Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-12-12

I is necessary, you must De sioncht' 49,
IL this vehic3e-whatever IL fs-we are
going on IT, or In 1t, / don't ninu
/ which" Is a. 49,
EMrATaggett got up and stood expect
ant; the sound of wheels came nearer.
Peering into the gathering
Irthey saw a huge vehicle Innnperihs
along towards them, drawn py thIee
horses: the driver tramped along De-
side the leading horse sturdy, prooa7
| bly, to warm himself, for the night was
| chilly. Seeing the surprising form OF
Anthony Taggett in the very center Oh
the road, standing, with arms out
stretched. as though he would have val
iantlys stopped the whole ponuerous
thing, (the man checked his horses, In
sheer amazement. The vehicle was a
huge pantechnicon. eyidently~~tuty
loaded.
Mr. Tagrett saw his acknowledgement
embraced IL; advancing quickly ne
| droIped a hand upoI "a shoulder OF
the driver and shook him to and fro,
heartily. In tha fashion. SO much ia
voredb OF y melodramatic9 actors when
hey greet a friend unexpectedly; in
fact. Mr.. Taggett carried the thing out
SO well. that he even held the man
| away, at arms length and smiled upon
him: and then drew him nearer to
whisper in his ear s.@ gb~efnmH t (
my friend-we ave tarried long for
thee. Properly, 1t should have been a
wagner. with loaded vain, who would
have halted his smoking team before
us: but this will serve. In these mod
ern days a man should not be too par
ticular about his choice OF vehicle"
Then, dropping his flamboyant Speech,
hurrfedly, he whispered, in a more nat
ural tone: My good man, you see be-
fore you an unfortunate creature, down
on his luck. Moreover. there are two
ladies' here who are utterly worn out.
If you could. by any chance, manage to
give us a lift
why didn't yer say 20 afore?"
asked the good-natured fellow. You
goes on a-talkin' all sorts Of stuff /
don't unnerstan'-leavin' me to guess
| 'arf Of It. II you don't mind sittin' up
on the ail-board behind, you're well
come enough to that" He indicated,
as he spoke, a broad shelf which stood
| out behind the closed doris OF the van,
and which were within a couple of feet
OF the ground. More than that, he as
sisted the two women to climb up to II,
disposirg some sacks for their greater
comfort; and, having seen Mr.. Taggett
comfortably seated. also, started his
team again.
The spirits of Anthony Taggett rose
considerably as the vehicle logged
steadily on towards London. Mrs.
Taggett, too, had regained something
of her usual cheerfulness: only the
strange woman sat quite still, with her
elbows on her knees and her chin
propped up in her hands. Perhaps An
thony Taggett, after a time, imagined
her to be asleep; perhaps he felt that
any subject he might chance to discuss
with his wife could have no possible in
terest for a stranger. At all events, he
began, In his usual rather loud tones.
to talk about the place to which they
were journeying and the man they
hoped to see. ." " Sd
my dear" he said, grandiloquently.
IT already foresee the day when / shall
tell this in a capital joke. while the
ruby wine goes round; h enlarge
upon it" er.E .ss ar.m
"I wouldn't enlarge upon II any more
III you can help, just now Anthony"
broke in Mrs. Taggett. shiyering. ut
amt a subject anyone a quite see the
humor Of, at the moment"
my dear. I can see n only the hu-
NOR OF IT.: I a see a great situation,
in that drama which is already formed
In my mind. / shall cut out the lift
accident (you will recollect, my love,
| that the hero comes down from the
| flies, 4 a lift. and confronts the villain
In the nick of time, aided by the low
com, disguised as the l~ift-boy)-I shall
bring him IN In a p~antechntcon, with
real horses. Yes. my love--this is,
most decidedly. situation we can
use"
ct suppose you didn't ask the man
what part Of London he was going to,
did your" asked Mrs. Taggett, after a
pause. 1T might be awkward to find
81. Johns Wood at this time Of night"
"No, my dear; 1 did NOT ask the man.
You see 1t is quite impossible for us to
reimburse the man In any way for his
trouble, save with thanks. 1 was 10th
to suggest that he should actually
drive up to the door of Rickerby's Fol-
~ and ring the bell.'' /:
Don't be sarcastic. Anthony; It don't
become YOU" retorted Mrs. Taggett.
All wanted TO say was
Did I hear you say you were going
to-to RlcBerbys Folly 1t was the
strange woman who had spoken; and
Mr.. Taggett. turning quickly, found
that he was looking straight into her
eager eyes: which were BENT iercely up
on him. 8
tT-I-certainly did mention In con-
v~ersation with this lady-that ] was
going to a house of that name," began
Anthony Taggett, hesitatingly.
d you know a man called Gilbert
R~ickerby?" She asked. She seemed to
breathe more freely as she spoke.
The guileless Mr.. Taggett threw back
his lead. spread put his hands. and ap-
pealed, with a smile. to his wife. my
dear, this lady actually asks me IL 1
know Gilbert Rickerby? My dear ma
DAM" he turned to the stranger, 1T
may say that you might as well ask me
IL I know Mrs. Taggett. Gilbert Rick
erby had the good fortune to come un-
der my training some years ago: what
ever distinction he may achieve in the
world hereafter, he will always be able
to lay his hand upon his heart and say:
You observe that I walk better than