Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-05-14
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Purcells.


of Vance Rothesay as he deserved
lived on, hearing all sorts of rumors
about him--hfs female companion, his
fight, his capture, the part Dick Burt
had played.
Among the peopls In that small fish
ing hamlet Rothesay was scoundrel
beyond all words to express, and Kate
was compelled to hear all their talk
aad surmises when they came In, at
any hour of the day.
A thousand times she had thanked
heaven that no one knew or guessed
among the neighbors that she loved
the man who had been i'll there.
And when one OF the fishermen's
wives, standing in the doorway gos-
siping, had said, II guessed at the
time, Kate, as how .twouId be jes'like
you TO faH In love with him, an slip
Dick Burt; but It's mighty lucky you
didn't" then Kate had been able TO
prevent even passing blush from
staining her white face.
She knew that, thanks to Burt's
management, all the neighbors thought
she was to marry him. and she did not
think it worth while to dispute her
visitors words then.
She endured all these things, and
many more. She read in the papers
how Rothesay had been taken to Bos-
ton 70 await his trial, and how no one
had any doubts about his guilt.
But somehow 1T did not get into the
papers that the woman with him was
his sister, and Vance Rotnesay was
made out to be the most deep-dyed
criminal that the public had had the
pleasure OF bouncing upon for a long
time
And Hates father row showed signs
of being more weakened tnan ever.
They were very poor. for he neglected
his work entirely, and Kate had al
ready sold all the articles she owned
of any value, TO procure food for her
father and herself
Formerly Charles Purcell had kept
his work of digging for treasure SCI
cret, but now ne cared not to conceal
his purpose, and any time he might
be seen digging as il for his life in the
soil and sand that lay about the rocks
near the water.
He feverishly turned up the ground
for yards and yards near the rock
where he had begun to work.
He could not bear to leave foot
that he did not dig upon. feeling sure
that II he only persevered he could
succeed.
Kate knew that some of the men
talked of carrying him OFF to a hospital
or asylum. but she begged diem not to
do so as long as he did no harm 10
any one.
But how can you support him and
yourself. too?" they asked, ard she
had said. Il can try and in a few
days She was busy every spare mo-
ment upon what they called "slop
work"
Coarse rests lay about the room, and
her nimbie fingers hurried over them.
gaining poor enough pay when all was
done. But the money thus gained suf-
iced TO support them.
You won't have to do that long.
Kate her father said one night, after
he had eaten his supper, and as he
saw Kate take up one and begin sew
ing. Before the week is out you win
be rich woman"
Thus he had talked for some time.
II was always before the week Is
out"
Now Kate laid down her work and
went and stood beside him, saying:
@will nothing persuade you to stop
that fruitless work. she asked.
"FTuitlessi That's as much as a
woman knows of anything. was the
almost angry response. Cant you
put up vita little priyation for few
days, I should like to know p
You know It's not that" she began.
when he interrupted her, exclaiming:
Il know Caryl never cared who suf-
fered II he only had money eE.< Oh.
He cheated me cut OF everything and I
could get no case against him. He
knew how to do it,"
Purcell got up from his chair and
hurried back and forth In he room,
wrfngfng his hands, his eyes growing
Wild in their expression
Kate was alarmed She had never
seen him like this before. and she had
no idea what he meant by using the
name OF Caryl thus.
When the young man came here
was going 70 treat him well enough.
and he had the same winning ways his
father had, but he hadn't so much OF
the devil In him But the sister-the
woman Caryl--she's a chip from the
old woman. She's got the same dew
ilish CLEAN In her eyes sometimes that
her father had.
When i found that bit OF paper in
that chest that held the baby's skele-
ton, believed Il was Caryrs writing.
though ! never showed l thought any
thing. That was dead done before
! knew him. II twas his deed. You
never kneN 1t, Kate. bat fwes the
trouble he caused that made your
mother fade and die when you were
born. Oh. remember ell these
sssassi