The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-05-14

TIC lell uSlT 10 the IdIyl tsJdle, anu Il
I always wondered how things hap
| pened to favor him so that the little
heir died just in the nick of time.
Its been an internal middle from
/ beginning TO end. but I'm going to be
rich in spite OF all now. | shall find
! that treasure before the week Is out.
Then, Kate, you shall be dressed like
the finest lady in the land, as you are
the lady Of them all"
II is impossible to describe the rap
| idity and excitement with which these
words were uttered-the blaze In the
eyes, the tremor and pallor of the
whole face.
II was evident that, covered by his
quiet manner, the wrongs he had suf-
fered years ago had always ranked
fiercely in his heart, and that they had
rarely been absent from his thoughts
And the desire to again become rich
had taken such firm and morbid hold
OF him that his reason had become un-
dermined when accident had put in his
way the old books, half romance,
which treated with such apparent cir
cumstantiality of the buried treasure.
And Richard Burt, for purposes of
his own, had fostered that weakness
until Charles Purcell's mind was a
wreck.
In vain Kate tried to soothe him and
divert his mind now, as he moved
about the room in such excitement
He would not listen to her; he thrust
her away, and, after few moments,
he went out, and Kate knew he would
go and spend half the night in digging
for the fancied treasure.
She followed him, and endeavored
by all the means she could think of to
dissuade him from going out, but she
failed, and he left her.
II was noticeable that for some time
now he had not said anything 70 her
concerning Burt's suit for her hand.
Though he had been so urgent. so cruel
in his words to her upon that subject,
he seemed now to have dropped it, so
entirely absorbed was he in his search
for riches.
Kate returned to the house, and
WI lie the warm summer twilight was
fading she busted herself with her
household work, feeling that she dare
not sit down and be still. The sew
Ing that she had set herself did not oc-
cupy her mind even as much as the
household work that she performed.
1t seemed to her that she could not
endure anything more-that the agony
she had to suffer every moment, fit
were increased by one atom, would
make her frantic
She only retained her outward self
control now by the most supreme eff
fort. There were moments when she
believed reason would lose its sway
that suffering would depose It, But
she was brave and strong, as some
women can be, and she fought on
every moment moment of struggle
and partial victory.
When her after-supper work was
done Kate Purcell did not light a
lamp, for she had so prolonged the
task that the cleaning was done. She
could not go out upon the beach-the
soft beauty of the night made her
heart ache still worse.
She sat down in the little dark
room; she sat by the window, from
which she could see the star-lit ocean.
Her thoughts ran riot; they would
dwell persistently on that one subject
which she strove in vain 10 keep them
from, and intermingled with all was
the anxiety she could not help feeling
fer her father.
The hours went on, and still she did
not stir-on until from the village she
heard the ringing strokes of the bell
for twelve O'Clock.
But why should she go to bed? She |
knew that she should not sleep. She !
rose from her seat and began softly |
pacing the room, and thus another
hour went by.
She knew she must go to her room |
and try TO sleep for the sake of being /
able to work. She was moving to- 4
ward the stairs when the sound of sew +
eral footsteps on the single came to
her ear Such steps could be heard a
long way, and she stopped to listen, !
hoping her father was returning.
Yes, they were coming nearer and |
In few moments had approached so
that Kate opened the door and stepped
out on the sand to listen more salts. /
factorily; but she did so mechanically, 1
with no idea that they were coming
there, for plainly there were several +
men, and her father always came
alone.
In few moments more she dis /
cerned the figures of three men slow
ly coming toward the house. Two
seemed 70 be carrying something
heavy and the third was walking by
the side of the inert mass.
Very dimly Kate saw them, and iust
as she had made out what the group I
was the men stopped, and the third
one hurried forward, not seeing her
until he was close by her. Then he
stopped quickly and appeared as IL he
would like to turn about and run away.
Kate recognized him as the Mr.. Mar
tin whose horse she had ridden on the
night she had warned Vance Rothesay.
Good evening"" she said, her heart
beating violently with an unknown
fear. Were you coming hersH fear
you cannot see my father"
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