The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-12-04
Godfrey Heathcote, Esq. =
~ JOHN FiNNlhoRE. Copyright 1899. By s. s. Mcclure ca
~ JOHN FINNlMoRE.
cHAPTER xxvIi-continued.

CHAPTER xxvIi-continued.
Az word from Dr. Willingham we
kaelt before him, and In a low, full
voice he began to read a service. A
sf-2nger wedding, surely, was never
en;s the dimly lighted chamber Of
dying woman %devouring US
with her eyes. q beautiful young bride
giving her hand tx a groom in clownish
@honaespun, and q priest wrapped in q
shabby horseman's coat.
This Is as 1 have seen 1t since, In
looking back upon that memorable
evening, not as II saw 1t then. All, no!
quaint figures we presented; my mind
was too strongly bent on the solemn
situation ir$which we stood at the mo
ment. S
The rite was ended. and the reverend
silence Which followed the doctors last
words was still u%nbroken. when a sud-
den, sharp rapping on the door rang
once, and we heard him hold a muff1ed
colloquy with the person without. Then
he returned to the room and beckoned
Doctor Nottingham with so disturbed
and mysterious IN air that I felt sure
some bad news had arrived.
What Is it," whispered the sick
woman: "let William come here"
49, AACEOla ALGll SC1tllG ASASNdAA LIAM SSAo
his story in low tones.
.siT'is the landlords wife from the
Holly Bush, ~ said he. She slipped
up..being friendly to us, to give notice
that some has carried word to
yonder attorney at the inn that Doctor
WiilinghamS was seen hereabouts. And
now the attorney is eggtng on Hum
phrey Brown, the constable, to come
here and search the place"
..T'he old story, the old story said
the good doctor, composedly.
Go, go" said Mrs. Whitgift, family.
Il have a piece of duty yet to per-
form which I would leave undone at no
cost replied he, then 1t Is time to talk
OF going" And he called for writing
nlent. testtfyiEg to the. marriage he had
ssolemnized and sagnedsit. Next we put
u names to the document. and then.
Mistress Whitgrift, whose earnest wish
at was also to attest, was assisted by
the clergyman to- write her name in
trembling characters. William wit
messed 1t also, and the wonlen signed
by crosses.
Now, leave us for a few minutes
said the doctor, giving the paper to
Enid.
we went softly out, and as we passed
through the doorway his quiet, deep
voice was heard reading the last pray
ers.
William went to the door and I fol-
lowed him. The old mar held up his
finger and we listened earnestly. No
sound He cautiously drew the bolt
and peepd out. Everything was quiet
and he stepped out. I went with him
and we trod softly down to the gate
which led to the road. The mist was sc
thick that the lights Of the village were
blotted out, and heavy, slow drops pat
tered down from the trees above. We
had been watching some five minutes
when a mufled tramping Of feet echoed
along the road.
They are coming whispered William.
and we ran back to the house. The
doctor himself stood In the doorway.
Haste. SIR cried William, there's
q party nota hundred yards from the
gate :
Dr. Willingham Rugged me tight for
moment and whispered: "If the poor
lady lasts so long, I'll be here again
this time tomorrow night" and we
parted. He went off as-cornposedly as
possible by a path leading through q
little wood at the back of the house.
He had been hunted SO often that he
minded it no more than an old dog fox
who knows Of q sure earth within easy
each,