The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-06-05
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| morning by her father, he felt that for
the present he had no business further
! in the town. What settled the question
OF his going was when he entered his
| room at the inn and found his bag had
been broken and it's meager contents
searcher in rage, had tossed the
things recklessly around because he
could not find what he wanted.
Job accepted the incident with good
humor.
80 they have left some one behind
to try and get hold of that paper" he
said to himself. with that in Ellison's
| possession he might bite his thumb at
me. But he never will, as long as I
| am able to stand upright"
The most important articles of his
| belongings he thrust in his bullying
pockets, and the rest he restored to the
bag and left it lying on the floor Then
he wrote note to the landlord,
wrapped banknote around 1t, that was
| more than his bill amounted to- sealed
| and addressed 1t, and left it on the bu-
reau where it could be easily seen, and
went quietly out of the room, closing
the door softly behind him. He was
rather glad that he did not find the
landlord below stairs, but even If the
worthy Peter had been there he would
have said nothing about his going.
i
am In town." he said to himself, as he
went out the door. $50 much the
easier for me to throw him off the
| track"
Thinking that perhaps there might
pc unseen eyes watching him, he ap-
preached the depot In a circuitous way,
reaching 1t from exactly the opposite
road he had set out. Then he kept out
OF sight until the train arrived that was
TO carry him to Farrenford, where he
knew that poor Dick Barnett was con-
lined. He felt satisfied as the train
moved out of the station that his de-
parture had not been noticed, and the
thought that the man who had been
left to watch him was outwitted filled
him with quiet amusement.
So it came about that the little man
IN brown, was never again seen In the
town of EXton, and the landlord Of the
| Bluebell, when he found his star board
er had taken French leave, mourned his
loss for many weeks afterward, and
was wont to regale the loafers Of his
establishment with the prodigality of
the millionaire travelling in disguise
who had honored his roof for a few
| short days.
| Meanwhile Dick Barnett took his con-
f1nement coolly, and now and then his
solitary life was cheered by a visit
from Grace Ellison.
| one generally came with her
father, and it seemed to Dick that
Ellison did not treat him With the the
same feeling as in the past, before this
trouble came up. He often wondered
TOO, what had become Of the little man
who had acted in such friendly way
While he was enjoying, or rather endur-
ing, Mr.. Bliven's hospitality at Exton.
He finally set him down as an eccentric,
who had become tired Of playing phi
| G md u
ably amusing himself on a fresh sub
ject.
When he was examined he was sur
prised to find what a weight of circum-
stan1al evidence there was against him.
There were two things that counted in
his favor. First, his good character and
even temper making it,seem impossible
that ne could in fit of anger have
killed the mother, simply because she
opposed his suit; secondly, the discov-
cry that Mrs. Ellison had been despoiled
of her earrings of diamonds and emer-
aids. Still, there was some doubt
whether she had Worn them that night,
| though they could not be found in the
receptacle where she usually kept her
jewels.
That the young school teacher could
have been robber as well as guilty of
deeper crime seemed absurd on the
face of it. On the other hand. he was
very poor, and had made arrangements
to leave the town that night surrepti~
tiously.
So the case remained, and he was re-
manded to await his trial with the
prospect OF some months in Jail, any
way, before he could be free AS for
Ellison, he promised to do great things.
He would pay force of detectives to
search for new evidence, and pro-
claimed dramatically in court his belief
in the young mans innocence. He did
all he could to make his former protege
comfortable in prison, and Dick, far
from feeling downcast, as he expected
to be when he found the weight of evil
dence against him, became confident
that he had but to wait and all would
be well.
On the very day of the examination,
while James Ellison was still enjoying
the proud feeling Of a man who has
| been defending the cause Of the poor
and weak, card was brought to him in
| his hotel room that drew from him an
exclamation of surprise.
Show the man up" he said to the
servant, and straightaway began to
walk nervously up and down the room
| as II the prey to violent excitement
When he heard step in the corridor
without and heard timid knock on the
door, he went and opened 1t, admitting
a gayly-dressed young, man, with a
sharp face and closely-cropped hair,
who stood for moment on the thresh-
old, twisting light felt hat nervcusly
in his hands.
We'll, why don't you come in"
grumbled Ellison. And then, as the fel :
low seemed to have trouble in making
up his mind, reached out his hand and
pulled him into the room, closing the
door behind him.
Sit down. pointing to chair
The visitor, who seemed to be I'M
comfortable in his new clothes, and ut
a loss to know what to do with his
hands, slowly lowered himself to rest
! ing position on the edge of a fauteuil,
while his black eyes turned here and
there about the room, as If looking for
a means of escape.
Ellison, who had taken seat direct
~ in front of his visitor, eyed him with
a contemptuous smile.
We'll, what have you done to earn
your money!" he began.
"Blime me, Mr.. Hellison, amt had a
good nights sleep since went on this
here 'untin' hexpedition,' speaking with
a strong cockney accent.
/ That's all very WE'LL But what did
you accomplish by staying awake? The
paper-did you get it?"
No; didn't"
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