Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1908-05-28
CHAPTER |
Alone in the Night.

4 bolsterOus wind that whstled shrilly
through the chinks of the door and
window and grumbled loudly in the
open chimney. A fire of pine logs
cracked on the hearth and threw a
warm, ruddy light into the room,
which was furnished after a fashion
|common enough in frontier cities
In low rocking chair OF primitive
! construction--lik most Of the other
llurniture-sa girl OF some eighteen
or nineteen years of age. She had
been rocking herself earlier in the
evening as though some kind Of occu-
patton was necessary to her; but for
the last half hour she had sat quite
still, with her hands clasped across
the right arm OF her chair, and her
eyes fixed intently on the gradually
wasting pine logs.
1t was no new thing for her to sit
alone waiting for her father. She had
been in the habit OF doing it off and
on ever since she could remember. He
rarely came home until the saloons
we're closed-sometimes not then;
and often he was angry with her be-
cause she had not gone to bed But
fear of his anger had never been al
lowed to interfere with what she con-
ceived to be her duty.
i Che rNpnat;,,,r,
end would be; wondered if the future
held In its grasp any promise of bet
ter things. Since her earliest child
hood she had been dragged from city
to city and from one mining camp to
another She had never had any real
ly settled home. Once she spent
whole year at boarding school, and
she looked back upon that time as the
happiest period Of her life. But. TAX
| ing her life as a whole, it had been
broken up into bits, and friendships
had never been given chance to
grow
She saw very little of her father and
never questioned him as to his doings,
but she knew well enough the kind of
life he led. She had a feeling some
times that her presence was rebuke
to him, and that he would be glad to
get rid Of her. He could not bring his
companions to the house while she
was there, for in spite of his lawless-
ness he had still some of the instincts
Of a gentleman.
During the last year or two he had
confined himself to frontier cities and
mushroom mining camps. Policemen
were less numerous, law less observ-
ed, and fools more easily feeced AS
a professional gambler and card
sharper he resented the intrusions of
civil authority, and in the newer
towns people did pretty much as they
liked and ran all risks with light
heart.
They had, been six months in Odero,
and she was quite expecting that any
day she would find herself on the
march again. Her father was getting
too well known. His methods were
TOO clever to be tolerated for any
length Of time. The longer he stayed
the more risks he ran.
She turned her head suddenly at
length as if these thoughts troubled
her, and cast an anxious glance at the
door; then she rose from her chair
and threw some fresh pine logs on the
fire. She was a tall, graceful girl, with
a wealth OF dark brown hair and a
clear, healthy complexion. as though
she spent much time In the open air.
She went to the door presently and
looked out. The night was pitch dark
and the rain was coming down more
p;;ilessly than ever. In the pine
trees across the way the wind was
roaring linke an angry sea and silenc-
ing every other sound.
Closing the door after few mo-
ments she returned to her chair aud
began rocking herself again. The
wind had a mournful sound. and the
splashing of the rain awoke in her a
feeling Of restlessness and foreboding.
Suddenly she sprang to her feet and
rushed across the room. There was
knock at the door-not loud but
quite distinct. She waited for a mo-
ment with her hand on the latch for
the knock to be repeated. then eau
tiously pulled the door open. AS she
did SO rain-soaked, middle-aged man
wedged himself into the opening. and
pair or eager eyes looked intently
into hers. She drew back with a little
cry that was partly fear, partly ex-
postulation. s :s
~ gu needn't be afeard, missy" the
man said ii a rough but kindly fash
| ion. s GU be Dick Vests darter."
Why, yes" she answered, anxious
"; but what OF him 2"
Well, he wants to see you, missy.
He's got hurt, ne has; an he wants
4 to- see you right away.
Got hurt 2. she questioned, anx.
iously, but there was note Of suspi-
\ cion in her voice. 55.i. M
It's quite true what say. missy 2
the man answered in sympathetic
tones, I'M sorry to have to bring
bad news. but somebody had to do
i it, nh
But where is my father and how
4 did he get hurt Z" she asked. . little
49, II :