The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-01-19

THE ways of Providence are 1nscrut-
ahle-something inscrntable. Captain
Ireton. l make no doubt we are suf-
iciently thankful for all your mar-
| cies."
Why, as to that, there may be two
ways OF looking at 1t. As a soldier. 1
may justly repine at a fate which ties
me here when l should be in the
field"
We'll said, sir; brawly said: its the
part of a good soldier to be ay wanting
to be in the thick o. the fighting. But
now that we're a man of substance.
Captain Ireton, we will be owing other
debts to our country than the one We
can a with a hantle o STEEL"
Our country did YOU say. Mr..
Stair? l asked, feigning q surprise
in very nth
And what for 10? IT'S the birth
land Of some-yourself, for
and the leal land of adoption for others
Your humble servant. towit. I've
taken the solemn oath Of allegiance to
the congress. I'd have We to know
At this l must needs laugh out
right.
Have YOU taken 1T one more time
Stair"
Laugh as We WILL" he said. quite
plaeably; we shall never laugh the
pcetriotism out O me. TITS little enough
an old mar car do, but the precious
cause o. liberty will never have to ask
that little twice, Captain Ireton."
Since he would ever be on the VIM
ming side, this foreshadowed good It'd
g fnoeed. SO / would ask him
straisht What news there was. Pc .
Have they not told We? It's Draw
news he chucllled. whilst We were
on your back. General Greene led Lord
CORVALLIS q fine dance all across the
prov-the state, I mean, crooking his
niger at him and sayin, Come on, ye
led-captaia of a tyarnt king, and when
I'm ready I'll turn and rend ye.' And
by the same token, that is just what he
did the other day at Guilford court
house."
"A victory?' I would ask.
We'll, not precisely that, maybe:
they're calling 1t a drawn battle. But
I'm thinking it's Lord CORVALLIS that's
drawn. He's off to Wilmington. they
say. and I'm fain to hope we've seen
the last O. him and his ~reaving redcoats
in these parts"
His words set me in a muse. I could
never make out what Re would be at,
telling me all this. But he had an OBJ
ject, Well defined, and presently it
showed its head.
"Ye're a laird o. the manor now,
Captain Ireton, with none to gainsay
We" he went on. $50 I've come to give
We an account o. my stewardship. I
made no doubt, all along, ye'd come
back to your own when ye,d had Your
fling wi the old worldies. and so iva
kept tab o. the poor bit land for We"
ooh, you have?" said I, being SO far
o~ut-brazened as to be incapable OF say
ing more.
Il have tnat-every plack and baw-
bee. It's ten years come Michaelmas
since / took over the charge o. Appleby
Hundred, and I'm ready to account to
We for every seasons crop-when yen
pay down the bit stewards fee"
Truly said !, you are an honest
to the top of his bent .Haphazarding a
guess, now; would this accounting
leave a balance in my favor or in
yours?"
He gave me a look like that Of a
costerrnonger Weighing and measuring
the gullibility of Ess customer.
oh, aye; I'm no saying there might
MT be a bit siller coming to me; a few
ndr pounds, more or less-starling,
man, sterling; not Scots" he added
leave this nail as 1T was driven, he
changed the subject abruptly. i've
brought We that last will and testa-
ment ye signed" handing me the
parchment. mo doubt you'll let it
stand; but when the BARNS come, yell
want to be adding a codicil or two"
Leaving the matter of the estate, /
thought it time to cut the marrow OF
the bigger bone. So I said: Let us be
frank with each other in this, Mr..
Stair. How much has your daughter
told you of the matter between usT?"
She g jade" he lasped, lapsing for
q moment into his real self. But he re-
covered his se%if-control instantly. "Ye'd
no expect IL romantic bit lassie VII
French blood in her veins to ba conf
dencing wi her old dried-up wisp Of a
father, ncw, would We? She's no telIt
me everything, I daresay."
Then I will tell you the plain truth
of it'll said. This marriage was new
er anything more than the form we all
agreed it should be at the time: a
makeshift to serve a purpose. If you
think I would hold your daughter to
it
"Hrt. tut, man; what will We be
havering about! Yell v cast the
poor bit lassie off that way! We Gamma.
II We would; her church will have a
word to say to that"
For all his aping the manner Of the
ignored father, I shrewdly suspected
that he knew more about theSins and
outs Of our affair than he owned to.
Nevertheless, I was forced to meet iii
on his own ground.
concluded Next Week.
Never Too Late.