Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-12-29

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a state of great perturbation.
Whatever is the matter ?" ask ed his
daughter, Alma. You look worried to
DEATH"
80 / ami" calculated Mr.. Wilmont
~savagely. There is a defalcation in
one of the books TO the amount OF fifty
pounds, and the clerk who has charge
of the book hasn't turned up to day.
i sent round to his house, but the beg
gar's sloped. It's as plain as a pike
staff"
"Oh, daddie! What are you going to
do? Isis he a married MANI"
Yes, he's a married man, with one
little girl at least, that is what l learnt
from the man l sent round. 1 can't
make it out. His salary wasn't bad,
as salaries go, and the fellow seemed a
decent sort. / don't know what TO do,
1 suppose / shall have to notify the po-
lice of the fact"
Gabriel Wilmot signed. 1t was the
first time in all his business career that
such a step had been forced upon him.
"Daddie," said Alma, coming over to
the hair and laying a little hand
caressingly on his shoulder, don't be
In a hurry, dear. Find out why he
did it."
How can I?' responded the old man
irritably.
Then let me-"
Gabriel Wilnot gazed at his daugh-
ter, in stupeied establishment. But
Alma never linched.
Yes, me-" she repeated boldly. You
always said ! was cut out for a detec-
tive. Why not put II to the test now?
If there should be extenuating circum-
stances In the case, you will be glad
you did not call in the aid Of the po-
lice. If there be none-which l doubt
or IL I fail-which / doubt still more
II will be time enough to communicate
then with the proper authorities. In
all probability the man has left Lon
don. / have been wanting a holiday
for some time, but the country lacks
interest this time OF year This little
business will just I'LL up the plank and
save me from ennui.
: Gabriel Wilmot was only half con-
WINGED.
'But you'll never find HIM" he pro-
tested weakiyl You have not a
ex-" But thu look he got effectually
stopped him.
Don't you trouble your old head
about that" replied his daughter scorn-
fully. I know what I'm about and
shall take care not to bungle the bust-
ness. You cave 1t to me. Now tell
me all you know about the man-what
his name is, where he lived, and what
he looks like"
IL WAS d uSll6llluA onss ~ oil was
fresh-for It was not yet summer-and
the blue sky was innocent of a cloud. A
man was sitting on the beach. in the
shelter Of a great groyne that Jutted
out into the sea. A book was In his
hand, and a little girl of 5 frolicked
merrily about him.
Put me wight up there" she plead
ed. Il want to sit on the edge and look
down at YOU"
The man took her on his back, and,
mounting the great timbers, set her
IN the top OF the groyne.
Don't move, Kitty he commanded,
as he again leapt down to the beach.
"Sit quite still and tell me when you are
tired"
"All wight" responded the child. TN
wemember."
Once more the man took up his book,
while the child. looking down at him
from her pinnacle, began singing softly
to herself.
There's a nice lady coming this
way" she observed presently, pausing
IN her song.
But the man never heard. The book
had claimed him once more. How long
they remained thus he never knew, but
he was suddenly startled by hearing a
cry from the child above him. Dropping
hie took, he looked up. Kitty was on
her feet now, a look of terror in her
eyes.
"Oh!" she creamed excitedly. THE
nice lady's tumbled wight In the wa
teri"
stop there!' he shouted peremptor-
fly to the child. Don't novel
another instant and his Goa was off.
With a quick bound he was in the wa
ter. A dozen rapid strokes and the girl
was in his arms.
IAN right" he said. Keep cool;
you're quite safe now"
She gave a gasping little sob and
ceased struggling, while the man slow
ly swan with her to shore.
"Oh!' she sobbed, as she sank down
on the beach. you nave saved M life!
How can 1 ever, thank you! My foot
slipped. Oh, thank God, you were here!"
II shouldn't have been of much serv-
ice, had 1t not been for the child" he
said, shaking the water from his
clothes. ut was she who saw YOU"
1t was a week later. The man with
the book a a companion now, and
the companion seemed entirely to have
eclipsed the book, Only q week! yet
many wonderful things happen in a
week. And this was nothing very WON
derful, after all. Owe At first sight?
Well. II may be so. But. at any rate.
here they were-rescuer and rescued-with
their hands suspiciously close together
VIII IHc bOcn -
so as to conceal the fact.
'It beats me-" said the man. how on
earth you come to be down here alone.
I'm afraid you're a spoilt daughter! II I
were your father-'
Father, indeed"
well, yet-it's better as Ii is, isn't IT,"
ne admitted, with a twinkle.
Much assented the girl archly.
There was a curious and quite una
countable movement about that book. And
the girl said:
Don't"
There was silence for a moment or two.
and then she added:
II don't know what dad Will sayt"
''Oh, never mind him." responded the
man. "Tll manage him all right as soon
as I get bach to town"
when will that be-" inquired the girl.
81 don't know. When will your
II don't know, either"
1t was three days later. Alma Wilmot
had searched the little seaside town with
p~raiseworthy persistence. And at last she
had discovered tint present whereabouts of
Mr.. and Mrs. Whitcome. At the outset,
she had been somewhat surprised TO find
that the abscondiug clerk had been SO
careless of his liberty as to leave behind
him the name of the town TO which he had
removed. But the town was one thing and
the street and number were another. 1t
had taken her almost a fortnight to find
out the house that sheltered Mr.. and Mrs.
Whitcomb.. The question now vas
shou,d she go straight to the house and
confront him with the crime? At last she
decided to do so.
The door was opened by a quiet. sweet
faced young woman.
rs Mr.. whitcombc ing" Inquired Alma