The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-05-01

| seen that grizzled face before
| don't know you," he said at length
| thinking that the man in the tree might
be a newspaper reporter, or a curious
minded fellow who was bent on getting
a look at such dangerous character.
No, know you don't know me-" re-
piled the other, calmly, never taking
his eyes off the young school teachers
face
| What do you want?"
ITO do you a service
| But, If you don't know me, what pos
sible interest" began Barnett, and
yet there was an earnestness about the
man in the tree that fixed his atten-
! ton.
You are in a close corner young
man." said the stranger.
Did you come here to tell me that 2"
mo. I am going to save you, If
| can, and I am pretty sure that can"
But 1 can save myself"
Il sincerely wish you could my boy,
but it may be long and tedious oper-
alton. and think 1 may be able to oil
the wheels of Justice"
Barnett stared at the stranger, Won
| dering what sort of man he had to
| deal with, and why a man he never
| saw should take such an interest in his
| case.
Who are your" he asked bluntly.
"As I said before, 1 am a man SIM
ply who is ready and able, I think, to
do you good turn. What my name is
don't matter just now. You know that
there is quite pile Of circumstantial
evidence against you?"
| Yes, so 1t seems"
with a foundation to build on they
| may erect a pyramid that will crush
you"
You think SOP" for there was an
| earnestness about the stranger that did
| not fail to make an impression on the
| school teacher.
| Now, justice seldom miscarries to
the extent Of hanging an innocent man,
but you may have a good deal Of
trouble before you clear yourself of the
| charge"
| Barnett's face became grave He
was beginning to realize that what the
| stranger told him must be true, and
that his position was fraught with
! peril.
There; didn't come here to depress
| you, but rather cheer you up, my
| boy-to point out that you must not
| treat the matter carelessly. T wanted,
too, to make your acquaintance"
| Was the man mad? Barnett Won
| dered. but he dismissed the idea as
| absurd, for the stranger spoke sensibly
| enough, and his eyes were clear and
bright Well he was not so burdened
with friends that he could afford to re-
| fuse the friendly offices of even a
| stranger. Perhaps the man was a
type of those eccentrics that spring up
| often when a crime is committed, and
lend sympathy and funds to the cause
| they have espOused.
The fellow might do some good since
he spoke so confidently; at least, he
| could do no harm. Let this eccentric
person have his will, if it amused him.
You don't seem to much of a pris-
oner, with nothing but those wooden
bars between you and liberty" remark
| ed the stranger. "A good wrench, and
out they would come"
| LAS far as am concerned, they shall
remain as they are" said Barnett. II
have many privileges here that I
| should lose if I tried to escape, so /
shall just let matters run along as they
are, confident that, as I am innocent,
I need have no fear"
And what Of her?"
The young man cast an lnquisitorial
| look at him.
What do you mean?"
IT mean Grace-Miss Ellison, I should
say. She knows, of course, what has
taken place"
T you know her, them" feeling a fresh
interest in the unknown.
''No, I don't know her, but it is pos
sible that I may see her, if there is any
message that can carry to her coming
from you"
Man, if you do that, I am your
friend for life!" exclaimed the young
school teacher. "Just wait and + will
jot down few words,' and he turned
hastily away from the window.
Make haste!" called the other in a
loud whisper.
Barnett, filled with a desire to set
down the thoughts that had been up
permost in his mind since the tragedy,
had no trouble in making start on his
letter. To be quick and concise was
another thing. Though his pen dashed
over the paper, a warning "E3ist!" was
a notice to draw the epistle to a close.
He folded it, and without stopping to
set down the address, went back to the
window and passed it to the stranger
| by tying it to the end of a poker
which happened to be standing by the
fireplace.
You will be sure and deliver it?" +,
said, earnestly, wondering If he was
doing right in trusting the note to a
man he had seen for the first time in
lbs life.
Deliver it? To be sure I will, unless
I should happen to have an accident
| that would lay me up. Hush! CO
back There is some one coming!" he
| whispered, warningly, and then sudden
| ly dropped out of the tree and disap-
peared among some bushes on the other
side of the garden.
"a queer character, that" muttered
| Barnett, as he watched the small man
| disappear, and noted that he waskvery
agile for q man of his years. We'll, he
managed to cheer me up, and relished
his visit! How did he manage to get
| into that tree in broad daylight with
out being seen, 1 wonder? Evidently 1t
| is not the first time that he has had
| occasion to make a surreptitions call.
1 should not be sorry to see the old fell
| low again"
| The subject of these remarks hae
wriggled his way through the densely
| growing bushes, just as the village
constable came around from the front
of the house with a party of friends.
Job Hendricks for such was the name
the stranger had given to the innkeeper,
peering over the top of the hedge,
grinned and wagged his gray head.
"Ah, there's an ideal keeper of pris-
oner. 1 wish there had been one of his
kind way back in the past. 1t might
have changed everything"
| He seemed to lapse into sad and
| thoughtful mood after that as he
/ turned and made his way to the high
road leaning the fences mechanically