The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-10-30

why l cannot say, but I feel sure we
shall vet see happier days
The tears welled up in her soft, dark
eyes, and with a swittAlnstlnctlVe
movement 1 caught her in NY arms ana
showered kisses on her pale, peautllul
face. For a second she held me as
tightly, then firmly drew herself away
and went with a swift step to her
share of the task. When the last hut-
ter of her dress had vanished, turned
TO my linen roll and began my prepara-
tons with the easiest heart in the
world. l was bound to get out IN some
fashion. After the promise of such
happiness, was the thread of my fate
to be shipped by such vindictlVe rogues
as these? No. indeed to use a faNoflte
phrase of their own-No, indeed!
| gave the roll a kick and a tug n
it flew across the room, leaving me q
half dozen yards free to work with.
looked round for Il place to fix this emu
and for the moment saw nothing winch
could afford sufficient hold, and then
the great center beam of the ceiling
caught my eye. 1t ran across the room
from wall to wall supporting smaller
transverse beams, on which was laid
the planking which formed the floor OF
the garnet above. The ceiling was UNI
plastered, and between the main beam
and the boards there was a gap OF four
inches, the thickness of he smaller
IafterS.
| whipped out my sword. ran it
through the end of the linen and poked
the latter through one of these open
ings. | withdrew the point and thrust
through more and more, the stiff, heavy
cloth working admirably until the end
hung out over the beam within reach
of my hand. | drew it down and
formed a slip knot round the main line
of the web, then ran the mot tight, took
a good grip of the stuff gathered in my
hands and swung myself to n FRO \
like a pendulum, my feet clear of the
floor. The linen was, of course, thread,
very strong, and bore the strain easily.
so far, so good" thought l, and APP
preached the window. There seemed
no one about, and I opened one side Of
the wide easement. | put out my head
inch by inch and saw that the coast
was clear. On this side of the house
was neither door nor outbuilding; the
smoth mountain turf ran clean to the
foot of the wall.
That eyes would be on me as soon as
moved l knew very well, but as these
would be in the heads of the Red Men
of the Dusk, Ieuan's scouts posted on
the heights above, | had nothing to
fear in that direction. l lifted the big
roll of linen III my arms and returned
TO the window.
l bent out and listened and looked
again and again. All was quiet. and
dropped the roll. Down it went, turn
ing and turning n striking he
ground at last with Il slight thud. So
much stuff was in it that the diameter
was but little reduced when it reached
The turf and it was heavy enough to
lie like a plummet, keeping the length
which lay unrolled against the wal
straight ana steady.
l drew my belt tighter and threw one
leg over the window. | crumpled the
width of linen between my hands, II
in a second more would have thrown
over my leg and begun to slide down.
when a faint u of voices gave me
pause. | turned my head and saw. to
my utter dismay, three men come
round the corner of the house near Sc
me. Their heads were close together,
and they were talking earnestly, but
in low tones. one interrupting the 9TH
er, and al gesticulating fiercely, as
these people do when really excited.
They were walking away from the
house. and in the earnestncsS of their
debate looked neither to the one side
nor the other.
l watched them without moving IL
muscle. Let them go but far enough
to give me Il ham to slide down and
gain a little law. 4 would trust my
heels-until WhitesoCk could get to me
for the rest.
Had their feet been moved as fast
as my heart l had been safe beyond a
doubt, but in their eager talk they
Jagged slower and slower. and at Il
dozen yards from the house corner,
stopped utterly. their backs turned to
me. And there sat I. astride the sill,
Fay mind in Il tanglc of indecision.
Twice and thrice l measured the dis
lance with my eye, having more than
half an inclination TO take my chance.
But the faintest sound would now
catch their ears, for only one was
speaking, ard he softly, and the rattle
of feet or scabbard against the wall
would betray me at Cnce.
Two wore swords, the third carried a
rude halberd, and the idea of sliding
down to be received en- the points of
these, without the possibility of de-
tense, held me fast where l was. Oh,
if they would but move a score of
yards further, that l might be sure of
being on my feet with my face to them
when | reached the ground. But no,
There they stood and Stood, every sec
n seeming an age, as 1 feared that
one or the other would turn his head
II cry out in surprise on the broad
white stripe shining on the gloomy
wall. l would have gently drawn the
web up again, hoping for their speedy
departure, but the roll would unwind
| knew not how far, and it's humping
about would attract notice. Suddenly
the thing was settled. AND though it
went against me, the strain had beer
such that l hailed the turn of affairs
with a sigh of relief.
A comrade out of view called upon
one of the takers by name. The hal
berd-bearer turned his head, shouted
his Wonder at the sight of the linen
and of me on the sill, and justified my
unWlllingness to trust my chances of
sliding down by leaping to the foot of
the wall and presenting his weaDon
The second man joined him with sword
drawn and the third ran like a hare
round the corner.
Continued Next Weekly