The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-03-15
SILVER SPUR

senses / heard it say solemnly:
1.-THE sins of her fathers have over
taken her, as the Book of Exodus pro-
claim'd; therefore is her inheritance
wasted, and given to the satyr and the
wild ass"
And which of the twain be you, sir?"
| cannot tell what forced this violent
rudeness from me, for he seemed an hon
est, good man; but my heart was boiling.
As for him, he had risen. and was NOV
ing with dignity to the door--to show me
out, as | guess. When suddenly |, that
had been staring stupidity, leaped upon
him and hurled him back into his chair.
For had marked his left foot trailing,
and, by the token, knew him for the
white-haired man Of the bowling green.
Master Hannibal Tingcomb," | spoke
in his ear, dog and murderer! What
did you in Oxford last November? And
how of Captain Lucius Higgs. other
wise Captain Luke Settle, otherwise Mr..
Y? Speak, before l serve you as the
dog was served that night
l dream yet, in my sick nights, of the
change that came over the vile, hypo-
critical knave at these words of mine.
To see his pale venerable face turn green
and livid, his eyeballs start, his hands
clutch at ART frightened me.
And the next moment he had slipped
from my grasp, and was w%allowing in
Il fit on the floor, gnashing at me all the
time and foaming at the mouth. Pres
emily he ceased to writhe and bite; and
lifting, l set him in his chair, where he
lay, a mere limp bundle, staring and
blinking. So l sat down facing him, and
waited his recovery.
Dear young sir" he began at length
feebly, his fingers searching the Bible
before him, from force of habit. Kind
young sir--I am an old, dying man, and
my sins have found me out. Only ycster-
day, the physician at BOdmin told me
that my days are numbered. This is thc
second attack, and the third will kill
me-"
"Well?" said |.
Tiff Mistress Della be alive l will
make restitution-I will confess-only
tell me what to do, that | may die in
peace"
Indeed he looked pitiable, sitting there
and stammering; but | hardened my
heart to say:
Il must have Il confession. then, writ
lth DclOlc 4 ltslNe TIC EDOIll.
But, dear young friend. you will not
use it if | give up all? You will not
seek my life? that already is worthless,
as you see"
why, it's what you deserve. But
Della shall say when l find her-as |
shall go straight to seek her. If she be
lost, l shall use it-never fear; if she be
found, it shall be hers to say what mercy
she can discover in her heart, but l
promise you shall advise none"
The tears by this time were coursing
down his shrunken cheeks, but l observ-
ed him watch me narrowly, as though to
find out how much | knew. SO I pulled
out my pistol and, setting pen and paper
before him, obtained at the end of an
hour a very pretty confession of his sins,
which lies among my papers TO this day.
When it was written and signed, in a
weak, rambling hand, l read it through,
folded it, placed it inside my coat and
prepared to take my leave.
But he called only an order to the old
servant to saddle my mare and stood
softly praying and beseeching me in the
courtyard till the last moment. Nor
when / was mounted would anything
serve but he must follow at my stirrup
to the gate. But when | had briefly
taken leave | heard a voice calling after
me down the road:
Dear young sir. Dear friend. / had
forgotten somewhat"
Returning, | found the gate fastened
and the iron shutter slipped back.
"Well?' | asked, leaning toward it.
Dear young friend, | pity thee, fol
thy paper is worthless. To-day, by my
advices, the army of our most Christian
Parliament, more thar twenty thousand
strong, under the Earl of Stamford. have
overtaken thy friends, the malignant
gentry, near Stratton Heath, in the
northeast. They are more than two to
one. By this hour tomorrow the Papists
all will be running like comics to their
burrows, and the little chance wilt thou
have to seek Della Killigrew, much less
to find her. And remember, | know
enough of thy late services to hang thee;
mercy, then, will lie in my friends hands,
but be sure l shall advise none.''
And with a hooking lasgh he clapped
to the grating in my face.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Joan was not in the kitchen when |
arrived at the cottage nor about the
buildings; nor yet could l spy her any
where moving on the hills. SO, after call
ing to her once or twice, | stabbed the
mare, and set off up the tor side to seek
her.
But to-day as l climb'd past the spot,
something very bright fash'd in my eyes
and dazzled me. l finally found her
sitting behind a slab of granite with her
back to me. In tine left hand sine was
holding up the mirror that caught the
rnrS nf tho cinkinn M rub;la ~.