The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-29
CHAPTER |.
Alone in the NIGHT.

/ window and grumbled loudly in the
open chimney. A fire Of pine logs
cracked on the hearth and threw a
warm, rudy light into the room,
which was furnished after a fashion
common enough in frontier cities.
In a low rocking chair of primitive
J construction-like most Of the other
fWrniture-sat a 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 vas angry with her be-
cause she had not gone to bed. But
fear Of his anger had been al
lowed to interfere with what she con-
ceived to be her duty.
She sometimes wondered what the
end would be; wondered ii 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 IN mining camp to
another. She had never had any real
ly settled home. Once she spent a
whole year at a boarding school, and
she looked back upon that time as the
happiest period of her life. But, TAX
ing her life as a whole. 1t had been
broken up into bits, and friendships
had never been given a 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 a 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 fleeced. 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 a 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
l0QkIu dS IL JuOSO SAOu6AIo souDAS
her, and cast an anxious glance at the
door; then she rose from her chair
| and threw some fresh pine logs on the
nre. She was q tall, graceful girl. with
q 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
pitilessly than aver. 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 a few mo-
ments she returned to her chair and
began rocking herself again. The
wind had . mournful sound, and the
splashing Of the rain awoke In her a
feeling Of restlessness and forebodins'
Suddenly she sprang to her feet and
rushed across the room. There was
knock at the door-not loud but
unite distinct. She waited for . mo
ment with her hand on the latch fol
tho knock to be repeated. then eau
tiously pulled the door open. As she
did 50 ! r~ain-soaked. middls-aged mar
vedged himself into tho opening, and
a pair Of eager eyes looked fntently
into hers. She drew back with a little
cry that was partly fear. partly ex'
postulation.
"You needn't be afeard, missy" the
man said in a rough but kindly fash'
ion. "You be Dick Vests darter."
why, yes" she answered. anxious
": "but what Of him?"
well, he wants to see you, missy
He's got hurt, he has; an he wants
to see you right away"
Got hurt?" she questioned, anx'
iously, but there was a note OF suspi.
cion in her voice.
'It's quite true what ! say, missy"
the man answered In sympathetic
tones. TIN sorry to have to bring
bad news, but somebody had to do
It,"
but where is my father. and how
did he get hurt?" she asked. . little
unsteadily.
urJo,o af noImIn0sa mfSGv. and there