The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-01-12

1.-THE ways of Providence are inscrut-
able-something inscrutable, Captain
fciently thankful for all your mer-
cies."
Why. as to that, there may be two
ways OF looking at it. AS a soldier.
may justly replne at a fate which ties
me here when 1 should be III the
field"
We'll said. sir: brawly said; tits the
part OF a good soldier to be ay wanting
to be In the thick o. the fighting. But
now that ye're a man Of substance.
Captain 1reton. ye will be owing other
debts 10 our country than the n we
can pay with a hantle o steel"
Our country did o say. Mr..
whith no II knowing him could feel
IN very truth.
And what for no: Ills the birth
land OF some-yourseif. for example.
and the leal land OF adoption for others
you: humble servant. towit. I've
taken the solemn oath of allegiance to
the congress. Id have ye to know"
eight.
"Have you taken it II more time
than YOU have foresworn it. Mr..
Stair"
Laugh as yc WILL he said. quite
%piacably; "ye shall never laugh the
pcetriotism out O me. 'Tis little enough
an old man can do, but the precious
cause o. liberty Will never have to ask
that little twice, Captain I%reton."
Since he would eve be on the win
ming side. his ~foreshadowed good It'd
ings. indeed. So l would ask him
straight what news there a
Have they not told ye? Ills Draw
news" he chuckled. Whilst ye were
| on your back. General Greene led Lord
prov~-the state, ] mean. crooklng his
finger at him n sayin. Come on, We
led-captain of a tyarnt king, and when
I'm ready I'll turn and e n 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 it a drawn battle. But
Pm thinking It's Lord cornwallis that's
drawn. Hes off to Wilmington, they
say, and I'm fain to hope we've seen
the lust O. him and his reaving redcoats
IN these parts"
Ills words set me in a muse. l could
never make our what he would be at
telling me all this. But he had an OBJ
ject. we'll defined. and presently Il
showed its head.
"Ye're a laird o. the manor, now
Captain Ireton. with none to gainsaS
ye.' he went OH. S I've come to give
We an account O. my stewardship.
made no doubt, all along, ye'd COM
back to our OWN when ye'd had YOU
fling wi the old Worldies. and so Nv:
kept tao o. the poor bit land for ye."
ooh. you have?" said I, being so IA
~out-brazened az to be incapable of say
ing more.
II have tnat-every plack n baw
bee. Ills ten years come Michaelma
since / took over the charge O. Applied.
Hundred, and I'm ready to account t
We for every seasons ~crop-when vel
pay down the bit stewards fee"
"Truly." said I, you are an homes
man, Mr.. Stair" Then. to humor hin
to the top OF his bent: "Haphazarding
guess, now; would this acJountin
leave a balance III my favor or. !
yours"
He gave me a look like that OF
costermonser Weighing and measurin
the gullibillty of his customer.
"Oh, aye; I'm no saying there migf
MT be a bit siller coming to me; q fe'
hundred pounds, more or less-sterlint
man, sterling: no Scots" he adde
| hastily. And then. as if it were best I
changed the subject abruptly. "I'y
l brought we that last will inc tesla
ment We signed" handing me tn
parchment. mo doubt you'll let
/ stand; but Nvhen the BARNS come. We
i want to be adding a codicil or two"
Leaving the matter Of the estate.
2 thought it time to cut h marrow
[ the bigger bone. So I said: Let us /
frank with each other IL this. NJ
o Stair. How. much has your daught'
told you OF the matter between us?"
.Shn's & jade" he lasped, lapsing fl
r "a moment Into his real self. But he T.
9 covered his ~self-control instantly. "Ye
: no expect II romantic bit lassie "
v French blood in her veins to ba conf
/ dencing wi her old dried-up wlsp of
I father. now, would YEP She's no tel
me everything. I d~aresay."
o. "Then I will tell you h plain tru
n of it." / said. This marriage was ne
er anything more than the form we {
O agreed 1t should be at the time:
u makeshift to serve a purpose. If y.
Il think I would hold our daughter
e it"
: "Hrt. tut. man. what will We
havering about! Yell never cast t
q poor bit lassie off that way! Ye cam
lie We would; her church will a
word to say to that"
For all his aping the manne OF t
At ignored father. l shrewdly suspect
that he knew more about the ms a!
outs Of our affair than he owned
Nevertheless, / was forced to meet h!
on hts own ground.
concluded Next Week.