The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-11-02

KNOWN INdI Joe WdI1lGIS nc BdlllGhCGp-
| er, had not returned to his lonely cot
tage. He had gone out ~ usual, and
no n had anticipated any scrimmage
with a poacher, yet Warner had not re-
turned at the ordinary hour in the
morning.
Some accident had befallen him, the
villagers agreed, and they made up a
searching party to scour the woods.
Annie Rawson looked up with a
startled glance when a neighbor entered
her mothers humble dwelling with the
intelligence that a search iD the woods
was to be made in order to find Joe
Warner, and her face grew pale as she
listened to the scanty information.
I'm sorry to be bringing you bad
news. Annie" concluded the neighbor
with assumed sympathy. In truth. she
was proud of being the first to acquaint
the girl with what was supposed to
have happened. Perhaps there's moth
ing in it, and JOEL be coming home
n laughing at us all for being so
foolish! 1 thought I'd better come and
tell you before someone else broke 1t to
you rough like"
Annie laughed uneasily.
perhaps he has gone off somewhere
before going home" h observed quiet
ly. There xoes not seem to be any
cause for alarm"
That's just as you may like to
think" answered the old woman sharp
ly. III he had had a quarrel with any
one he might go off in a huff, but it
takes a lot to make Joe Warner go out
of his way. I'll be going now, Mrs.
Rawson," h concluded, turning to
Annie's mother, who had not said a
word, and ignoring Annie.
She left the cottage and Ann turned
q troubled gaze toward her mother.
d you think that anything has
happened?" she asked, with just a
CULVER in her voice.
"Yes!" said Mrs. Rawson slowly. ut
isn't like Joe's style to act like that.
Did you quarrel with him last night.
Annie?"
Yes. mother"
You have agreed to marry him,
yet" began Mrs. Rawson, but her
daughter interrupted her.
II agreed to marry him and I will
marry him. she cried, p~assionately.
But he must take me as l am. He
must She broke off abruptly. IT
do not wish to talk any more about it,
mother. Let us go and join in the
search"
Joe Warner had forced himself upon
her, and a done his best, or worst, to
oust his brother. Joe was a quiet,
steady fellow, whom everybody regard
ed as a man Of sterling worth and in
capable of mean action: he was six
years older than Annie and three years
older than his brother. A match be-
tween Joe and Annie was not the kind
Of a union that people would antici-
pate.
Dick Warner was quite unlike his Sc
date brother; he lived in town and was
better dressed, more alert in manner.
n more OF a ladies' man than Joe,
whom he secretly despised. At least
that was the opinion generally held in
the village of Reynsham.
II woe ,N% c,,~,,,;o{,- %l-A M, Wv
ner was smitten by the charms of An
ME Rawson; indeed. it would have been
wonderful it he had not been. And An
ME, although not entirely
Gated, yielded to his tender glances and
noneyed words. 1t was at this stage
ina Joe Warner stepped in and won
the prize out Of his brothers grasp.
Almost on the eve of an engagement
With Dick, the elder brother had called
upon her and threatened-yes, threat
ened-to expose a certain transaction
of her e. father.
TO save her fathers memory and to
Keep disgrace from her mother, she
would marry Joe, although she would
hate MIN as long as she lived. Joe
smiled, a quiet smile full of sadness
n not at all indicative of triumph.
and left her.
Dick Warner received his dismissal
IN anger; he asked for a reason, but
Soolo give l1Ill none, save tlat 1t
was for the best. Dick said afterward.
with perfect f%ranlSness, that il she pre-
ierred Joe he could not object, and he
hoped She would be happy with his
brother.
The engagement was only a month
OLD; During that time Joe had been
undemonstratively attentive, and An
ME had recognized in him certain cx-
cellent qualities which did not accord
with the part he had played; notwith-
standing his cowardly action he had
commanded a certain amount of re-
spect.
Are you ready. Annie?" came her
mothers voice. II do hope that moth
Ing has happened; but since Mrs.
Booth brought the news T have had an
uneasy feeling that I remember a shot
Whlle j was in a doze last night. Per-
maps it's only imagination, but a hay
recollection comes to me-"
1t was strange that such a commo-
1on had arisen because a g~amekeeper
a failed to return HON in the morn
Ing; but 1T was an extraordinary thing
IN Joe's case, and all the villagers We're
TILED with the same vague unrest. The
people set off into the woods in twos
and threes: Annie and her mother went
by themselves to an especially seclud-
ed portion Of the estate.
They wendell their way here and
there, Annie's anxiety increasing with
OUT apparent cause as the time passed.
Suddenly Mrs. Rawson uttered a cry
n pointed to the foot of a tall oak.
Joe Warner sat at the foot of the
tree. his back against the trunk. His
head was thrown back against the tree;
his hands clasped a gun half way along
the barrel; the butt end of the weapon
rested on the ground between his feet,
and a piece of Irvine ran from the trip-
ger to his foot.
Joe Warner had shot himself! That
was the first thought that crossed the
minds of the two women. Mrs. Raw
son fastened forward and knelt by
Joe's side. She placed her cheek close
to his lips and remained motionless for
a few seconds.
He's alive!!" she cried abruptly and
with animation. Fun and tell them,
Annie, and bring a DOCTOR"
ooh, mother" she burst forth. has
he tried to kill himself because-be-
U he forced me to take his ring,
and-?"
run for help, quick," cried Mrs.
Rawson, sharply. She did not under
stand her daughters words. "And
don't tell any n that he had the gun
like that! 1 ont believe in it! Don't
forget"
Annie ran off for assistance while
Mrs. Rawson, with set features, united
the string and hid it in her pocket.
Then she took Joe's gun and threw it