Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-05-02
Stairs Of
Sand....

I yet there was an earnestness about the
nan In the tree thai fixed his atten-
ton.
You are in q close corner, youu3
man," said the stranger.
did you come here to tell me that?"
mo. am going to save you, II
an, and I am pretty sure that l cam
But / q say myself
Il sincerely wish you could, my boy,
but it may be a long and tedious oper-
alton, 1 hin l may be able to oil
the wheels Of justice
Barnett stared at the stranger, Won
derlng what sort Of a man he had TO
deal with, and why a man he never
saw should take such an interest In his
case.
who are O % he asked bluntly.
I said before, I am a la SIM
ply who is ready and able, / think, to
do you a good turn. What my name Ia
don't matter just now. You know that
there Is quite a pile Of cir~cumstantial
evidence against your
Yes, so II seems"
with a foundation to build on they
may erect a pyramid that will crush
you"
you think so?' for there was an
earnestness about the stranger that did
not fail to make IN impression on the
school teacher.
Now, justice seldom miscarries to
the extent of hanging ar innocent man,
but you may have a good deal or
trouble before o 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: 1 didn't come here to depress
49,, 49, .atAA, . nhAAr ~, IN nv
boy-to point out hat you must not
treat the matter carelessly. l wanted,
too, to make your acquaintance"
Was the man mad? Barnett Won
dered, but he dismissed the Idea as
absurd, for the stranger spoke sensibly
enough, and his eyes were clear and
bright. Well, he was not so burdened
with friends that he could afford to re-
fuse the friendly offices Of even q
stranger. Perhaps the man was q
type of those ~eccentrics that spring up
often when a crime Is committed, and
lend sympathy and funds to the cause
they have espoused.
The fellow might do some good since
he spoke so confidently; at least, he
could do no harm. Let this eccentric
person have his will, II 1T amused him.
You don't seem to much OF a prls-
oner, with nothing but those wooden
bars between you and liberty" remark
ed the stranger. "A good wrench, and
out they would come"
far as 1 am concerned, they shall
remain as they are" said Barnett. Il
have many privileges here that l
should lose If / tried to escape, so l
shall just let matters run along as they
are, confident that, az / am innocent,
l need nave nc fear
And what Of her?"
The young man cast an inquisitorial
look at him..
What do o mean?"
II mean Grace-Miss Ellison, 1 should
say. She knows, Of course, What has
taken place."
you know her, them" feeling a fresh
interest in the unknown.
mo, l don't know her, but II is pos
slble that 1 may see her, II there is any
message that l al carry to her coming
from you"
Man, If you do that, l am our
friend for life!' exclaimed the young
school teacher. Just wait and I will
lot down q few words" and he turned
hastily away from the window.
Make haste!" called the other In a
loud whisper.
Barnett, filled with a desire to set
down the thoughts that had been up
permost in his mind since the tragedy,
a no trouble In making a start on his
letter. To be quick and concise vas
another thing. Though his pen dashed
over the paper, a warning Hist was
a notice to draw the epistle to a close.
He folded 1t, and, without stopping to
set down the address, went back to the
window and passed 1t 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?" b.
said, earnestly, wondering If he was
doing right in trusting the note to a
man he had seen for the first time In
lbs life.
Deliver 1t? To be sure l will, unless
| should happen to have an accident
tina would lay me up. Hush! Go
back! Their Is some one coming!" he
whispered, warningly, n then 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 vas very
agile for a man OF his years. We'll, he
managed to cheer me up, and l relished
his visit. How did he manag to get
into That tree in broad daylight with
out being seen, 1 wonder? Evidently 1t
is not the first time hat he has had
occasion to make a surreptitions call.
L SllOuIu IOl NC oOIiy W sec IN oiu LSi
low again."
The subject Of these remarks had
wriggled his way through the denssl!
growing bushes, just as the village
constable came around from the front
of the house with a party of friends.
Job Hendricks, for such was the name
the stranger had given to the innkeeper,
peering over the top of the hedge,
grinned and wagged his gray head.
ga N thnra'c an tdpnl kapnar nf q nriS-
oner. 1 wish there had been n of his
kind a back in the past. 1t might
have changed everything"
He seemed to lapse into a sad and
thoughtful mood after that as he
turned and made his way to the h'gl-
road, leaping the fences mechanically,
immersed in (what seemed to be from
his eXpression) very bitter thoughts.
For a moment he stood in the mid
die Of the road, looking up and
down, as If undecided which way to
go. 1t seemed to be a matter hat
required some consideration, but
presently he nodded, and, turning,
made his way along the highway that
led in a northerly direction.
Il promised to take that letter to the
young lady. l wonde IL / shall have
any trouble in seeing her. Perhaps l
am altogether too sure of what l can
do, and what pressure / can bring TO
bear on others. None too sure Of my
own liberty, for that matter. Go slow.
Job, slow, or you will snofl every
thing!"
He had reached n little brook
spanned by q wooden bridge, and he
stopped for a moment to wipe the per-
spiratlon from his face, for the day
was oppressively hot.
AS he leaned there for a moment,
with his hat off, resting and cooling
himself, a peculiar ringing of a bell
reached his ears, coming from the di-