Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-05-21

I red. The smoke hung on the ridses
| like a fog, and the air was run OF
| eakes of charred leaves. The rain hau
| not o,1enched the fire; it was burning
as fiercely as ever. The dark came on
early. II was evident that black CLOUDS
had rolled up again. The wind howied
about the old structure, and roareu on
the ridges. Despite the AFTERNOON
| shower it was a dry, sultry wind, the
breath OF a week or scorcnins wan
The fire by the brook was almost uh-
bearably warm, but ii was needed TOT
cheer and companionship. 1t was an
| excellent chaperon, too, and young jim
| kept it going steadily. He sat on an
| old pine block near IL, and she percneu
| precariously on the slab-heap near the
door.
The conversation centered about the
| fire and their escape, then wandered 10
other fires and other escapes.
Did YOU aver hear" she asked SOL
| EMMY. "of the time when the fire came
| down in the night through Heller's Gap
| and threatened the valley"
mo"
and you don't know what stopped
ito"
mo. I'VE never heard OF it,"
1T got as far as the black ring
| around the Did cabin and didn't cross
it,"
And the Nalley ptOple VI SVuiN'
thought il supernatural!
Some did"
'But il was all perfectly natural;
don't you see 1t was? That short, green
stuff that grows o the cabin don't
burn easily"
What make. 1t grow there" She
was looking over at him half reproV-
ingly.
"Oh. it's some sort OF wild grass. I
| s'pose II was sowed there some time"
But why don't the snow lie on it,?
Il haven't seen but what Ii does. It's
| possible that the u comes III onto IL
in a curious way and melts II quicker.
It's on the south slope, you know, II
under the rocks"
But snow never lies there. even on
| the north side, no matter how deep IT
may be elsewhere"
ooh, that's superstition, pure II
simple. The stories about that old
house are really la~ughable."
But Amos isn't superstitious. He's
seen it; and you know about what ne
heard the other night-he and Dan Z
"Pshaw. You don't seriously be-
lieve there's anything supernatural
about that old house; now, do you"
He looked over at her laughingly. Il
didn't suppose that anybody
really believed In ghosts until | came
| into the valley here. l never dreamed
of such a thing"
Amos don't believe in EN-"
No: but IT makes all the difference
in the world who you're with. He and
all n rest OF you have been thinking
! about this thing so long that you're
nervous and you actually imagine you
see and near things"
But Amos isn't
well. l know this-that every re-
| gion has got a aunted house, and peo-
| pie YOU wouldn't think of believing in
| such things cal be found by the dozen
to saw they have seen the ghost. Now,
| do you know Tom and l watched there
| three nights running after that last
scare n never saw or heard a thing
out Of the way? It's all superstition,
you take my word for 1t"
Perhaps So" she said doubtfully.
Then for some reason q silence fell be-
tween them. After a time he glanced
| shyly in her direction. She was lean
ing far toward the fire, her elbows in
her lap, her chin in her hands, gazing
demurely into the flames.
The picture thrilled him the dim
background of hemlock n r~hododen-
| Iron in which the shadows played fit
fully, the lettering old mill family out
lined. and the girl with the freight in
her hair. He gaZed at her rapt and
GREATNESS. 1t was the moment of mo
ments for confession; the man and
4 ia lltAlCS IN AiiAANN - GA 49,
human life, the steep encircling ridges
"a little world, and only they two. A
| wild impulse seized him., but he crushed
il instantly. He would make no avow-
al now. She was with him wholly by
accident 1t had been against her will.
He had the advantage, but he would
not use it. Not one look or one word
Of love to embarrass her now. if he
| could master himself, and he could. He
would seek her some other time when
| she was free TO do her whole will, and
he would pour out his heart as a man
should.
"Homesick?" he asked. with a suspi-
cion of fun in his voice.
Not a Bit she said, scornfully,
But think how they are worrying
down home. They won't sleep a wink.
will they"
Cant blame them IL they don't,
but it's nothing were to blame for
Il think I'll go in, now" she said
solemniy.
Good night" he said, and she dis
appeared. :,
He threw on more wood and took
his place again on the log. For an
hour he gazed fixedly into the flames
Another hour and he had not changed
his position except to pile on fuel
(C~ontInued Next Week.l
The Harvesting Of the Nile.