Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-05-10

ton was finished, and he FELT compare
lively easy, my grandfather's spirits re-
vived.
Sonny he said, "I'll be popped into
a handbarrer and wheeled off 10 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 a 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 a 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
| turned into bed. At 8 / 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 I 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 central shop in
Mermaid street. You go upstairs, and
if fathers at lone 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 a 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 'em !;
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-"it's 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.
Whats the clock now?" he asked.
Eight
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-
":
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
|. corahaoI ssNVhv 1noE have if yn,, Iontf
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 nave 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 as the inducement was
to satisfy my curiosity, and buttoned up
my coat for a sharp walk.
Sonny" called the old man as / was
about to cave the room, Just one word.
Don't tell father l 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"
I snatched a hasty breakfast, and hur-
ried over the cliffs to Bonport. There
I called at my great-grandfather's lodg-
ings. The chandler had not seen him for
two days. He goes away for a spell now
and again." he said. l tried the houses
all along the struggling High street, and
coming to the pier questioned the gangs
of loafers at the end. Everyone knew
old Peter, but none had seen him for the
last day or two. nor could anyone give
a hint as to where he might be found.
HE takes it in his head" it was explain
ed, "and off he goes for to find better
elsewhere. Sometimes he goes to one
place, and sometimes to another, but
there's M regular telling where fancy
will lead the old man. And he don't tell
anyone where he's going, or ask anyone's
advice, being a world too masterful to
think you can know better an what he
do"
At half-past eleven l gave up the
search as hopeless, and returned to Bon
port.
Il forecast it." said my grandfather
when he heard of my i'll success tits
al'ust in foul weather you lose a thole
pin. Shet that door close. I've got
someat to say to you as no morta, man
must know
l closed the door and went back to his
bedside.
you're got to take your dying oath
of secrecy-your sacred dying oath" he
said solemnly, screwing his brows to-
gether.
You may tell me what you please
said l, but I shall not bind myself to
anything"
.'This come of giving you a good edu-
cation. Why. my father would knock my
head off if I dared to answer him in that
d%isobedient spirit, and here am l nigh
on 70 years old. You won't take your dy-
ing oath?"
mo"
Come, sonny you amt such n
natural young viper that if l told yon
something as might cause the death of a
innocent old man, you'd SO and let it out
to the world!"
"It is not likely that l would"
Then without taking no oaths you
kind Of give your solemn promise that
YOU won't let anyone know what I'm
going to tell you. We ont argify the
matter but there that is settled" He
drew his hand from under the bed clothes,
and put q key in my hand.
'sThss Is the key Of the cottage. You're
got to 20 up there directly" He dived
under the clothes and brought mp another
key. This Is the key Of the we'll In
the wash'us," he said. with some trepida-
ton. You'll unlock the eorer and let
down some ~victuals in the bucket. When
you feel the bucket touch the bottom,
you'll whistle like rs IL you was calling
q dog then you'll count City slow and