Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-07-05
CHAPTER XIV.

Tor after regarding me With unreasoniiS
horror as he crouched against the wall
for 4 few minutes the strained muscles
Of his face relaxed, a look OF hopeful
doubt and suspicion twinkled In his blue
eyes, and he breathed more easily. Grad
pally he Strengthened himself, and with
growing confidence spoke:
You don't mean to say as it's you,
your identical self, Bernard you don't
90 for to tell me as you've got out in
the night like a thief in the same, and
as you've come here to frighten your poor
CID grandfather into hillness?"
"I'm your grandson Bernard-so much
thu worse for me--and l ave got out
so much the worse for you. But l have
come to call you to account"
Where's the other one-her?" he ask
ed, nodding toward the well.
Not down there"
Where are you took her TOT"
where you can do her no more HARM
"WhatIl father say to thisy" exclaim-
ed the old man, in a tone of consterna-
tion.
w shall hear what he has to say
when he's brought to Justice"
You're not going to inform on him
you won't send an old man of ninety-f0ur
to PRISON."
1T depends upon you whether both
/ of you do not end your days in jail. You
may expect no more mercy from me than
you have shown to that helpless child,
whose life you have blasted"
Sonny" he said, drawing the back of
his hand across his forehead, nov let's
hear what you've got to say. If 1t de-
ponds ON me to save father from going to
jail you may depend upon me doing my
duty as . SON."
do Re. see that" I asked, pointing
to one of the texts with which tho walls
were plentifully decorated.
Yes, / sees it fast enough, but what
it's all about l dunnow. They comes here
and sticks EN- up nccordian to their fan
q, but / can. read 'em."
Honesty IS tt best policy'-that's
what 1t says; and ] advise you to keep
that In mind, for II l have reason to
doubt the honesty Of the confession you
have to make to me / shall so at once
to Bopport and bring you and your faith
er before judges who will find means to
get the truth out of you"
The old man looked at me with deep
cunning In his shifty eyes, and then he
said:
.You know sou can depend on my
truth, sonny, else you'd ha' gone to the
irtices fust.
~ have come to you first because /
would spare myself the shame Of seeing
you in the felon's dock but I am prepar-
ed to meet that shame to learn the
truth"
what do . want to know"
~ must know ali about the poor girl
you have kept in the caves from her
childhood"
Right yon are, sonny.. Now you look
in my face and I'll look in yourn, and
II ysu 80 me 70 much as wink a eye set
re down for I liar! Slack away"
With these words he planted his hands
Armly on his knees, bent forward, and
- hxed his eyes that they looked as il
they were Of glass and several sizes too
lergs.
who Is that grip
VI %, know, no more than what you
DO.
WI HAT II her name +
81 can't tell you on my dyin' oath, I
don't know"
sHow long have YOU kept her down
there T,
Twelve year. last July the thir-
tenth"
"Where did you take her from?"
We didn't take her; she was give to
MS by = man.
.ss'Who WA that man."
Il don't know, III take my oath on it,
II honesty may be gagged by the abil-
fly 81 Il man to look you straight in the
eyes, then my grandfather was as honest
10 this declaration a. anyone could de-
sire.
aHors Ala the chilli coma int ,,o,,+