The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-08-27

What. Was there, after all. some
faint in my blood? Was I going to be
come like him-to take to myself {
shame of my own earning in the effort
to escape from the burden of his il
lame l remembered in time the oatf
l had sworn, and when Kingston re,
peated his question l answered him
quickly. Il did not know yesterday
who he was" I said. Il have discov.
cred since that he is my father. I ask
nothing on his account. Were he only
my father I would not plead for him
1 plead for myself" I murmured. I'll
you how no pity, you make me a par
ricide."
I had done them wrong. There was
something IN my voice, I as
said the words which cost me so much,
which wrought with almost all of them
In a degree. They gazed at me with
awed. wondering faces and murmured,
Ais father" In low ones. They were
recalling the scene of last night, the
moment when / had denounced him,
the curse he had hurled at me, the halt
told story of which that had seemed the
climax. l had wronged them. They did
see the tragedy of it.
Yes; they pttied me. but they showed
plainly that they would still do what
perhaps l should have lone In their
place-justice. He knows too much.''
said one. Our lives are as good as
his" muttered another. the first to be-
come thoroughly himself again. why
should we all die for him The wolf
ish glare came back fast to their eyes.
They handled their weapon impatient
ly. They Were longing to be away. Al
this moment. when l saw I had indeed
made my confession in vain. Master
Berthe struck in. What" he
said, IF Master Carey and I take
charge of him, and, escorting him to
MS agent without. be answerable for
both OF them?"
You would be only putting your
necks into the noose!" said Kingston.
We Will risk that" replied nv
friends. and what a friend and what a
man he seemed amid that ignoble
crew. i will myself promise you that
II he refuse to remain with us until
midnight or tries wherever we are to
raise an alarm or communicate with
any one I Will run him through with
my own hand. Will rot that satisfy
your.
No. Master Kingston rctorted: at
VIII not! bird In the hand is worth
two In the bush!"
But h woman outside Pr said one
timidly.
We must run that risk" quoth he.
In an hour or two we shall be in hid
ing. Come, the lot must be drawn. For
this gentleman: let him stand aside"
III ttIS ndtI, odX0Q dnO
horror stricken. Now that I had iden-
titled myself with him / felt a great
longing to save him. I scarcely ne-
ticed the group drawing pieces of paper
at the table. Ny every thought was
taken up with the low door over there
h darkness behind it. What must be
the horror. the Jack despair. the hate
and defiance of his mind as he Law
there, trapped at last like any beast OF
prey? It was horrible! horrible! hor-
riblei
strain the cry of unutterable distress
which rose to my lips. They looked
round, two or three OF them, from the
table. But the impression my appeal
had made upon them had faded away
already. and they only shrugged their
shoulders and turned again to their
task. Master BERTHE alone~stood apart.
his arms folded, his face grave and
dark. He. too, had abandoned hope.
There seemed no hope, whe suddenly
there came a knocking at the door. The
papers were dropped. and while some
stood as II stiffened into stone others
turned and gazed at their neighbors.
It was a knocking more hasty and
imperative than the usual summons,
Though given In the same fashion. At
last a man found tongue. TT is Sir
Thomas he suggested. with a~sigh OF
relief. He fs in a hurry and brings
news.~I know his knock.
Then open the door, fool" cried
Kingston. III you car see through a
two-inch plank. why do you stand there
like a. gabyo ~
Master BERTHE anticipated the man
and himself opened the door and adj
niitted the knocker. Penruddocke it
was He came In. still drumming on
the door with his fist. his eyes sparkle
Ing hts chooIn @ a eyIpyt,sb JI1