The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1907-04-13
BY FRANK BARRETT

parlor and my grandfather was laid on
it, while his late companions made as
straight as their legs permitted to Bon
port to fetch a famous bone setter who
lived there. Three hours elapsed before
he made his appearance, and during that
time my grandfather lay on his back
suffering acute pain, never for a moment
removing his hands from the little bag on
his chest. At one moment, after attempt
ing to change his position, it seemed as
if the pain would deprive him again of
consciousness. He groaned, and the
sweat came out upon his face; imploring
me with his eyes to come nearer, and,
painting for breath, he whispered:
Sonny, if l should go off in a swound,
you won't take no meaN advantage TO
get this here little bag will you"
l promised him l would neither touch
the bag myself nor let anyone else touch
it, whatever happened
But if | shouldn't come back out Of
my swound," he gasped, IF | should go
right off, and there's no fetching me
round anyhow, say by 10 o'clock to-mOr-
row morning, you must open the bag and
see what's inside on lido you hear"
He made me repeat my promise to
observe these wishes when the bone setter
told him to prepare his mind for some
nasty twinges.
When the tedious and painful opera
ton was finished, and he felt compare
lively easy, my grandfather's spirits re-
vived.
sonny" he said, "Ill be popped into
a handbarrer and wheeled off to the cot
tage at once. | shall be as right as a
trivet about the afternoon
You'll stay where you are" the bone
setter said. "Why, you won't be able to
move out of bed for week or two; and
when you get back to your cottage you'll
have to keep someone constantly about to
help you"
Keep someone in the cottage to help
me?" he gasped. The idea seemed to fill
him with terror, and he said no more
for long while, but lay with his mouth
agape as if unable to realize his position
or see any way of accommodating him
self to circumstances.
1t was 3 o'clock in the morning when
l turned into bed. At 8 l rose and went
down to see my grandfather. He was
wide awake, and greeted me with a look
of satisfaction.
I've been heaving the lead all night,
sonny" said he, but l think I've got
my soundings now You must go and find
father. Better go now"
Don't bother yourself about that
said /, thinking he was troubled with the
prospect of my selling the cottage. Il
can wait a few days for the money
1T amt that" he replied impatiently.
You must go and find father, l tell you.
You go to Bonport now at once, and
find Mrs. Edards, the gen'ral shop in
Mermaid street. You go upstairs, and
if fathers at home tell him I'm took
queer, and he's wanted. If he amt at
home go and look for him on the pier,
and if that's no good have look In at
the Dolphin and likewise the Hearty Tar,
and the Three Mugs. and the Hanchor;
in fact you'd better try all the publics
one arter the other as you come to EN-;
but find him you must. And I'll tell you
for why''-he dropped his voice, and
looked suspiciously at the door, as if he
feared the eavesdropper-"its a matter
of life or DEATH"
l looked at him in doubt, but the
strenuous expression in his face indi-
Gated clearly enough that he had said
no more than the bare truth.
What's the clock now" he asked.
Eight"
And what o'clock did l start on this
gallus cruise"
''It was between twelve and one when
you came in here"
He reckoned up the intervening hours
on his fingers, and then said emphatical-
ly:
You must be off this minute. There's
not an instant to lose. You must find
father and bring him here by twelve at
the outside"
"And supposing he's not TO be found?"
'Then the Lord ha' mercy" he ex-
claimed, clapping his hand on his wet
forehead "Why, look here, if you don't
find him by, say half-past eleven, you
must start back here. You can do it in
a hour, stepping out smart. That brings
it to half-past twelve. You'll have some
thing awful to answer for if you're not
back by them" he added, impressively.
l saw there was no time to waste in
Inquiries, great us the luuuCcmtHJ WAS
to satisfy my curiosity, and buttoned up
my coat for sharp walk.
sonny" called the old man as was
about to leave the room, "just one word.
Don't tell father I have broke my leg.
Tell him I'm took queer, that's all. He
wouldn't stand no setting of it if he knew
my leg was broke-he'd have it off, he
would. He is such a man for doing
things thorough"
/ snatched hasty breakfast, and hur-
ried over the cliffs to Bonport. There
I called at nv great gra ndfather's lodo