The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-03-12

Do not dare to utter her name again.
"Whew!" whispered Burt. so he
; one of the high and mighty kind.
understand you reject my propose
then% ..a.
In the dusk Burt saw the CLEAN G
Rothesay's eyes, and he shrank back
little. He found he had worse rivs
to deal with than he expected.
Rothesty would not prolong thi
scene-he saw that the two might sta
there all night and still be in the sam
position toward each other.
IL would like to whip you as a maj
whips a miserable hound!" he cried
unable to prevent a burst of rage, "anC
hope to do it some time! Now l an
going to leave you. swear I'll fire
at you the first movement you make t
follow me. have lost too much time
with you already"
AS he ceased speaking Rothesay
thrust the pistol into his pocket and
seized the oar and began to scull his
boat.
Burt was by this time too excited to
have held back, even had he thought
of doing so. He could not remain still
and see this man elude him, when so
satisfactory a vengeance awaited him
If he could succeed in Selling and de-
livering the fellow to the police.
Dick snatched up his oars and the
water splashed from them as he
dropped them in the water.
But he had not made the second
| stroke before Rothesay dropped his
single oar and drew the pistol from his
pocket.
The next instant a thin fame shot
toward Burt. and ball went crashing
through his right arm, making it drop
at his side as If it had been cloven
from his shoulder with an axe.
Rothesay had aimed well; he had not
intended to do more than temporarily
disable his enemy, and he had succeed
ed. He heard the oath that came from
Burt's lips as one oar floated away on
the water.
Rothesay did not lose any time;
while the other boat turned and stood
still, he was sculling his rapidly to-
ward the shore.
Burt saw it Craze the land and its oc-
cupant leap on shore and disappear, al
most before he could take up with his
left hand the remaining Oar and make
miserable attempt at sculling, while |
his right arm hung useless.
1t was an upGvailing attempt, and he |
saw it instantly and sat down, draw
ing a handkerchief from his pocket |
with which to arrange a sling to sup
port his arm.
He did not swear any more, but his |
silence was more ominous than oaths
would have been. Could his face have
been seen, one would have trembled
for Vance Rothesay's safety should the
two ever meet again.
ROthesay, once free, bounded up
from the shore of the pond and darted
out Of sight among the trees. He felt
as if he had been delayed hours, and
that there might be scores of men in
pursuit
But soon that feeling died away and
his thoughts returned to Kate Purcell
and the danger she must face in re-
naming there SO near Dick Burt. And
hat Burt would be more dangerous
han ever now he knew very well.
He did not pause in his swift run
wedding highways when it was posi-
'le--until he had put four or five miles
between him and the place he had left.
Then he stopped and leaned, breathing
heavily, against tree, and tried to col
ect his thoughts into something like
oherency.
He was conscious at that moment OF
'ut one dominant desire-the desire-to
urn back and not stop until he had
gain reached the home of Kate Pur-
ell. 1t seemed to him that he must
e near her to protect her from Burt;
nd then he thought how foolish were
is fears-that Burt could not abduct
late, and that she was not likely to
onsent to Burt's suit. ...
He never doubted her. He knew ,
nough of her father to know that the
Id man was very little protection, but I
e did not know that her father wished
er to marry Burt and would try to {
Ompel her to do so. &C.. {
Never so much as at this moment did ]
othesay feel such despair at thought s
the tolls which confined him. He
'nged to shake himself free, and to go :
nd avow himself before the world to B
2 Kate Purcells lover-to defend her 4
ON all harm. And he could not but
eel that harm was threatening her
DIV at every moment
Let the consequences be what they
light, he must know often concerning :
Ie circumstances which surrounded y
ers and he knew full we'll how diff =.
lit he might find it to gain such =
lowledge. ..
He dared not pause long in his jour- n
~. Instead of going in the direction -
Boston, he bent his steps in the
'posite way, following a cart path N
erhung with trees, and where the
rkness was so deep that he could see II
thing and often stumbled as he hur- =
ID along. =
Ito Be continued.) ii
a.