The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-05-01

apple tree near his window. He had.
never thought Of looking there for any
one.
For a moment the two men regarded
each other. Barnett, for the life of
him, could not remember ever having
seen h a grizzled face before.
y don't know you," he said at length,
thinking that the maj in the tree might
be a newspaper reporter, or a curious
minded fellow who was bent on getting
q look at such a dangerous character.
mo, I know you don't know me" re-
his eyes off the young school teachers
face.
What do you want?"
y do you a service"
But, IT 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?"
NO. | am going to save you, if I
can, and I am pretty sure that I can"
But I can ave myself"
Il sincerely wish you could, my boy,
put 1t may be a long n tedious oper-
alton, and 1 think I may be able to oil
the wheels of justice"
Barnett stared at the stranger, Won
dering what sort of a man he had to
deal with, n why a man he never
saw should take such an interest in his
case.
Who are you?" he asked bluntly.
"As I said before, I am a man sim
ply who is ready and able, I think, to
do you a good turn. What my name is
don't matter just now. You know that
there Is quite a pile Of circumstantial
evidence against you?"
Yes, SO it Gems.
with a foundation to build on they
may erect a pyramid2 that will crush
you"
you think so?" for there was an
earnestness about the stranger hat did
not fail to make an impression on the
school teacher.
Nov, 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; I didn't come here to depress
you. but rather t cheer you up, my
boy-to point out that 0 must not
treat the matter carelessly. I wanted,
too, to make your acquaintance"
Was the man mad? Barnett Won
dsred, but he dismissed the idea as
absurd, for the stranger spoke senstbly
enough, and his eye were clear n
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, n
lend sympathy and funds to the
they have e~spoused.
The fellow might do some good since
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
u they would come"
A far. as I am concerned, they shall
remain as they are said Barnett. 'I
have many privileges here that I
should lose If I tried to escape, SO I
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 inquisitorial
look at him.
What do you mean?"
II mean Grace-Miss Ellison, I should
say. She knows, Of course, what has
taken place."
you know her. then" feeling a fresh
interest in the unknown.
mo, I don't know her, but it is pos
sible that I may'see her, if there is any
message that I can carry to her coming
from you"
Man, If o do that, I am your
friend for life!!" exclaimed the young
school teacher. "Just wait and I will
jot Town a few Words and he turned
hastily away from the window.
MAKE haste!" called the other in a
loud whisper.
Barnett, filed with a desire to set
down the thoughts that had been up
perrnosS in his mind since the tragedy,
had nc trouble in making a start on his
letter. To be quick n concise was
another thing. Though his pen dashed
over the paper. a warning "Hist!" was
a notice to draw the epistle to a close.
He folded it, and. without stopping to
set down n 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?" h.
said, earnestly, wondering if he vas
doing right in trusting the note to a
mar he had seen for the first time in
lbs life.
Deliver it? To be sure [ VIII, unless
T should happen to have an accident
that would lay me up. Hush! Go
back! There is some one coming!" he
Whispered, warningly, and hen 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 was very
agile for a man Of his years. well he
managed to cheer me up, and I relished
his visit. How did he manage to get
into that tree in broad daylight with
out being seen, I wonder? Evidently it
is not the first time that he has had
occasion to make a surreptitions call.
I should not be sorry to see the old fell
low again."
The subject Of these renarkA haG
wriggled his way through the densely
growing bushes, just as the village
constable came around f-om the front
Of the house with a party Of friends.
| lob Hendricks for SJ1ch was the nan