Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-11-02

Know that Joe Warner, the Sdmekeep'
er, had not returned to his lonely cot.
tage. He had gone out az usual, and
no one had anticipated n scrimmage
with a poacher, yet Warner had not re-
turned at the ordinary hour in the
morning.
Some accident had hefallen him, the
villagers agreed, n 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 in the woods
was to he 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 Joell be coming home
and laughing at us all for being so
foolish! l thought I'd better come and
tell you before someone else broke 1t TO
o rough like"
Annie laughed uneasily.
Perhaps he has gone off somewhere
before going home" she observed quiet
iy. There does not seem to be any
cause for alarm"
That's just as you may like to
think" answered the old woman sharp
Iy. IF he had had a quarrel with any
one he might go off in a huff, out it
takes a lot to make Joe Warner go out
of his way. III be going now, Mrs.
Rawson,' she concluded, turning to
Annie's mother, who had not said a
word, n ignoring Annie.
She left the cottage and Annie turned
a troubled gaze toward her mother.
do you think that anything has
happened?" she asked, with just a
CULVER in her voice.
"Yes!" said Mrs. Rawson slowly. 1T
isn't like Joe's style to act like that.
Did you quarrel with him last night,
Annie?'
Yes. mother"
You nave agreed to marry him,
vet" began Mrs. Rawson, but her
daughter interrupted her.
Il agreed to marry him and / will
marry him." she cried, pa%ssionately.
But he must take me as l am. He
must" She broke off abruptly. II
do not wish to talk any more about it,
mother. Let as so and join in the
search"
Joe Warner had forced himself upon
her, n had lone his best, or worst. to
Dust his brother. Joe was a quiet,
steady fellow, whom everybody regard
ed as a man of sterling worth and in
EdpdDAC Oh lllGdII aCbIOi, lie WAS SIX
years older than Annie and three years
older than his brother A match be-
tween Joe and Annie was not the j
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' mar than Joe,
whom he secretly despised. At least
that was the opinion generally held in
the village of Reynsham.
1t was not surprising that Dick War
ner was smitten by the charms of An
ME Rawson; indeed, it would have been
wonderful if he had not been. And An
ME, although not entirely unsophisti-
Gated, yielded to his tender chances and
honeyed words. 1t was al his stage
that Joe Warner stepped in and won
the prize out Of his brothers grasp.
Almost on the V of an engagement
with Dick, the elder brother had called
upo her n threatened-yes, threat
ened-to expose a certain transaction
of her dead father.
To save her fathers memory and to
keep disgrace from her mother. she
would marry Joe, although she would
hate him as long as she lived. Joe
smiled, a quiet smile full Of sadness
and not at all indicative of triumph,
and left her.
Dick Warner received his dismissal
in anger; he asked for a reason, but
Annie could give him none, save thai il
was Tor the best. Dick said a~fterWard,
with perfect frankness, that if she pre-
ferred 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
nia hn6 rnnno1niunI IL, li~, ,ln4,i. -
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. Il do hope that moth
ing has happened: but since Mrs.
Booth brought the news / have had an
uneasy feeling hat I remember a shot
while | was in a doze last night. Per-
haps it's only imagination, but u hazy
recollection comes to me-"
1t was strange that such a commo-
tion had arisen because a -gamekeeper
had failed TO return home in the morn
ing; but it was an extraordinary thing
in Joe's case, and all the villagers were
filed with the same vague unrest. The
people set off into the woods in twos
and threes; Annie 1T her mother went
by themselves 70 IN especially seclud-
ed portion of the estate.
They wendell their way here ana
there, Annie's anxiety -increaeing with
out apparent as the time passed.
Suddenly Mrs. Rawson uttered a cry
and pointed to the foot Of q 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
rDcfpH nm the ground his feet
and a piece Of twine ran from the trig-
ger TO his foot.
o Warner had shct himself, That
was the first thought that crossed the
minds Of the two women. Mrs. Raw
son FASTENED forward and knelt by
Joc's side. Shp placed her cheek close
10 his lips and remained m~otionless for
q few seconds.
Hes aIive!' she cried abruptly and
with animation. Run and tell them,
Annie, and bring a doctor"
"Oh, mother" she. burst forth. has
he tried to kill himself because-be-
cause he force me TO take his ring,
and"
Run for help, ouick!' cried Mrs.
Rawson, sharply. She did not under
stand her daughters words. And
don't tell any one that he had the gun
hike thatl / don't believe in it! Don't
forgeti"
Annie ran off for assistance while
Mrs. Rawson. with set features, united
the string and hid it in her pocket.
rrt..w -t.. +o~lr Trafa yt,t, orI fhraur n