Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-08-27
III.
MoRRIsTOWN.

1t was not until the colonel had
bassed over the shoulder above the
ytonewalled house that he escaped from
he teers OF the younger members of
his v a tribe. who, noting some
hing abnormal in the fashion of the
strangers clothes, followed him a space.
On descending the farther slope, how
EVER he found himself alone In the sill
ence OF the waste. Choosing without
hesitation one of two tracks, Ill trodden,
but such as in that district and at that
period passer for roads. he took his way
along II at a good pace.
A wide brown basin, bog for the most
part, but rising here and there into low
mounds of sward or clumps of thorn
trees, stretched away to the foot of the
hills. The tower on the shoulder behind
him had been raised by his wild fore
fathers. Soil and SKY. the lark which
sang overhead. the dark peat-water
which rose under foot. the scent Of the
moist air, the cry of the curlew, all
spoke of the home which he had left
In h gayety OF youth, to return to il
n raw man. older than his years, with
gray hairs fiecking the black. No Won
der that he stood more than once and,
absorbed In thought, gazed on this or
that. on crag and moss, on the things
which time and experience had SO
y AtAAtlAtlSltCd4
The track after zig-zagging across a
segment or the basin. entered a narrow
valley. drained by a tolerabA stream.
After ascending this for a couple OF
miles II disclosed n view OF q wider
vale. enclosed by gentle hills. In the
lap of this nectled a lake, on the upper
end of which some beauty was con
ferred by a few masses OF rock partly
clothed by birch trees, through which q
&xAa - fnll -t..A~I.. E.a-. .Y--.l
Not far from these rocks a cong. low
house stood on the shore.
The stranger paused TO take in the
prospect: nor was IL until after the
lapse OF some minutes, spent In the
deepest reverie, that he pursued his
way along the left bank OF the lake
BY and by he was able to discern, amid
the masses OF rock at the head of the
lake. q gray tower, the twin OF that
Tower of Skull which he had left be-
hind him, and a hundred PAGES further
ion he came upon a near view OF the
ahouse.
Two and twenty years. he muir
INJURED. There is not even dog to bid
me welcomed
The house was OF two stories, with q
matched roof. It's back was to the
slopes that rose by marshy terraces to
the hills. It's face was turned to the
lake ana pttWeenrtt and the water lay
a walled forecourt. the angle on each
side OF the entrance protected by q
tower OF In older date than the house,
The entrance was somewhat pretentious
and might-for zach OF the pillars sup
ported by a heraldic heast-have seemed
to an English eye out OF character with
the thatcheG roof. But one of the bea SITS
was headless. and one OF the gates had
fallen from it's hinges. In like manner
the dignity OF a tolerably spacious
garden. laid out beside the house was
marred by the proximity OF the fold
yard.
On the lower side OF tn road. oppo-
site the gates. half a dozen stone steps
that. like the heraldic pillars. might
have graced a more stately mansion,
led down to the water. They formed 4
resting place for as many beggars. en-
gagged in drawing at empty pipes. while
twice as many old women sat against
the wall OF the ~forecourt and with their
drugget cloaks about them kent up 4
continual whine. Among these. turn
ms herself now 70 one. now to another
moved the girl whom the colonel had
seen a. the landinnS place. she held hrr
riding skirt uplifted In one hand. her
whip n the other. and she Was bare