Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-03-17

were left TO him, when hos were
gone he sat down and waited for the
end.
On the morning following that dark
and MINDLESS night he awoke with the
old horror OF awakening upon him
The dreams were done with; he saw
himself. as he had done so often be-
fore, { an unclean thing crawling TN
der heaven, and 81 only 70 be swept
away with the refuse of the world
Hearing a moan from the couch, he
covered his ears and shrank away
from what he knew To be his work.
Then feverishly he began to al the
little pipe again and To make prepare.
tons for lighting it. saw the unquiet
figure on the couch. dropped the pipe
and covered his face with his hands.
when she dies" he whispered.
when she goes straight to her God,
she'll point To me down here and say
what 1 was, and what I am. and what
| dragged her down to. And God on
his throne will Judge me-now, before
I've time to do anything-to say any
thing. And they'll strike me down
send me to the place I've dreamed Of
and awakened in so often. She's going
now-nothing can hold her back. And
her mother will be therein heaven
il will be a double condemnation for
me. II | could only get away"
Coward-like. and feeling that he
stole out of the place AID got into the
air-fearful of he knew not what
Running sometimes. and stumbling as
he ran. he got away as far as he could
aud dared not go back.
'Tll go back when she gets quiet
when she cannot stare at me with her
have done" he muttered. 1T hasn't
been my fault: everything has been
against me-from the first"
Meanwhile the Fates had decided.
somewhat tardily. to fight for Grace
Yarwood II was a little late in the
day, perhaps, but then the Fates have
a curious way of doing things, without
apparent rhyme or reason. And the
instrument employed on this occasion
al a curious n
While the girl lay in the little wood.
en- house a man was coming ont of the
world that lay round about the ruined
town in the wilderness, and was max
ing straight towards her. There was
no settled purpose in his mind, and
there never had been; ne might almost
be called one of Natures children, so
much was he a part of the landscape
through which he came. An old man
OF great stature-with deep-set eyes
that had looked on life aud on death
for many years and had not been
been afraid; a man with a long beard
that swept his great chest; a creature
of the wilds in his picturesque dress.
Even in that benighted town they
knew him, as all the countryside knew
h~im-Enoch Flame.
He was a Notwithstanding from
out of the past that did not join hands
with the civilization of the present
He was reputed to be rich in knowl-
edge of herbs and other strange things
and to have learned much lore from
the Indians with whom he sometimes
wandered. Every now and then ne
made his appearance In some ont-of-
the-way place. and remained there I'M
til the time came for him to vanish as
suddenly and my~steriously as be had
appeared. People were a little afraid
of him, as a matter of fact, although
there was little enough to fear in him.
He came into the town with his ma
jestic stride, and with his grave and
digniied method of salutation to such
as he met. They had seen him theer
before, and now. coming at the begin
ming of a dreary day. with no promise
OF excitement in it. he was quite wei
come. The previous day had had its
excitement In the coming of the men
who we're hunting for a certain Mr..
Owen Jaggard. wanted for the murder
of a man he had shot down In cold
blood; Ind the few stragglers left in
the town, having once tasted Of ex-
element. as 1t were. longed for more.
Truth to tell, old Enoch Flame had
little to say to them; accident alone
had brought him into the place. He
gravely smoked in the bar of the one
saloon, and told them such news OF
the countryside as they had not heard
then he inquired concerning them
selves.
1t leaked out, quite casually, that
one or two of the inhabitants had beer
down with fever. but we're recovering
save. that is. for those who had died
Then one man drawled out somethin,
about old Yarwood's daughter-said t.
be dying in the little house the othe
side of the town. The man added, a
an item Of news. that she was expect
ed to be gone by that time, IL thei
own doctor was to be depended upon
and he had not made . mistake yet.
"A woman?" asked the old man. :
: had not heard of her. Is she young!
He was Informed that she was
mere girl-that she lived alone wit
her father; it was added that the fat
, or was a hard lot Tor any one to ha,
live with. Before the drawing ute
ances of the various men were ha
over Enoch Flame was striding up Il
, long street of the-town or q mission
!. He found the little place and vel
: in-and In q moment he had set
: work upon what seemed . hopele
task. his own experience had taug
! him that It was . mere matter OF tou'
: and go for Grace Yarw0Od; indeed,