The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-05-08
But / do excite myself, as you cali

sui Go excite myself, as you call
1T, over this intrusion"
No intrusion at all. I have come tc
talk on a subject that viii interest you
deeply ! knocked on the door. and,
not getting any answer, / came in"
Then you can take yourself off as
you came" exclaimed the other, I'M
appeased. Il told the household that
would not see any one. 1t is no time to
receive Visitors.
No no. of course not. People should
respect a grief SO deep as yours" re-
piled the stranger, soothngly
Ellison looked at the man suspicious
I ly to see If there was any lurking sar-
! casm in that remark, but the unwel-
come visitors face was calm and placid.
/ We'll, now that you are here" said
| the banker, roughly, perhaps you will
! tell me who you are, and why l am in
| debted for this visit"
! The other, without waiting to be in
/ Vited, sat down in a comfortable chair,
and crossed his legs like a man who il
making himself at home.
What you have to say make brief"
, groWled the banker, frowning at the
little mans presumption.
I will reduce my story to as few
! words as possible" meekly. Il have
come to speak to you on behalf of a
! friend-one you knew in the past; his
name was Martin Frale."
| Ellison jumped to his feet, his hands
clasped and his lips moving. A mo-
ment only these evidences of emotion
| lasted, and then he laughed nervously
| and dropped back in his seat
1T must be a very old story that you
! have to tell me-" he said; some bits of
ancient history. Did you force your
| way in for that? Tell mel" recovering
i his arrogant manner.
/. Yes; it was exactly to rehearse some
/ bits of ancient history that | came to
see you, James Ellison returned the
visitor, at the same time fixing his
bright eyes on the others face.
For moment their chances met, but
1t was not the visitor who retired first
from the contest of staring each other
out of countenance. Ellison looked
down at the floor, twidding his thumbs
and twisting uneasily in his chair.
There was something in the manner of
his unlimited guest that made him
think, after all, it might be best to hear
him out, and have done with him.
You had certain interesting trans
action with this Frale near seventeen
years ago." began the stranger
Certainly, but what of those old
times? In the first place, the man we
are speaking about is dead" and in
saying this he seemed to feel a certain
satisfaction.
How do you know he is dead?"
Ell, Will lIldI llllS ll1ne staring
at the little man as if he would read
J the secrets Of his heart.
! Il say, how do you know he is dead?
Did you ever take any great pains to
find out?"
| Il heard it on pretty good authority
sullenly. Then, his voice rising, Il wish
you would be kind enough to come to
the point, and not be beating around
the bush in this distressful manner
1t don't distress me a. bit" and the
little man smiled. "Well, since you
/ wish it, we will come to the point. If
it pleases you to have it so, Frale Is
dead, though 1 would not be willing to
swear to such a statement"
go on
"Frale, these many years ago. became
involved in robbery. A factory it was,
and the foreman happened unfortu-
| nately to be killed. Frale was supposed
to be guilty. He managed at the tina
to escape. He came to you----
/ "Oh, why tell me everything that ]
know already" said the banker testify.
Il thought perhaps you had for
/ gotten. But | am coming to the
point. The object in Frale's escape
was to find q home for his baby
1 daughter. It seems that he had been
reduced to robbery because he waa
a ruined man, and his wife had need
of surgical aid, which he could not pro-
Ellison tried not to appear inter-
ested, but he did not venture to warn
the other again not to repeat mat
1 ters of ancient history
! Indeed, he could not keep his eyes
off the little mans face as he told
his story in calm and dispassonate
| way.
Now we are coming to the most
/ interesting period in the lives OF
these tow men, whose paths lay sc
wide apart" He drew a long breath,
as if to add emphasis to what he was
going to say. Ellison had married
a short time before a rich woman,
but her fortune was in her own
hands, and if she died childless it
was all to go to her relations. All,
/ thought you would be interested
/ sooner or later,' for while he was
! saying this, Ellison had leaned over,
and his heavy breathing could be
/ distinctly heard in the silence of the
A room. Ellison at once sat up in his
I chair with a jerk and assumed an
4 air Of Indifference. IF there was a
/ child that survived, then the money
i was to remain in the fathers hands
i in trust. It was just about the time
j of Frale's trouble that the Ellison
baby died, while the mother was in
a dangerous Illness"
The last words, innocent enough
! in themselves, seemed to excite the
banker ,bayond control, for he rose,
and going over, laid his hand on his
( visitors arm.
Continued Next Week.)
--------e---.e-s------ etigs