The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-08-12

creature In the grim old room. Ulls
made a movement as II to escape.
Here. hold right onI" Amos caught
him by the coat and pulled him back.
:. want you to hear Loney pow-wow
jest a little mite. All right; let her
go. Loney."
There's nothing strange about this
house." She faced them as If ex-
planning the matter not alone to Ulie,
first white man who eve came into
this valley. 1t belonged to him.. He
came In the winter through the Gap.
Ihere was a strange bare spot In the
snow. and he camped on 1t, and later
made his log house on it. When he dug
he had trouble with Mr.. Hartswick he
fixed UP the two ends. He walled up
one branch, and most of the family are
buried there. That's our family Sc
cret.'
Hear that, Ulie?'
Every n of us has had to swear
not to betray 1t. The children were
never told until they were 16, unless
their parents died. That's why Uncle
Allen never knew it. He left the VAL
ley before he was 49,"
Don't that answer We, Ulie? BY
mighty, where does your pow-wowin'
and haexin' come in now?"
Wal, that don't explain everything,
III tell we that" snapped the man, dog
gedly.
Course it don't Say. we couldn't
get the pow-wowin' out of your Dutch
skull If we opened it and shattered
1t out with soft soap and water"
Come. wife, we must be goin'
Already" Ulie was clearly uneasy He
was watching Iona as II she might at
any moment bring an Internal spell
upon him. Good by, folks" He was
ackin cautiously Out into the sun
light.
What's your rush? Wal. I don't
Knows l blame yeh. Go it while kou're
young. It's a long time tween honey
moons"
The two disappeared, simpering and
giggling, into the scrub-oaks.
That's a strange story, Iona, fear
fully strange Rose drew nearer to
the girl.
And can you blame US? Every one
who has borne the name of Heller has
had to repeat that curse OF the old set
tier. and the curse was never to be
lifted until Matthew Heller a his
of the valley lands"
A hush fell over the little group. The
intensity of the girl, and the strange
ness of the place. awed and silenced
them. A cloud covered the sun, bring
Ing into the room a shadow that was
~@'o' AANS ~ VI WAN ~ v
Amos felt it and was silent. Rose was
the first to speak. She was crying
softly.
And he's a his revenge" she said
brokenly. He's had his revenge"
Again there was silence 1t was as
If the spirit of the grim old settler was
enVeloping them as with a ~smothering
garment. The darkness increased Wis
IDLY.
But the curse is remoye now.
Iona" She looked up suddenly with
bright eyes. 1T was said that no
Hartswick could ever enter this house
and live, but I shall live. The curse is
gone. Old Matthew Heller at last has
his will-Jim-Oh, Jim!- She CROPPED
dizzily in his direction.
"What-Rose! Are you iH?" He
caught her In his arms.
NO. no. It's you, Jim: you are tho
king now-king of the valley lands
my king" She spoke the words almost
in a whisper.
There was silence for 10 heart-beats
silence so intense that no one
Then Jim spoke like a Judge
in the deathlike stiffness pronouncing
doom.
And I shall share 1t with those Of
Matthew Heller's blood. Were together,
Rose. at last; the two houses are to-
lands. you and +, bu we'll give the
store to Tom, won't we. Rose? It's
yours. Tom-and Lona's, il she will"
Toni"
And you'll share it with me?"
IF I may" she whispered.
II you may! My God! II you
may!!"
"Look-looki. Iona was sitting bolt
upright, an expression Of wonder in
her eyes.
What is 1t, Lonag" they ap asked
together.
"see. The old deed" She pointed
to a yellowed parchment nailed above
the fireplace. The sun, suddenly free
from the cloud. had darted a ray full
upon 1t. The dark presence was gone
the room was radiant with light.
It was the old deed thai gave to
Matthew Heller and his heirs forever
the whole of this valley bounded by
the ridges and the a
And its good again. Iona Tom
Whispered softly. THE dc curse is
gone forever; the heirs of Matthew
Heller at last have obtained their
rights; and all because one little girla
standing all alone, did what her heart
said was right
And the ray of the Indian summer,
increasing as the sun sank lower in
the West, lighted up the Die deed until
1t seemed printed in letters of gold.
THE END.