Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-10-08
CHAPTER VI.

upon tho landlord and the "riff-raff'
who gathered 20 welcome the coming
or speed the parting guest at the door
OF the country tavern. He drove a
pair OF beautiful, spirited horses, and
had the satisfaction of knowing that
he excited the envy of every beholder,
as he took the ibbons in his hand,
swung out his long whip and started.
If her husbands heart was swell
ting with pride, Pepeeta's was bursting
with anxiety. An instinct which she
did moi understand had prevented her
from telling the doctor of her inter-
view with the Quaker. Long before
the farmhouse came in sight she be-
gan to scan the landscape for the fig
ure which had been so wildly i'm
pressed upon her mind.
The swift horses, well fed and well
groomed, whirled the light wagon
along the road at a rapid pace and as
they passed the humble nome of the
Quaker, Pepeeta saw a little child
driving the lows down the long lane,
and a woman moving quietly among
h flowers in the garden; but David
himself was not to be seen.
A tear fell from her eye, and her
chin quivered. with the utmost effort
VI liz Will Sllc COulu Iiol lCpISoo
evidences of her disappointment, and
with a spasmodic motion she clutched
the arm of the driver as If it were
that Of Destiny and she could hold it
back. So sudden and so powerful was
h grasp of her young hand, that 1T
turned the horses out of the road and
all but upset the carriage. With a
violent jerk Of the relns, the astonish-
ed driver nII11p1 them hD nk and ey-
claimed with an oath:
"Ycu little wild cat, if you ever DID,
do that again. I will throw you into
the d-d-ditch!"
Excuse mel" she answered humbly,
covering under his angry glances.
What is the matter?" he asked,
more kindly, seeing the tears in her
eyes.
Il do not know. I am %nervous I
guess" she answered, sadly.
Nervous? P-p-peeta Aesculapius
nervous? I thought her nerves were
made of steel? What is the m-m-mat-
ter?" he asked, looking at her anx-
iously.
His gentleness Gained her, and she
answered: Il am sorry to leave a place
where I have been so happy! Oh!
why cannot we settle down somewhere
and stay? I get SO tired of being al
ways on the wing. Even the birds
have nests to rest in for a little while.
Are we never going to have a home?"
Nonsense, child! What do we want
with a h-h-home? 1t is better to be
always on the so. I want my liberty.
IT suits me best to fly through the
heavens like a hawk or swim the deep
pea like q shark. A home would be a
k-p-prison. l should tramp back and
Forth in 1t like a polar bear in q c-c-
cage. B-b-be gay! BE happy! How
Can you be sad Oh a morning like this?
Look at the play of the muscles under
the smooth skins Of the horses? Re-
member the b-b-bright shining dollars
lhat we coaxed out of the tightly BIB
buttoned breaches pockets OF the gray
backed Q-Q-Quakers. What more do
you ask Of life? What else can 1t g-g-
give?"
1T does not make me happy! I shall
never be happy until I have a home"
she said, still sobbing. and trying to
conceal the cause of her grief from
herself as well as from her husband.
She had OWNED the cause of her
disappointment with an unerring in
stinct. 1t was exactly as she thought.
\ NAkS AAS q DAtlO . Id d
failed him.
On the preceding evening. he had
hurried through his Chores" excused
himself from giving an account Of the
adventures of the day on the ground
of fatigue, and retired to his room to
cherish in his heart the memories of
that beautiful face and the prospects
Of the future. He could not sleep. For
he tossed on his bed or sat in
the window looking out into the night,
and when at last he fell into an uneasy
slumber his dreams were haunted by
two faces which struggled ceaselessly
to crowd each other from his mind.
was the young and passionate
countenance of the gypsy, and the 9TH
or was that Of his beautiful mother
with her pale, carver features, her
snow-white hair, her pensive and un-
earthly expression. They both looked
1T him, and then gazed at each other,
Now ono set below the horizon like a
wan, white moon. and the other rose
above 1t k h glowing star Of love.
Now the moon passed over the glowing
star in q long eclipse and then disap-
pearing behind a cloud left the bril-
liant star to shine alone.
When he awoke the gray dawn re-
vealed in vague outline the realities Of
the world, and warned him that he had
but q few moments to execute his
plans. He sprang from his couch
strong In his purpose to depart, for
the fever of adventure was still burn
ing in his veins. and the rapturous
looks with which Pepeeta had received
his promise to be her companion still
his pulses bound. He hurriedly
put a few things into a bundle and
stole out OF the house.
AS ne " quietly but swiftly
from h familiar scenes, his
heart which had been beating so high
from hope and excitement began to
sink in his bosom. He had never
Of the force Of his attach
ment to this lear place. and he turned
his face toward the old gray house
again n again. Every step away from
It seemed ore difficult than the last.
and his feet became heavy as lead. But
pressed On, ashamed to acknowl-
edge his inability to ecu his pur-
pose. He came to the last fence which
lay between him n the bridge where
had agreed to await the adventur-
ers, and then paused.
re was early. There was still time
TO reflect Had the carriage arrived
1t that m he would have gone;
but Il tArried. and. the tide os love and
regret bore back to the I'd famil-
Tar life. Il cannot go. I cannot give