The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-08-23

down very low indeed IN the social scale
in order to get at those HABITS which
he now exhibited. Were they acquired
in the Pacific, or in Australia, or in
America, where, as we afterward learn
ed, David had spent his years Of exile?
| think in none of these places. He lost
his manners because he had lost his self
respect, which Is a very different thing
from losing your money. During the OPP
Grafton of taking his food he said moth
ing, nor did he reply If he was addressed;
and he ate enough for six men.
After dinner George and l took chairs
with us, and sat in the old-fashioned gar
cient apple tree.
Our David" I said, twas always in
clined to be loutish. He has been devel-
oping and cultivating that gift for six
years-with a pleasing result"
There is something on his mind"
said George. Perhaps he will tell us
what it is; perhaps not. David was
never particularly open about himself.
Strange that he should begin by looking
for his uncle's grave! Why did he think
that he was dead?'
He believed what he hoped. no
doubt"
In the evening, Harry Rabjahns tells
me, he had a kind of fla hysterical
fit Of laughing and crying-in the inn
THAT was perhaps because he had
learned that his uncle was still alive"
This was indeed the case, though not in
the sense | intended.
"And this morning, the first day of his
return, he begins with a row with his
uncle. Well, there is going to be mis-
chief at Gratnor."
why, what mischief can there beT'
II don't know. David went away
cursing his uncle. After six years he
comes back cursing him again. When a
man broods over a wrong for six years.
mischief does generally follow. First of
all, the cid man will do nothing for him.
Do you understand that? There was 4
solid obstinacy in his eyes while he list.
ened to David. Nothing is to be got put
of him. What will David doY
He will go away again, l suppose,
unless he takes farm work"
David is as obstinate as his uncle.
will be mischief"
George, old man, | return to my old
thought. If you and Mary marry with
out old Dams consent, her fortune goes
to David. Does David known"
Il should think not"
ITO which of the two would the old
man prefer to hand over that money!"
ITO Mary, certainly"
$50 l think. Then don't you see that
some good may come out Of the business
after ALP"
1T may come, but too late to save
Sidcote. He means to have Sidcote. My
days here are numbered. Well, it is a
pity after five hundred years"--he look
ed around at the inheritance about to
pass away from him-only a farm of
three hundred acres, but his fathers and
his Observation-Disclosures he was ST.
lent for a moment. "As for work, what
would | grudge if l could keep the old
place! But l know that over at Gratnor
there sits, watching and waiting his
chance, the man who means to have my
land, and will have it before the end of
the year"
Patience, George. Anything may
happen"
He is a crafty and a dangerous man,
Will. We can say here what we cannot
say in Mary's presence. He is more
crafty and more dangerous now that he
is paralyzed and annot get about among
his fields han he was in the old days.
He cannot get at me by the same arts
as he employed for David. He canno:
persuade me to drink, and to sign agree
ments and borrow money. But the bad
times have done for me what drink dil
for David
SO we talked away the afternoon in a
rather gloomy spirit. Life is no more
free from sharks in the country than in
the town; there are in Arcadia. as well
as in London, vultures, beasts, and birds
of prey. who sit and watch their chance
to rend the helpless.
"4And so,'' he said. summing up, Il
shall have to part with the old family
place, and begin in the world again; go
out as David went out, and return, per-
haps, as he returned"
sNo, George; some things are possible,
but not probable. That you should come
back as David has come back is not pos
sible."
At that moment the man of whom we
spoke came slowly out of the house, rub
bling his eyes.
when you are among the blacks"
he said. .'you never get enough to eat"
"What are you going to do now you
are come home. DavidY'
Il will tell you. George, in a day or
two. The old man says he viii do moth
ing for newell see to that presently.
He's turned the old farm house at Berry
into two cottages, ana the buildings are
falling TO pieces. Says I can take up
my quarters in one of the cottages. If |
like; that is liberal, isn't it? And I am
to earn my living how l caa. that's gen.
erous, isn't it,"
TRY Cancellation. Davii.''
NO. Will; think l know G bette-
plan than Cancellation"
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