Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-08-01
"Geoffrey Heathcote, Esq"
BY JOHN FINNIMORE. Copyright 1899, by s. s. Mcclure co.,

| marked track which I was just cross
Ing, and which led, as ! expected. to-a
ford. Here the stream ran across q
level belt of living rock. without q ouo-
BILE or swirl.
1t was my first experience OF such a
brook. and / never dreamed of the ter
+, rible force hid In that 12-inch race OF
| flying water. The child was now with
In half a dozen yards OF where
stood. and I leaped into the midaie of
the stream. OF the next few minutes
I have the most confused Idea. l
know that my feet failed to toucn the
bottom, but at once were swept from
under me, and down I went, whirling
and laundering, to a pool below, 10
find myself and the child f1oating in q
! backwater, and a mountain ash sweep
ing my face.
As / was now in some three feet of
| fairly quiet water and had In ON
wonderful fashion shot through the
whirling eddies between the rocks
| without a single blow, I swung the 1T
tie boy on the bank and climbed after
| him. AS I blinked the water out or
my eyes. I saw a swiftly running ngnre
bearing down on us, a woman IN snort
ragged petticoats. and. by the way she
Rugged and kissed the child. VINO mao
| escaped as luckily as myself. 1 Juoseo
her to be the mother. ~.
She poured forth TO me a HOOD OF
language of which I understood no sim
gle word, to her great surprise as she
showed plainly when she discovered
that I was English. When she saw
me wringing the water from my
clothes. she pointed to the house and
pulled my o
We were reduced to signs, as ! have
read of merchant adventures among
saYages, but plain and common wants
are easily understood, n / stepped
away briskly toward the fire to which
she invited me.
Whitesock was standing just where
I had left her and ! saw her safe under
! cover OF q shed before l entered the
Louise.
The latter was the rudest and sim
plest construction. built of rough. UNI
shapen stones, their chinks plastered
with mud, and rooted with a thatch or
rushes. But inside, at one end OF the
hot sc, was q great turf fire glowing
redly on the hearth, the smoke escaping
through d hole above.
The shepherds vile drew . stool to
the fire, and fairly thrust me down
upon 1t, talking all the while with ner-
vous energy, and patting me every
now and then, and pressing my arm
as IL she could not make enough of me.
There seemed no sign of any n about
the house but herself n the child. who
had placed himself on the ether side
OF the fire, and within a moment the
steam began to rise from both of us
In clouds.
The woman, bustling about with
great activity, placed a small table at
my side, loaded 1t with what she had
a barley loaf, a cheese, a pitcher of
milk, and a wooden dish containing a
food which l had never seen before.
but have since found II to be a very
nourishing preparation Of oatmeal,
called In their tongue, I'VE
With many words, of which l knew
not one, out also with many striking
and expressive gestures which, being
the language of nature and the heart,
/ understood very well, she begged Of
me to accept the best that she could
offer.
l made Shift to thank her In the
same manner, and fell to without de-
lay, for the mountain air sharpens APP
petite. With much natural deliCaCy
she busted herself about other matters
while / ate. yet glanCing from time 10
time to see II she could mark any want
which she had the means Of supplying.
When l had finished my meal, | was
still loath to start, for | was by no
means dry, and the wind would be keen
after sitting Ivy this noble fire. My
hostess had disappeared. carrying q
huge pitcher. and, as l p about
some household task, when | heard a
rattle Of hoofs on o stony patch near
the house. l LOOKED up, and as | did
80. a head thrust itself into the patch
of sky commanded by the little win
dow. The latter was q mere hole in
the wall. C:lglazed, and closed at night
by a wooden shutter, now hanging
back.
The head was th-t Of Il man Of SO
to 40 years Of age. with fiery red hair,
mustache and beard. HIS eye was
blue-gray, and bright and hard as Il
falcons, his nose ' IS slightly hooked,
his mouth shut like a spyinE-trap. nut
It was more the general expression OF
bis features which impressed me han
any special point among them.
His face was purely Roman in it's
outline. My grandfather, who was
curious in such matters, formed at But
ley Croft a collection of ancient coins,
and often to my delight he had shown
me the contents of his cabinet ana told
me the stories connected with them.
Twelve hundred years or more had
passed since that great conQucTing
race had left our island and yet here
was their impress stamped as strongly
and freshly as II this man had marched
with sword and shield ana plum IN
der the shadow of the eagle standard.
| had ample time to make my ohSCrva-
tions. for the horseman remained per-
fectly still. his eye fixed as If watching
the far distance.
Then he started forward. and paused
again before the open door. He was
riding a small pony Of the mountain
breed, and, ~dismounting, he tied his
reins to a wooden peg fastened In the
wall, then entered the house without
ceremony. He was a tall, straight fell
low, six feet high at least, spare and
sinewy. He advanced directly to the
fire, and spread his hands to the
warmth.
There was but little light in the house
and the flame had died out OF the turf,
leaving it a ruddy glow, so that he
could not distinguish me clearly. See
ing some one he greeted me in the Ian
guage of the country, and l made a re-
turn in English. He turned sharply up
on me.
You are Cn Englishman?" he said.
Certainly l am" said l. lie dragged
Il stool up to the other side of the fire
and set himself to examine me. He
looked me over from top to toe, and
every Omc with increasing dis
favor. The very hair upon him seemed
to bristle with anger, and his eye shone
fiercely in the freight. This was be-
yond my comprehension, since l had
never set eyes upon him before.
You are not a common man, after
ponies and sheep" said he, at last.
You are a gentlemen; I know 1t by
your fine clothes" To this | had moth
ing to say and again his eye worked
Owe my riding suit of blue and silver.
Tor what are you coming to this
country, and from where do you come,
and what is your name?" he de-
handed.
AS l was not accustomed to be ex-
amined in this fashion by a fellow in
a tattered ray doublet and greasy
leathern breeches; / made no reply.
did not wish to enter upon any quar-
rel, for 1t might be the husband of my
kind hostess, and in any case I did not