The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-07-31
''Geoffrey Heathcote, ESQ.,
By JOHN FiNNIMoRE. Copyright 1888 by s. s. Mcclure Coz

until a young woman came in to clea
away the dishes. Then I thought O
the saddler and stepped outside to fin
him i closed the inn door behind me
took few steps, and stood to lool
about upon my surroundings. The mi
was close and none too sweet smell
Ing, and drew several hearty breath
s 20 fill my lungs with the clean, fresl
air of the night. The place lay in pro
found repose. Here and there fain
sandle-shfne betokened life in dwell
ang, but no sound was to be heard
Above, the sky was full of frosty
Gwinklfng stars, thick set and clear.
shining. The only strong light in the
dusky picture was that of the inn win
dow, vivid patch Of crimson in the
black wall at my elbow.
Inc CRATE of an opening door came
TO my ears, and glanced across the
way. My eyes We're now accustomed
TO the faint starlight. and saw fe-
mafe figure approaching me. At her
first word knew her for the girl who
had spoken English so purely.
Sir" said She II should advise you
not to follow the route Of which you
spoke to me-
II intend to take a guide" I return
ed; but she went On
1T Is not the difficulties of the road
have In mind But since reaching
mere, have heard that there Is danger
lurking among the hills To those
familiar with every turn of the coun-
try, 1t may be avoided; stranger
would have no such chance, II his guide
knew but the direct way"
You are kindness ITSELF" I said, "but
IN these days such dangers are part
and parcel OF the Journey. Witness our
little ARRAY this afternoon.
An, she returned But this is of
FaS r
be wise to turn back"
Why. there YOU name a thing I can
not do" replied. Frankly. I should
return to the gailows. To be hung or
III nest, shot, is q certainty for me, I'M
less l find sure hiding place Can
yonder hills hold q worse fate?"
She gave little startled cry, and
now, Tor the first time. / caught q
& &tfmpse OF her OF q sudden the Grim
son curtain was twisched hack, and the
shine OF the candies fen fair upon her
ERce Trusting to the dark the rnuffiing
cloak was careiessiy thrown about her,
and saw for a second matchless pro-
Tile and caught her full liquid glance.
Then with swift turn of the home
apun, her iustrous eyes were yelled and
Sne appeared to all seeming the sim
PIE country girl. At the window the
gaping face of the wench OF the inn
peered out into the night The cur
tam was cropped and my companion
glfded away. The latch of the door
checked, and in another moment the
serving maid thrust her head out. She
must have caught our voices, low as
we spoke. l stood perfectly still: the
door on the opposite side of the way
mao been already softly closed. The
girl stared until she was satified that
was quite alone, then went back into
the house.
= 4 I Z /.
For myself / remained in a pleasant
KIND OF waking dream. An elation of
nlood possessed me that / had seen
this beautiful vision; the night seemed
full of magic Of romance and mystery.
my heart drummed a merry marching
music III my ear. That the gray home
spun was @ disguise now knew very
Weii-no milkmaid who ever lived had
such an air-and I judged the disguise
4 Wei chosen. For with our present
sWarms OF footpads and broken men
mere are put two ways of marching
SaIely; one with such show of force
-as 70 5oVeraWe, the other with such
modesty as to draw no particular no
dce, and reckon the second way the
safer. .Ate
After while my errand came into
mind, and moved slowly up the
street. saw a window with a bride
I, a., nang1ng IN It, and entered the house.
= - ,.'NS-AAtt. ~ iSetlileI assured me or the
place, and next / came upon the sad
der himself seated behind screen and
snusy az his work. In two words 7 told
4 n NM what ! wanted; in one he re-
fused. 11e
No. no. said he, shaking his head;
VIII not go that way
Gone, continued, II will pay you
well s.1 You shall name your own price
1t is not the money, he said. "b,ft
they are there" He lowered his voice
% an uneasy whisper, 81 heard it to-
gay. he went on: they are about
there now,
Ihey?" said I (; "and who are they?.
GWylliaid Cochion.,' he replied.
s Inc name is familiar in my ears now.
Dut upon that first time Of hearing it,
= Gought nothing but kissing click,
followed by harsh cultural. sounds
which Mich had no meaning for me.
what are they like1?" said /.
Well said he. they are red. Oh.
yes, they will be red. !,
Are they men or what?"
some say they are men, replied the
saddier. and some say they have been
men once, but now He broke orr
and drew deep breath II win not 70 20
With you, he cried sharply, NOR will
any other man."
nat ne was frightened at something
e0r somebody among the hills I saw
clearly; and II his neighbors were In
gectsd with the same fear then good
spy 70 hopes of a guide.
Look here. said I, IT have a gift
OF finding my way about places. Give
me me sui description Of the road and
Ell try 1t alone.'' . 7 4 y q
fes, i Will do that, z he said. and he
spread out q piece of thin leather m
his cutting board. Upon this he traced
sa map with his awl, and very wei he
xaad 4. too, as found out afterward
and Tor half an hour or more stored
away landmark after landmark IN nv
aflaemory--a hill of peculiar share.
cairn. g great rock. shepherds cot
sfage an inn. Twice or thrice We ran
over the route. and / felt confident
sSould follow i, Then rewarded him
s:iiIln. - = 4 1' n = siie
CHAPTER III.
MEET lE IEUAN GWYLLT.
When 4 rode away from the inn. the
sa1ext morning looked up at the win
stows OF the house opposite. It was
ss1oomy bare looking place, and,