The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1907-01-12
CHAPTER NJ.

go up any number of quiet streets to get
to it and turn and twist round corners
and down narrow lanes until it became
q perfect miracle how he ever found the
hotel at ALL
Any one going into the bar could see
old Simon--a stolid, fat man with a
sleepy looking face always in his shirt
sleeves and wearing a white apron sitting
in a chair at the end while his daughter,
sharp, red-nosed dGmsei, who was 80
years of age, and confessed to %, served
ont the meals. Mrs. Twexby had long
ago departed this life leaving behind her
the sharp, red-nosed damsel to be her
fathers comfort. As matter of fact, she
was just the opposite, and Simon often
wished that his daughter had departed
to a better world in company with her
mother. Thin, tight-laced with a shrill
voice and an acdulated temper, Miss
Twexby was still a spinster, and not even
the fact of her being an heiress could
tempt any of the Balarat youth to lead
her to the altar. Consequently Miss Twex-
by's temper was not a golden one, and
she ruled the hotel and its inmates with
a rod of iron.
Mr.. Villiers was a frequent customer at
the Waffle Tree, and was in the back
parlor talking to old Twexby on the day
that Pierre arrived. The dumb man came
into the bar out of the dusty road, and,
leaning over the counter, pushed letter
under Miss Twexby's nose, and although
it was directed to her father, Miss Twex.
by, who managed everything, opened it
and found it was from Mcintosh, saying
that the bearer, Pierre Lebaire, was to
have bed for the night, meals and what
ever else he required, and that he-Mcln-
tosh--would be responsible for the money.
He furthermore added that the bearer
was dumb.
"Oh, so you are dumb, are you" said
Miss Twexby, folding up the letter and
looking complacently at Pierre. Il wish
there were a few more men the same
way; then, perhaps, we'd have less chat"
Meanwhile, Villiers having heard the
name of Pierre Lemaire, and knowing he
was engaged in the Pactolus claim, came
round to see him and try to find out all
about the nugget. Pierre was sulky at
first, and sat with his old black hat drawn
down so far over his eyes that only hia
bushy black beard was visible, but Mr..
Villiers' suavity, together with the pres
ent Of half crown, had a marked effect
on him. AS he was dumb, Mr.. Villiers
somewhat perplexed how to carry on
with him, but he ultimately
drew forth a piece of paper, and sketched
a rough presentation of a nugget there
on, which he showed to Pierre. The
Frenchman, however, did not comprehend
until Villers produced sovereign from
his pocket, and pointed first to the gold,
and then to the drawing, upon which
Pierre nodded his head several times in
order to show that he understood. Viii
Tiers then drew a picture of the Pactolus
claim, and asked Pierre in French If the
nugget was still there, as he showed him
the sketch. Pierre shook his head, and
taking the pencil in his hand, drew
rough representation of a horse and cart
and put a square box in the latter te
show the nugget was ON journey.
"Hullow said Villiers to himself, Its
not at her own house, and she's driving
somewhere with it / wonder where to!
She's got the nugget with her in the trap,
and she's taken it to show Marchurst,
Well, she's sure to stop there to tea, and
won't start for home till about nine
O'Clock; it will be pretty dark by then
She'll be by herself and if +" here he
stopped and looked around cautiously, and
then. without another word, set off down
the street at a run.
The fact was, Mr.. Yilliers had come to
the conclusion that as his wife would not
give him money willingly, the best thing
to be done would be to take it by force,
and accordingly he had made up his mind
to rob her of the nugget that night if PCS
sible.
The afternoon wore drowsily along, and
the great heat made everybody inclined
to sleep. Pierre had demanded by signs
to be shown his bedroom, and having been
conducted thereto by crushed-lo
waiter, who drfted aimlessly before him,
threw himself on the bed and went fast
asleep.
Even Martha, the wide-awake, was
yielding to the somniferous heat of the
day, when young man entered the bar
and made her sit up with great alacrity.
This was none other than NJ. Vande-
loup, who had come down to see Pierre.
Dressed in fannels, with blue scarf tied
carelessly round his waist, blue necktie
knotted loosely round his throat under
the collar Of his shirt, and wearing
straw hat ON his fair head, he looked
wonderfully cool and handsome, and as
he leaned over the counter Miss Twe1by
thought that the hero of her novel must
have stepped bodily out Of the book. Gas
ton stared complaccntly at her while he
pulled at his fair moustache. But he
was not looking at her somewhat mature
charms, but at bunch of pale blue flow
ers, among which were some white bloc
SONS she wore in the front of her dress.
Ito be continued.)