He must not act i'll to me-" he
said; IAN old man, my lady, so old
that my grandsons say good wish
from me is blessing, an evil wish
curse-an old, old man, my lady,"
She saw how he trembled, and sweet
est compassion filled her heart. What
could he want from her, this old
man?
II have stood here my lady" he
said, every day for ten long days,
waiting to see you. They told me that
you were. young and bonny-that you
had kind eyes and kind heart. Your
husband wants to drive me to death,
my lady-will you save me?"
She thought he must be raving; but
his manner was calm and collected.
They were standing together just at
the end of the coppice. and Lady Car
aven pointed to one Of the fallen
trees.
"Sit down there, Farmer Moore"
she said, "if you will not come into
the house. and tel, me what is wrong.
Il am an old man, my lady; I have
lived many years, and I have never
seen an injustice prosper yet. The
earl is going to do an injustice to me
and mine. You will keep him from
it,"
"I will IL cam" she replied. what
is it?"
"The Moores have lived at Bromhill
Farm, my lady, more years than I can
count. / have heard it read how, GEN.
turtles ago, when the lords of Caraven
went to war, the Moores followed
them. They have always been ten.
ants on the Ravensmere estates. The
farm, my lady-Bromhill FARMS lie!
20 them on lease; when one lease ex-
pires another is signed. My lady, when
was boy, my father signed a lease
for seventy years. and the seventy
years will be at an end next month
have sons and grandsons waiting to
succeed me, and the home is my home
II love it. My father lived and died
there. my sons were born there. The
old homestead Is part of my life, OF
my soul, my lady; standing outside
of 1t, seem to have no life"
II understand" she said. gently.
There has never been any difficulty
about the renewal of the leases, my
lady. The lords of Caraven knew how
to value good tenants; and when a
fresh lease was signed the earl would
say. Moore, you will take a glass OF
wine with me- and the best wine In
his lordship's cellar would be put be.
fore him. There might have been ten
ants who would have offered more
money; but the lords of Ravensmere
would have laughed at that. We
were their humble friends and true
servitors, my lady. You do not NEE,
with such every day."
! II understand" she repeated, not
| knowing what to say.
Now, my lady, the seventy years
lease, signed when I was curly head
ed boy playing at my fathers knee, has
expired. We thought, my son John
and /, that we had nothing to do ex-
lcept call on the earl and renew It.
We never dreamed of anything else, my
son John and /. So we called, my
lady, and footman brought us word
that his lordship left all the business
connected with the estate to Mr.. Blan-
tyre. AS we were leaving home ]
said to my son john: John. We shall
taste the earl's famous wine to-day
and he. in his CHEEKY way, said: II
will do you good, father But there
was no wine. my lady, no kindly greet
ing from the lord of the castle, no
message to the old retainers of the
house, except that we were to so to
Blantyre. My lady," said the old
man solemnly, as he struck his stick
upon the ground, II hate Blantyrev'
She could have added, $50 do l."
But 1t was wiser to be silent.
(To be Continued.)