Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-02-15
cHAprER yI.-(Continued.)

~ DO declare ltS Lnat nenlock Shiu
Martha, In surprise, pulling the white
flowers out of the bunch land | never
knew it was there. Pah!' and she threw
the blossoms down with a gesture OF dis
gust. "How they SMELL!
CASTOR picked up one of the flowers
and crushed it between his fingers, upon
which it gave out a peculiar mousy odor
eminently disagreeable. 1t was hemlock
sure enough, and he wondered how such a
plant had come into Australia.
Does it grow in your garden!' he
asked Martha.
That damsel intimated it did, and Of
fered to show him the plant, so that he
could believe his own eyes. Vandeloup
assented eagerly, and they were soon IN
the flower garden at the back of the house,
which was blazing with vivid colors, IN
the hot glare of the sunshine.
"There you are,' said Miss Twe1by,
pointing to q corner of the garden near
the fence where the plant was growing;
par brought a lot of seeds from home,
and that beastly thing got mixed up with
them. Par keeps it growing. though.
cause no one else has got it. It's quite
a curiosity"
vandeloup bent down and examined the
plant, with it's large, round, smooth, pur-
p~le-spotted stem-its smooth, shining
green leaves, and the tiny white lowers
with their disagreeable odor.
Eyes, it is hemlock," he said, half to
himself; II did not know it could be
grown here. Some day, Mademoiselle," he
said, turning to Miss Twexby, and walk
ing back to the house with her, Il will
ask you to let me have some of the roots
of this plant to make an experiment
with"
.'As much as you like" said the fair
Martha, amiably. what are you going
to make out of it?'
Nothing particular returned Vande-
loup, with a yawn, as they entered the
house and stopped at the door of Pierre's
room. "I'm n bit OK a chemist, and amnse
myself with these things"
s'You are CLEVER observed Martha. adj
miringly "but here's that mans room
we didn't give him the best"-apologet-
ically-'as miners are SO rough"
"Mademoiselle,, said Vandcioup eager
~, as she turned to go, u see there are
a few blossoms Of hemlock left in your
flowers there touching it with his fin
ger Twill you give them to M?
Martha Twexby started surely this
was the long-expected come at last-she
had secured a lover; and such a lover
handsome, young gailant-the very hero
of her dreams. She almost tainted in
delightful surprise, and christening the
flowers with trembling fingers, gave them
to Castor. He placed them in a button
hole of his flannel coat.
"Well," she said to herself, "if that
isn't a case Of love at first sight, then my
name amt Martha Twexby,'' and she sat
down In the bar with her nerves all of a
fiutter, as she afterward told a female
friend who dropped in sometimes for a
friendly cup of tea.
CASTOR closed the door after him, and
found himself In a moderately large room.
Z There were two beds, and IN the farthest
OF these Pierre was sleeping heavily. Go
ing over to him, Vandeloup louhced him
slightly, and with a spring the damb man
sat up as IL he expected to be arrested,
and was all on the alert to escape.
Its only I, my friend" said Castor,
in French, crossing over to the other bed
and sitting on it. Come here; I wish
to speak to you"
Pierre rose from his sleeping place and,
stumbling across the room, stood before
CASTOR with downcast eyes. Castor
coolly threw his straw hat on the bed and
then, curling one leg inside the other, look
ed long and keenly at Pierre.
"You saw Madame's husband to-day"
he said sharply, still cycling the slouching
figure before him, that seemed so restless
under his steady gaze.
Pierre nodded and shuf1ed his large
feet.
"sit down." said vandeloup, In a per-
cmptory tone, pointing to the floor. II
wish to tell you what I think. I need
hardly remind you that when we landed
in Australia l old you that there was
war between ourselves n society, and
that, ut any cost, we must try to make
money 80 far, W. rave only been able to
earn an honest livelihood way of get
ting rich which you must admit is re-
markably slow. Here, however, is a
chance Of making, If not a fortune, at
least a good sum of money at q stroke.
This NJ. villiers is going to rob his wife,
and his plan will no doubt be this He
will lie In wait for her, Inc when she
drives slowly down the hill he will spring
ON to the trap and perhaps attempt to
kill her; at all events, he will seize the
box containing the nugget, and try to
make OF with it. How he intends to
manage II I cannot tell you-it must be
left to the chapter Of accidents; but when
he does get the nugget we must obtain it
from him"
Pierre looked up and drew his hand
across his throat.
ssNot necessarily" returned vandsloup,
coolly: II know your adage, dead men
tell NO tales but Il Il Z mistake-they
ia. and to kill him II dangerous. No,
II ~ stun him We can 80 OF with the
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