The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1907-06-20
CHAPTER XXI.

Cu'S not ulSHl US 1t WdS-n0t
breath of wind, and the moon, full orbed,
dull and yellow, hangs like lamp in the
DARK blue sky. Low down on the
horizon are great masses OF rain
clouds, ragged and angry looking, and
the whole armament seems to weigh down
on the still earth, where everything is
burnt and parched, the foliage of the trees
hanging limp and heavily, and the grass,
yellow and sere, mingling with the hot,
white dust of the roads.
Absolute Stiffness everywhere down here
by the Yarra Yarra, not even the river
making a noise as it sweeps swiftly down
on its winding course between it's low mud
banks. No bark of dog or human voice
breaks the stiffness not even the sighing
OF the wind through the trees. And
throughout all this unearthly silence a
nervous vitality predominates, for the air
is full of electricity, and the subtle force
Is permeating the whole scene. A long
trail of silver light lies on the dark sur
face of the river rolling along, and here
and there the current swirls into sombre,
cruei-looking pools.
Just little way below the bridge which
leads to the Botanical Gardens, on the
near side of the river, stands an old, di-
lapidated bathing house, with it's long row
OF dressing rooms, doorless and damp
ing. A broad, irregular wooden platform
is in front of these, and slopes gradually
down to the bank, from whence narrow,
crazy-looking steps, stretching the whole
length of the platform, go down beneath
the sullen waters. And all this covered
with black and green slime, with whole
armies of spiders weaving grey, dusky
webs In odd corners, and a broken-down
fence on the left half buried in bush rank
grass-an evl-looking place even in the
daytime, and ten times more evil-looking
and uncanny under the light of the moon,
which fills it with vague shadows. The
rough, Shiny platform is deserted, and
nothing is heard but the squeaking and
scampering Of the water rats.
Suddenly a black shadow comes glid-
in galong the narrow path by the river
bank, and pauses a moment at the en-
trance to the platform. Then it listens
for a few miuntes, and again hurries
down to the crazy looking steps. The
black shadow standing there, like the
genius of solitude, is a woman, and she
has apparently come to add herself to the
list Of the cruel-looking rivers victims.
Standing there, with one hand on the
rough rail- and staring with fascinated
eyes OH the dull muddy water, she does
not hear a step behind her. The shadow
of man, who has apparently followed
her, glides from behind the bathing shed,
and stealing down to the woman on the
verge of the stream, lays a delicate white
hand on her shoulder. She turns with a
startled cry, and Kitty Marchurst and
CASTOR Vandeloup are looking into one
another's eyes.
Kitty's charming face is worn and pal
lid, and the hand which clutches her shawl
is trembling nervously as she gazes at
her husband. There he stands, dressed
in old black clothes, worn and tatteyed
looking. with his fair auburn hair all
tangled and matted; his chin covered with
short. stubby beard of some weeks
growth, and his face gaunt and haggard-
looking-the very same appearance as he
had when he landed in Australia Then
he sought to preserve his liberty; now he
is seeking to preserve. his life. They gaze
at one another in a fascinated manner for
u
his hand from the girls shoulder with a
sardonic laugh, and she buries her face in
her hands with sti1ed sob.
$50 this is the end" he said, pointing
to the river, and fixing his scintillating
eyes on the girl; "this is the end of our
lives for you the river-for me, the hang
man."
."Heaven help me-" she moaned, piteous-
ly; what else is left to me but the
riveTW
"Hope," he said, in low voice: "you
are young; you are beautiful; you can
yet enjoy life; but" in deliberate cruel
manner, ''yoq viii not, for tie river claims
you as its vS,tim."
Something in his voice fills her with
ssax. and looking up she reads death In