Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-12-23
CHAPTER XXVI

There was no wedding breakfast at
Sidcote, or any festivities at all-not
even a wedding cake. George drove his
bride and his mother home after the
service, and presently they had dinner
together, and George kissed his wife,
and his mother cried, so that there was
little outward show of rejoicing. Yet
they all three rejoiced in their hearts,
and felt stronger and more hopeful, just
because they could now stand together.
In the afternoon Mary asked George to
go out with her.
Il must go and see my uncle" she
said. 81 cannot bear TO think of him
alone. Let us ask him to keep his money,
but to let us part friends
They walked hand in hand across the
stubble fields, and through the lanes,
where the blackberry leaves were putting
on their autumn tints of red and gold,
and the berries of the hedge were all ripe
and red-the purple honeysuckle, the
Pink yewberry, the blackberry, rowan,
hip and haw-to GratnOr
Strange, George, that we shall go
away, and never see the dear old place
again. said Mary. with sigh. LET
us go as soon as we can, so as to leave
it before the trees are stripped, and
while the sun still lies warm upon the
hills"
In the parlor Mr.. Leighan was still
sleeping, though it was past his waking
time. Mary touched George by the
hand, ane they sat down behind him in
the windLw and waited. They waited
for a qpArter of an hour. Then they
heard s step outside.
ut 10 David" George whispered. "He
will rfase bis uncle. Is he come already
to ash for {iis fortune, 1 wonder?'
Just thes Mr.. Leighan awoke perhaps
disturbed br David's heavy step, and he
awoke jusk as he had done twice before
-nrmely, suddenly and with a startled
shrpik of tsrror Just as he had done
twp.e befors he sat up in his chair. with
hodfor and fright in his eyes, glaring
wildly abogt the room.
Mary, az eustomed to witness this
Nightmare, looked to see the terror
Change int bewilderment. But it did
not.
For awhile his mind was full of his
dream; while he yet remembered the
place, the time, and the man, and before
the vision mad time to fade and disap
pear, the uiry man himself of whom he
had dream I'd stood before him at the
open door Then he NO longer forgot:
his dream became a memory; he was
riding across Heytree Down in the even
ing; and he was met by his nephew with
cudgel and the nephew cried ont.
who robbed me of my landY'' and
struck him lcross the temples so that he
fell.
"Murdertrl Robberl' he cried. "Helpl
help! L an. murdered and robbedv
And thes-, To- miracle. For the par
alytic. who had had no power in his legs
Tor six Iona years, sprang to his feet and
STOOD with Jutstretched arms, crying for
help to seisb the murderer. And David
stood befors him with such a look of
hatred ant revenge as he wore on that
night, and in his trembling right hand
the cudgel ready to uplift and to strike.
1t was dTer in moment, for the old
man fell helpless and s-nseless upon the
floor, though David did not strike. The
skull cap sFas knocked off by the fall.
and exposed the angry red scar of the
old wound. He lay upon his back, his
arms extended in the fashion of a cross.
as he had fallen upon Heytree Down:
and as he lay there, so he lay here
with parted lips, streaming hair, and eyes
wide open, which saw nothing though
they gaze& reproachfully upon his MUIR
derer. en- for a space no one spoke:
but Davit bent over his uncle breathing
hard, and George and Mary looked on
wondering and awe-stricken.
"a secopd time, David?"
David started, and turned. 1t was his
German protector, Baron Sergius Won
Holstein, md the tall figure of the baron
stood In vae door, accompanied by my
self. Buf on this occasion 1 counted for
nothing.
"a secoad time, David?"
David g,sped, but made no reply.
You came home, David" said tbe
baron, "ts give yourself in charge for
numbering and robbing your uncle. You
struck HIN over the head with vour
cudgel, 81 that he fell dead at your feet
You robbNd him of box of papers and
bag of money. The thought of fine
crime gave you no rest by day. and at
night the ghost Of your uncle came TO
lyour bedside and ordered you 10 90 horoe