Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-04-30
TILL am I in the Blessed 1sles.~

warn thee, NEEDLE not with the bust
ness O. me soul. That is between the
great God an me-"
| Darrell stood to his full height the
red handkerchief covering his head and
falling on his back. He began with q
tone of contempt that changed quick
~ into one of sharp command. There
was little silence, then quick rap.
Come ill.," Darrell shouted as he let
the handkerchief fall upon his face
again.
The district attorney, a constable and
the bank clerk, who had been injured
! the night of the robbery, came in.
/ He is not guilty." said Trove, rising
Il command We, boy, be silentv' said
Darrell sternly.
Have We ever seen that hand?" he
added, approaching the clerk and point
ing at a red mark as large as dime
on the back of his left hand.
YES" the clerk answered, with sur
prise looking from hand to handker-
chief; then, turning to the lawyer, he
added, "TMs is the man."
"Now," Darrell continued, rolling up
his sleeve, "I'll show where thy bullet
struck me in the left arm. See; there
it scared the fieshv'
| They saw a scar, quite an inch long,
midway from hand to elbow.
do you mean to say that you are
guilty of this crime?" the attorney
| asked.
II am guilty and ready for punish
ment," Darrell answered. "Now, dis
charge the boy"
Tomorrow" said the attorney. "That
is for the court to do"
Darrell went to Trove who now sat
weeping, his face upon his hands.
''Oh, the great rivers O. tearsv' said
Darrell, touching the boys head. BE
yond it are the green shores of happi-
ness, am have crossed, an soon shalt
| thou. Stop, boy; it ill becomes thee.
There is a dear, dear child whose heart
is breaking. Go an comfort her.
! Troye sat as if he had not heard. The
tinker went to his table and hurriedly
wrote line, folding and directing it.
go quickly, boy, an tell her an then
take this to Riley Brooke for me-
The young man struggled a moment
for self mastery, rose, with sigh and
stern look, and put on his hat.
ut is about bail?" he whispered.
Eyes," Darrell answered.
Trove hurried away A woman met
him at the door within which Polly
i boarded.
1 Is she better?' Trove asked.
Eyes, but has asked me to say that
she does not wish to see you"
Trove stood moment, his tongue
halting between anger and surprise.
He turned without word, walking
away, bitter feeling in his heart.
Brooke greeted him with unexpected
heartiness. He was going to bed when
the young man raped upon his door.
Brooke opened the letter and read the
words aloud, Thanks; shall not need
thy help"
'.What?' Trove exclaimed.
"He says he shall not need the help
offered him. Brooke answered.
Good night" said Troye, who, turn
ing, left the house and hurried away.
Lights were out everywhere in the vii
lage now. The windows were dark at
the Sign of the Dial. He hurried up the
old stairs and raped loudly, but none
came to admit him. He called and lis
tened. Within there We're only silence
and that old familiar sound of the sec
onds trooping by, some with short and
some with long steps. He knew that
soon they We're to grow faint and
weary and pass no more that way.
He ran to the foot Of the stairs and
stood moment hesitating. Then he
walked slowly to the county Jail and
looked up at the dark and silent build
ing. For little time he leaned upon
fence there in the still night, shaken
with sobs. Then he began walking up
and down by the Jail yard. He had
not slept an hour in weeks and was
weary, but he could not bear to come
away and walked slower as the night
wore on, hearing only the tread of his
own feet. He knew not where to 20
and was drifting up and down, like a
derelict in the sea. By and by people
began to pass him-weary crowds-and
they were pointing at the patches on
his coat, and beneath them he could
feel a kind of burning, but the crowd
was dumb. He tried to say, II am not
\ to blame" but his heart smote him
when it was half said. Then, sudden
ly, many people were beside him, and
far ahead on a steep hill, in dim, gray
light, he could see Darrell toiling up
ward, and sometimes the tinker turned,
beckoning him to follow. And Troye
ran, but the way was long between
them. And the tinker called to him,
"Who drains the cup of another's bit
terness shall find it sweet Quickly
he was alone, cropping for his path in
black darkness and presently coming
down stairway into the moonlit
chamber Of his Inheritance; then the
men of the dark and a feeling of faint
ness and great surprise, and broad
blue field all about him and woods in
the distance, and above the growing
light Of dawn. His bones were aching
with illness and overwork, his feet
sore. Il have been asleep" he said,
! rubbing his eyes, "and all night I have
been walking"
field. He went on slowly and soon fell
Of weakness and lay for time with
his eyes closed. He could hear the dull
thunder of approaching hoofs; then he
felt silky muzzle touching his cheek
and the tickle of Il horses name He
lonEal nm ot fI,a animal PaoI;nor bo,