The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1906-11-15

| like coffin that stood in the center Of the
| floor, lighted at either end by candles. The
windows were closed in by shutters; the
room was poor, shabby, old, yet in its
way this resting place of the dead had a
dignity about it that penetrated even the
stony despair that filed Gerald Tenby's
heart.
A moan broke from his lips as he stag
gered backward against the wall Of the
passage.
Ben Coop loosed his hold and covered
his face with his hands: then he woke
from his intensity of grief as he saw
Sarah fall on her knees by this coffin COW
| cred with black, and burst again into
| weeping. He bent forward and touched
her on the shoulder.
why do you weep?" he said in whis-
per: what was this lad to you?'
He was all that was left to me-" the
woman said, her voice wrung with an
guish; "the child I nursed from the day
he was born, the one link left to me of all
that had once made life pleasant and
good"
Ben drew back in his turn. He scarce
ly knew how to control his feelings. The
force OF emotion took even the strength
from his voice. When he would have
questioned. Sarah spoke on.
This Is the coffin that holds the body
of Walter Griffith Stanton, my masters
brother she said II put him into that
myself, / nailed the wood together Not
| woman's work as rule, but when a wom-
ans heart is eaten up with grief, when
| she is set task that her soul turns
against, then sometimes a woman can do
strange work. You look amazed; you do
] not question: You come to seek some one
whom you thought dead. / will show you
that some one living
Once again they stood before a door.
Though he lives" she said in that
dull, even tone, .'it is just a flicker of life.
do not know, indeed, why he has not
died dozen times; but / prayed for his
life; worked to save him, not only for
his own sake, poor lad, but because
wished to take away the darkness of
| great sin from my masters soul"
She pushed the dor open very quietly
and stole into the room. Here all looked
comfortable. The windows were thrown
open and the summer twilight could be
seen through them. A light was burning
close to the bed on which was stretched 4
still figure--a figure whose face was turn
ed from the eyes of those two standing
looking eagerly into the room.
Ben trod almost noiselessiy over the
carpet, and when he reached the bed he
knelt down and buried his face in his
! hands. He kneit there long time, pray
/ ing wildly. offering up the gratitude of his
beart tor the mercy that had been vouch-
| safed Ter the restoration of this creature
whom ~ loved.
And ail the while Gerald Tenby stood
leariSs against the door, gazing with un-
seeing eyes at the figure of the man that
lay co the bed. Whether he were con-
scious OF relief or gladness it would be
impossible to say. He seemed to have
touched the last depths of despair a few
hours before, when he had turned and
seen Ben Coop standing under the trees,
like 9 judge, waiting to give sentence.
Ben drew him out of the room, down
the stairs again. When they were in the
hall Ben threw open the door.
In," he said; ''you are free! The lad
livsss and all the rest will be easy. If
he had died l would have asked his life
at sHur hands, but heaven has been good
en0cxh to take away the worst of your
evil Hubert Tenby lives; the rest is
not 2or my hands. Cop
AAd then Gerald Tenby woke to the
| feesifgs Of the situation.
eWhere shall go?" he asked hoarsely.
"Wtat place is there in life for me :?
Ycs don't know what it is, man, to stand
as | do and look absolute ruin in the
face"
Zen put out ais hand and rested it
| upon the shoulder of the other man.
There is no life so bad and black that
it cannot be changed, lad" he said There
is always atonement. Turn and face this
like man. The world need not know
the truth. I'll answer for it that my lad
| win do you no hardship-rather will he
be your friend. Turn and face it, said
Ben again; make haste to render up
that which is not yours; make haste to
give back 10 the Lad that which is dearer
to him than wealth--his unstained honor.
BE true in this. and much will be forgiven
| you."