The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-08-07

the English. I should think,
stiff"
] laughed, but did not enter upon any
At this moment two or
three deep musical twanEs, as Of a
harp, rang, Into and through the house.
\ turned my head. and saw standing in
the doorway a figure Of a boy.
1t came forward, and revealed the
lace ana head of a man. 1t was an
eifsh-seoking dwarf, scarcely -four feet
high.-a ragged, barefooted fellow,
holding In his hand a small harp, from
which he continued to pluck low. deem
notes. 60
His head was bare, covered only by
a thick mattof dull red hair, which fell.
over his face, and from among it small
herce eyes cleaned darkly. He smiled
upon my companion and stared hard
at me. ! heard a low, choking sound
at my elbow, and turned to see my
hostess, with a white face and big
frightened eyes, looking from one to the
other Of the last corners. Her bosom
rose and swelled as If with dreadful
apprehension, when 1T happened that
the swordsman turned and observed
her. .5
He raised his hand and spoke to her
eagerly and rapidly in. a low, caressing
tone. In another instant she regained
command of. herself, and began once
more to be busy with the food, but
eagerly and fearfully, her easy, unhast-
ing mood quite departed. The dwarf
seated himself unbidden, his harp rest
ing upon his knee.
People seem to walk in and out OF
place as freely as If it were an
inn," said I. IA i
"oh, yes; why not?" said the tall
man, carelessly. Everywhere on the
hills you can sit by the fire, and eat
something when vol pass a house. It
ISIS the custom with us. Now; in Eng
land they would put a dog to tear
your clothes and bite you If you walked
straight to the fire."
oh, no" said I. 1.-THE English are
not so bad as that"
IT has happened to me, indeed" he
replied, sand more than once. Here.
every n passing would come into this
mouse and take a rest, or something
like that"
AS II in proof of his words, the latch
clicked again and the door opened. This
It1me l knew the figure which stood on
the threshold, for all that she was
muffled high.
"Ihey are coming my road again." ]
thought. MY hostess slipped down the
room swiftly, pressed the gray figure
backward into the thick dusk tina was
gathering, and swung the door to after
them. At a sharp word the dwarf
flung his harp to the poet and went up
the wall like a cat, and vanished
through the hole which served as win
dow.
Whats the reason Of all this?"
said L. yg
Indeed, I do not know said the tall
man, gently running his fingers over
the harp and drawing out soft, sweet
notes. Then he struck into a bold, live
~ air, playing loudly, and singing as
he played.
you have two Ideas in this, my
friend" thought i: First, to persuade
people that you and the harper are
both here, the one singing and the 9th
er playing: second, to avoid converse
ton with me-"
I felt full of an uneasiness for which
l could not account. I had nothing to
go OF but the fright OF the woman OF
the cottage at the sight of the dwarf
harper and the fact Of the queer little
creature flying out through the win
dow. Local matters which could not
concern me in the least might account
! felt myself impressed with a ems
Of things of a deeper mystery and OF
g darker complexion.
A slight scraping on the wall drew
my. eyer to the window. and in came
the red head of the dwarf. His eyes
flashed with malicious glee fun on my
companion. and he sprang down into
the room n leaped for his stool. He
seated himself, seized the harp, an6
continued the air without the slightest
pause. Under owe Of the strummine
and singing he said a few words to my
companion, but I could not catch them
nor could I have been any the wiser
If I had.
The tall mans eyes lighted up witt
equal fire. and he continued to chant
his song in a still louder and gayel
tone. The door opened, and my hostess
returned alone. She gave a sigh o.
relief on seeing the harper n his
friend busy with their chorus, ant
neither took the slightest notice of her
She returned to her pot and begar
to stir milk into the slab mass, when
with a few rousing twangs and a cleal
high note from the singer, an end wa.
made of their ditty,
Without further ceremony, the tai
man fetched a bowl from a shelf OF
the further side Of the cottage, tool
the wooden ladle from the woman.
hand, and began to help himself from
the pot. She seemed to expostulate
as If begging him to wait a little, blu
he laughed and began to eat rapidly.
His companion at once provided 70,
himself in a similar manner, and tn,
scald1ng porridge disappeared dow
Ebah1 throats at a wonderful rate. II
less than ten minutes they had de.
voured a huge bowlful each. and thel
they prepared for departure. I ros'
also, and the bard looked at me witt
surprise. atzt#
Il thought you were stopping her,
for the night" he said.
mot at ALL" said L II intend to pu
up at an inn. which I understand lie
!, eight miles ahead, straight along thii
road"
but you had better stop here. beini
so wet"
"I am dry enough now" I returned
And further, I have a dry cloak whicl
I threw off before entering the water
Which way are you going?"
"Oh, I am going that way,"he said
/. Then we will travel together"
} Yes. yes" he said. but with no grea
heartiness. Upon signs Of my s~tartinl
with her visitors, the woman had rul
for Whitesock, and now led her to tn
door.
CHAPTER v. @E5
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