The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-03-08

Twas on this expedition hat two or
three of the captains | have mentioned
halted for an hour or more at Temple,
as well TO recognize Joan's extreme mer-
itorious service, as 10 thank me for the
part had in bringing news of the Earl
! of Stamford's advance. For twas this,
they own'd, had saved them-the Kings
message being but an eXhortation and an
advertisement upon some lesser matters,
the most of which were already taken
out of human hands by the turn of
events.
But though, as / learn'd, these gentle
men were full Of compliments and pro-
fessions of esteem, | neither saw nor
heard them, being by this time delirious
of a high fever that followed my wound.
And not till three good weeks after was
l recovered enough to leave my bed, nor,
for many more, did my full strength re-
turn to me. No mother could have made
Il tenderer nurse than was Joan
throughout this time. IT'S to her / owe
it that | an alive to write these words;
and if the tears scald my eyes as | do
so, You will pardon them, l promise, be-
fore the end of my tale is reached.
In the days Of my recovery news came
" hS tAiaI a SOlChih SdCidLlIIl hdh bGNh
taken between the parties in Devon and
Cornwall, and the country at peace. Lit
tie | cared. at the time; but was content
how spring was come-to loiter about
the tors, and while watching Joan at
her work, to think upon Della. For,
albeit, | had little hope to see her again.
my late pretty comrade held my thoughts
the day long. | shared them with no.
body; for tho tits probable | had let some
words fall in my delirium, Joan never
limited at this, and | never found out.
One day-'twas early in May-we
went to BOdmin Fair, where | bought
Joan a hand mirror, which l handed to
her as we were riding home.
What i the world be thisT' she ask
cd, taking and looking at it doubtfully.
A glass to see your face in l ex-
planned.
"Be this my face?" She rode for
ward, holding up the glass in front Of
her. why, what a handsome looking
gal | be, to be sure, Jack, art certain
It's my very own face?'
ITO be sure" said |. amazed.
Well" There was silence for a full
minute, save for our horses tread on
the high road.
by the way" said I, did you mark
a carriage just outside the crowd by the
Cheap Jacks booth with a white-hair-
ell gentleman seated inSide?"
John nodded. Master Hannibal Ting
comb; steward O. Gleys."
What"
| jumped in my saddle, and with o
pull at the bride brought Molly to a
standstill.
"Of GIeys?" l cried. Steward of Sir
Deakin Killigrew that wasp
Right, lad, except the last word.
That is should'st rather say"
Then you are wrong, Joan; for he's
dead and buried, these five months.
Where is this house of Gleys? for to-
morrow l must ride there"
IT'S easy found, then; for it stands
on the south coast yonder, and no house
near it; FIVE miles from anywhere, and
sixteen from Temple, due SOUTH
The cottage door stood open as we rode
into the yard, and from it a faint smoke
came curling, with a smell of peat. With
in | found the smould'ring turves scat
ter'd about as on the day of my first ar
rival, and among them Joan's father
stretched, fiat on his face; only this time
the cat was cur'd up quietly, and lying
between the old mans shoulder blades.
| marked a purplish stain on the
ground by the old mans mouth, and turn
ed him softly over.
JOAN" said |, "he's dead,'
She stood above us and looked down,
first at the corpse, then at me, without
speaking for a time; at last:
Then l reckon he may so well be
buried"
Girl" l calld out, being SHOCKED at
this ca~llousness, "'tis your father-and
he is dead!'
why, that's so, lad. An he were
alive, shouldn't trouble thee to bury n"
And SO, before night, we carried him
up to the bleak tor side, and dug his
grave there; the black cat following us
to look. Five feet deep we laid him, hav-
ing dug down to solid rock; and having
covered him over, went silently bach to
the howell. Joan had not shed a single
tear.
The next morning, following Joan's d.
rections and her warnings against quags
and pitfalls, l was soon riding south
across the moor and well on my road to
the House of Gleys.
1t was high noon-and q dull, cherries
day-before the hills broke and let nee
have sight Of the sea. Nor till the noise
OF the surf was in my ears did / mark
the chimneys and naked gray walls Of
the house | was bound for.
A thin line of smoke blown level from
the chimney was all the sign of life in
the building: for the narrow lights of the
upper story were mostly suffered, and
the lower floor was MIA from me by a
high wall enclosing a courtlage in front.
One stunted ash, with boughs tortured
and bent toward the mainland, stood by
1 fhn ynta xyhtnh rroo lnnIrJd .--un--