The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-05-27
x-Continucd.

the ridge and sat up with q start
Another shower was coming up. Th,
lightning, at first mere spurts of Ugh
across the west cleaned red and sin
lister through the smoke. The win
plunged over the ridges In wild panic
believing and shireking. 1t fell uDor
Sse rickety old mill and wrenched /
with violence till 1t groaned and ratified
and roared. The thunder grew louder
with every peal; the lightning fickeret
n streamed balefully. Young jim
seemed oblivious OF 1t. He heaped the
wood ever and anon upon his fire, anC
continued his steady contemplation OF
h flames. Then some subtle magne-
tism drew up his glance and there she
was In the doorway. looking him full
I'm the eyes.
TIN not just sure that the mills
cafe in all this wind" She came UP
TO the fire, so neal to him that he could
Have touched her. There seemed to
be q wistful note in her voice.
"Oh, it's stood worse blows than this.
IN the winter, when the leaves are off.
the winds sweep down these valleys
fearfully."
TT II put out our fire, won't it?"
Shouldn't wonder: but we can have
one inside. Let 1t go. Believe I'll get
In some slabs while / have a chance
He fell to the work with energy.
Aren't you afraid of thunder" he
called out cheerily. II hope not, for
this is going to be an old RATHER, 10
Simes worse than the other"
Moo, I'm not afraid" There was
the slightest note Of doubt In the tone.
No wonder; the surroundings were In
deed strange and f~earsome-the shud-
dering old mill; the intense darkness:
the fire, lighting everything weirdly;
and the nearing crash and below Of
che storm.
This will cool off the Run, won't
.T7' she asked almost eagerly.
GyS~N W. rA --A - .---
ting all right" He was flying back and
Forth between the slab pile and the
'amil.
II hope we can" she echoed with a
suspicion Of usefulness. But can I
1help?"
"oh, no; rye got enough. Better
come in now. Hear the ain come down
h valley there! Glorious, amt it? 1
Just love a night gust like this"
The storm was indeed breaking upon
them in full force. The thunder, with
crash after crash, broke over their
very heads; then 1t beloved and
soared and tun1bled from ridge to ridge.
The continuous yolley with its rip and
q was deafening. The lightning, al
most blood red from the smoke, shook
ats fingers in their very faces. The
rain came, not in drops but in sheets.
vt roared on the mill roof as IL hurled
1rom q steamer hose. It hurtled down
n wind In watery wrath, dashing wild
hoods as from buckets. There seemed
nothing in the whole landscape save
water and binding CLEANS and crash
tng noises. The fire by the brook
struggled fitfully for a time then
Missed out. The stream began to rise
by leaps and bounds until 1t was al
most by h door.
The mill roof had been well made:
" only here and there, and they
kept dry. Jim had a roaring fire in
ehe stove, which made the little room
really cozy and homelike. He chopped
ut the slabs and fed them into the
Names, while she sat on a bench and
watched him. His confidence and
CHEEKY good Fellowship were contag-
lous. What a glorious, self reliant fell
aow he The thunder and light
ming were nothing to be nervous about;
Me laughed at them. And, somehow,
despite the wildness and the crash
without, she did not feel frightened
.or even III at ease.
At length the storm began to sub
side The thunder rolled off into
b east; the lightning came in
sheets rather than In binding bolts;
ut was all over
denly.
= had just got to sleep when 1t be-
ran to thunder"
Well, its all over now. You must
SASSRt 10 q H1OAAS lIAtC
oeSsre morning. Say, I'm going inside
tine mill there. II you want anything,
0ound on the boards. Good night"
Before che could answer he was gone.
sGhe eay down again In the bunk, drew
sap the lap robe n the next thing
-ahe was conscious OF was the sound
OF voices outside. 1t was broad day
saight.
ESQ, you're at the bottom OF this,
Neigh? Where Is Roseg" It was her
Nather's voice, angry and threatening.
shes In the mill. Rose r out
instantly.
I'm all right. pap she cried.
'This Is a pretty trick She could
0ee at q glance that he was angry,
Through and through. Here Amos and
-Ab and I've been hunting these noun
rtains all night long. and your mothers
almost wild. and you up here with that
scamp"
why, father he"
don't want to hear a word about
0--not e word. II he's up here, then It's
sneaked up here after you. and got
you In ahead Of that fire on purpose
20 show of. ! hain't a doubt he set 1T
himself. I'm going to look into this
pret-t-t-ty close, young man. Now, you
start, Clear out Of here this minute.
y can take my daughter home alone.''
ATS anger almost choked him. Young
Tim shouldered his ak without a word
and turned to start.
Wal Mr.. Farthing. Here, father,
Not another word. u"
Father, I'm going to speak. There
was e flash In her eyes and a ring
An her voice that silenced the man.
MT. Farthing was here In the noun
{ tAins to look after his wood lot. He
met me wholly BY accident In the val-
ley down here. II he hadn't / think
! would have been burned; for I
wouldn't have left Pomp until 1t was
a late. He knew the way into this
valley and We came Just In time. And
was no q soMt last night. You
knoW that. You've got no right to
speak as you did,
wen 60 home. he said rrufYiy.
Some along with me.s
N0t till 4 thank Mr.. EarthinR,p she
vent tmpulsively to where the youn9
tnAn was standing n toeae his hand.
~ want to thank you Tor what YOU
1--we done, MI. Farthing. owe you
ssoverythtng I, z%ss
Oh. IT. nothing. he said With az
scareleesness. but there was d
look on his face that even the squire
cosnse along. Rose,.' he said With Il
ss snap