The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1904-08-10
CHAPTER


Maggie had pleaded hard for a quiet
wedding, but May and Mrs. Downing
had overruled it, and Mr.. Royston had
contented himself with saying that ev-
erything should be done as beftted his
position In the county. So preparations
were going on upon a most magnificent
scale, to do honor to the occasion. The
bridesmaids We're chosen, and their
dresses decided on, and the village chill
dren were all agog with expectation Of
cake and tea, and presents, and the
honor OF strewing flowers in the bridal
path.
wife was to be given to another with
such pomp and grandeur, lay in his dark
cellar, musing on the past, planning for
the future. He began to think, although
he had a good bed and a kind attendant,
and plenty of the best to eat and drink,
that there was something wrong, that
where all was darkness, there should
be sunlight; that his attendant was not
Maggie, that he was so near to on that
evening When the red sunset cleaned
through the woods; and he longed to be
near her again, to see her plainly, as he
had seen her in the distance, that mem
orable evening, when he had spent near
ly his last copper to send her a few
lines by that dirty boy, and which seem
ed to have sent her from him scared and
frightened.
So the old idea, lying dormant in his
mind since he had quilted prison, began
again to take form and substance. He
was very wary, for, in a hazy sort
manner, he felt that one of the rough
men who had used him so cruelty wal
in the house, and was his bitter foe; and
something whispered TO him that ever
the kind lady would not help him to es-
cape; so he lay down and thought, being
doubly cunning, till he heard dull blows,
and crept, ever SO gently, to the straw
covered heap and placed his ear to the
wall. only to cut and bruise the nervous
hand.
He returns again and again to the
same spot, urged on by some u~naccounta.
BILE impulse, feeling perhaps that in the
direction Of the muffied sounds there
may be found a means Of escape to the
sunlight and Maggie.
But it is all futile, and he goes back
to his mattress with a greater dread
than ever; very hopeless, but not quite
despairing. He muses. till his gaoler
comes down with the candle as usual,
and his food, and by the meager light
he flashes a quick look round the cellar.
There is something that catches his
stealthy eye that almost makes him
shrek with joy, but he is very careful,
being more quiet and gentle than usual,
Mrs. Atkins thinks, tonight. And then
when she is gone, and all being quiet,
cIeeps to a little distance, picks up
something, places it to his breast and
laughs t~riumphantly.
Now he creeps over to the corner
again, but the noises have ceased long
since, and he begins to work, and pres
entity. to his great JOY, a little mortar
falls. George Temple has begun his
task.
The implement he is using is an old
piece of hopping, probably unnoticed and
uncared for; for who would think this
half-witted fellow had such rare perse-
verance, and industry, and patience, as
to work his way out through the earth
with such a tool as that?
So everything is getting forward, and
the prospects of Maggie are very bright
indeed. There is just a little dread at
her heart. There are SO many slips
'twixt the cup and the lip" sometimes,
even when bold hearts like hers are in
the front. that she may well. in her own
solitary chamber, be a little apprehen-
sive. Yet she has made her game, and
played her cards well-playing for sue
cess, as many a bold gambler has before,
and standing just as good a chance to
score a winf.
She has bound Mrs. Atkins to her
by the strongest tie that she can feel
self-interest. And If she sometimes
thinks where they are keeping him, and
whether there is a chance of his escape,
she consoles herself by thinking, If a
search were made for him, how unlikely
it would be they would search for him
in Mrs. Atkins lodge.
She is very sanguine, not caring to
| look forward even now. She knows she
has promised Mrs. Atkins money, and
! she feels pretty certain Of getting it to
| pay her somehow or the other.
1t must be remembered that it was for
| the first time in her life she was really
| and deeply in love; now that her heart
was awakened, she loved ~passionately,
| fiercely, and was ready to make any
sacrifice for her dear one.
And this evening she sits at the win
dow Of the conservatory, thinking that
1t is only two days more, and then the
wedding eve.
Go be c~ontinued.l