The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1904-08-17

~ vi ~ = IA ~ aAAA P6N
off till tie morning the search for the
fugitive.
He had Deserved sucrcss, this tntfus-
trious mailman, for he had burruwed
through the earth, with his rusty iron
hoop, in a fashion that WINS marvellous
All night, hour after hour, patiently dig
ging between the flint till one after an
other was loosened and fell away; sweep
ing up the dirt With his hand; putting
il under the straw; going over the ground
again and again. that he might leave LIDO
evidence OF his task behind; till at last,
one blessed early morn with the first
faint twitter OF the birds, a glenn Of
light came through the wall; then a
stiaed shiek Of jog burst from the prs
oncr, and he tore madly at the fints, till
there wac room enough for him to
squeeze through; sA zen Ire looked down, as
it We're, into a chasn; then upward; and
the light poured In broad bands through
the cllinks of the boards, loosely planked
over the mouth Of the we'll; then he had
caught the woodwork, and scrambled up,
md pushing his way through. was a free
man once more, breathing the sceIted
air Of the early dawn.
He did not wait for a moment. but
darted off into the thickest part of the
woods, and danced and sang with joy;
and, in his imperfect manner, with the
happy tears running down his checks,
thanked heaven for his escape, and pray
ell q blessing upon his wife, and forgot
hunger and thirst, everything but that be
was In the light once agnin, and nedr
her.
The day had passed on; M. Atkins
had searched in vain for things of the
escaped man. And so evening had fallen
upon the house. and brought its shadows
and its blackness Of coming storm.
Maggie is very quiet this evening, eS-
cnses herself from singing or playing,
pleads headache, leans back on her cuslr
ioned chair, weaves the. picture OF heT
future life.
She has her shell on the little table
beside her, and the party smile as she
puts it to her ear, even without opening
her eyes. The shell is whispering its
story for the very last time to her, and
she smiles and holds it lovingly; and it
is playing her fafse-will not give her
Que hint OF the coming end.
Rather earlier than Usual the party
break up, and prepare for bed The
thunder begins to grumble in the dis
t:,Eee, and a little fash Of lightning
comes quickly through the stained glass,
showing purple and yellow streaks, and
then they say good night.
Maggie dismisses the maid, and says
she will only trouble her to take down
her hair; which she does, and then re-
49,. - 49, -
IL my enchantment, and SHE is consider
ing deeply.
at is a terrible risk" she says, In a
hnshed voice. But better than than he
should proclaim it in the hall before the
very servmts-and he might even do
that. the mndmnnv!'
Then she blows out the lights, and
cautiously opens the door ever so slight
ly. and listens. Presently the little pat
ter OF large drops OF rain coming slowly
down. but dasi.ing with a plash N to the
leaves. and then q binding fash OF light
ming, making all the staircase as light
der that shakes the house.
She actually smiles. this brave WOMAN
for she says presently, softly, "How for
tunatet" And she gues to the wardrobe
and takes out a large waterproof cloak.
Then she puts it on, pulling the hood
over her head, and taking mp all her
skirts in her hand. waits for the hour.
IT comes; a little silver ting!-ting!-
ting.-nnd she mechanically counts
| twelve; then, setting her lips firmly, she
| takes a deep breath, aud darts on TO
| the staircase swiftly, and without d foot
| fall ~perceptible even to the incest ear.
Another bright fash, and the white,
| stern, haif-smiling woman looks like a
black spirit gliding town the stairs ho9d-
ing on by the balustrades, and waiting a
moment at the bottom.
Another roar. aud c dash of wnteP, and
she is at the door of the room mex the
staircase leading into the conservatory;
away over the house, the door is open,
and she is in the conservatory.
She stands among the shrubs and
| plants, and understanding blossoms, and
the lightning plays upon them, and I'm
] gers round the catch Of the glass door;
and she turns the little key swiftly, and
prepares to descend; but she is caught
By the hand and dragged to a mans
breast. who tries to cover her with his
ragged coat. which he has taken Of to
wrap round her, to protect her from tire
rain, now pouring down in floods.
He has not had the gentleman quite
crushed out OF him yet this ragged man;
and SO he an apology fv tire
weather. and sits down by her side hold
ing her hand tightly In his.
She takes,it away presently, not rough
~ or harshly, for she is in the presence
Of her ~husband-the man who. to keep
her dry, had got drenched to the skin,
and sits here III his shirt sleeves, with
tile wet pouring from him; mad, truly,
istt something q the gentleman witt, Il
al.
Then she moves to the other side Of
the rustic table. and asks, in Suppressed,