The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-01-16

OSUlLluS HlIu IOF the SdLHS.
He had long and sallcw counte-
nance. surrounded by long beard and
side whiskers. His broken nose and
high cheek-bones gave him somewhat
the air of Kalmuck, and his light
eyes shone with the excitement OF
high fever. He wore a skull-cap OF
black silk; a huge Bible lay open be-
fore him on the bed, with pair or
gold spectacles in the place, and pile
Of other books lay on the stand by his
side. The green curtains lent a ca
dayerous shade to his cheek, and, as
he sat propped on pillows, his great
stature was painfully hunched, and his
head protruded till IL overhung his
knees. | believe If he had not died
otherwise, he must have fallen a vic
tim to consumption in the course of bat
very few weeks
He held out to me hand, long, thin
and disagreeably hairy
Come in, come in, Mr. Cassilis,"
said he Another protector-ahem!-
another protector. Always welcome as
a friend of my daughters, Mr.. Cas-
silis. How they have rained about me,
my daughters friends! May God in
heaven bless and reward them for it,"
/ gave him my hand, of course, be-
cause could not help it, but the SYM
pathy / had been prepared to feel for
Clara's father was Immediately soured
by his appearance and the wheedling,
unreal tones in which he spoke.
"Cassilis is a good man." said North
mour. worth ten"
so | hear" cried Mr.. Huddlestone
eagerly: $50 my girl tells me. All,
Mr.. Cassilis, my sin has found me out,
you see! / am very low, very low!
but l hope equally penitent. We must
all come to the throne of grace at last,
Mr. Cassilis, For my part. come late
indeed, but with unfeigned humility,
l trust"
'Fiddle-de-dee!" said Northmour
roughly.
mo, no, dear Northmour!" cried the
banker You must not say that; you
must not try to shake me. You for
get. my dear, good boy, you forget l
may be called this very night before
my Maker"
His excitement was pitiful to behold
and | felt myself growing indignant
with Northmour, whose infidel opin-
ions | wen knew and heartily derided,
as he continued to taunt the poor sin
ner out of his humor of repentance.
Pooh. my dear Huddlestone!" said
he. You do yourself injustice. You
are a man OF the world inside and out,
and were UP to all kinds of mischief
before was born. Your conscience is
tanned like South American leather
only you forget to tan your liver, and
that, If you will believe me, is the seat
of the annoyance"
Rogue, roguel bad boy" said Mr..
Huddlestone, shaking his finger. Il
am no precisian, if you come to that;
I always hated precisian; but | never
lost hold of something better through
it ALL have been a bad boy, Mr..
Cassilis; l do not seek to deny that;
but it was after my wife's death, and
you know, with a widower, it's a new
thing. Sinful won't say so, but
there is a graduation, We shall hope.
And talking of that Hark!" he
broke out suddenly, his hand raised
with interest and terror only the
rain, bless Cod" he added, after a
pause, and with indescribable relief.
For some seconds he lay back among
the pillows like man near to faint
ing: then he gathered himself togeth-
err, and, in somewhat tremulous tones,
began once more to thank me for the
share was prepared to take in his de-
Tense.
"One question, sir" said I. when he
had paused. us it true that you have
money with your
He seemed annoyed at the question,
but admitted with reluctance that he
had little.
well" l continued, sit is their
money they are after, is it not? Why
not give it up to them?"
"Ah" replied he, shaking his head,
81 have tried that already, Mr.. Cas-
siiis; and alas! that II should be so,
but it is blood they want"
"Huddlestone, that's a little less than
fair" said Northmour. you should
mention that what you offered them
was upward of two hundred thousand
short. The deficit is worth a refer
ence; it is for what they call cool
sum, Frank. Then, you see, the fell
lows reason in their clear Italian way;
and it seems to them, as indeed il
seems to me, that they may just as well
have both while they are about it
money and blood together, by George
and no more trouble for the extra
| pleasure"
Ito be continued)