The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-12-02
On rw.red. With tn. SANE. s%o,ennity.

.prwered. with tho same s%oiesnnity.
may have mercy upon him.
He Is not dead?" The McMurrough
cried. his voice rising on the last word.
II have little doubt he is" the Col-
Who We're with him-dead also. or the
most part OF them. Dead. James Nc
! Murrough. on the errand they went for
you
h shock of the news struck the
young man dumb. and for some mo-
ments he stared at the Colonel, his face
colorless. AT length. 'all dead?" he
+, whispered. mot all?"
For what I know" Colonel John re-
! piled. Heaven forgive them!" And
in half a dozen sentences he told him
what had happened. Then. they are
God grant that they be the last fruits
of this reckless plot! Not that I blame
them. who did but as they We're bid.
Y NOR do l blame any man or n m
who embarked IN this with a single
heart. for the sake Of an end which
but''-and Colonel Johns voice grew
more grave-"there was one who had
not a single heart. There was n who
was willing to do murder. not in blind
obedience. nor for a great cause. but to
serve his own private interests"
W. ANO. SAC SOuIAS 1Aon SLAOus
covering before him. 1T is not true."
"One who was ready to do murder"
Colonel John continued pitilessly. be
cause it suited him to remove a mani"
N Mo-" the. ,wretched youth cried.
almost grovelling before him. "It was
all of them!-it vas ALI"
ut was not ALT" Colonel John re-
torted; but there was a keenness in
his face which showed that he had still
something to learn.
ut was-those two-on deck!" The
McMur:ough cried eagerly. II swear
"They were one with you in condemn
ing! Be it so. 1 believe you! But who
spared?"
or" The McMurrough cried, breath
lessly eager to exculpate himself. 1T
was I alone. I swear it! I sent the
boy."
You spa-ed? Yes. n you alone!.
the Colonel made answer. 'sYou spared
because you learned that I had made
will, and you feared lest that which
had passed to me in trust might pass
to a stranger for good and all! You
spared because 1t was to your interest.
your advantage! 1 say. out Of your
own mouth you are condemned"
James McMurrough had scarcely
force to follow the pitiless reasoning by
which the elder man convicted him. But
his conscience filled the hiatus, and
what his tongue did not own his color
less face, his terrified ayes expressed.
You have fallen into our hands,"
Colonel john continued, grave as fate
why should We not deal with you as
you would have dealt with US? MOI
the young ma by a gesture had ap-
pealed to those on deck-"no! They
may nave consented to my death; but
as h Judge condemns, or the soldier
kills; you, for private profit and advan-
Ia Va NlVartha1aSS II Qhn1l mot 6oo1 so
with you. o can go as they are go-
ing-abroad. to return. I hope. a wiser
man. Orr
"or-what?" the young man cried
shurriedly.
"or you a stay here" Colonel John
continued, and we will treat the past
as il it had not been. But on q con-
dition."
James color came back. '.whatll you
be wanting??" he muttered. averting his
gaze. y
pursue this foolish plan further. That
first
What car I be doing without them?"
was the sullen answer.
Very true" Colonel John rejoined.
But you must swear, also, my friend,
against me. nor be party to anything
"What'd I be doing?"
Don't lie!" the colonel replied, los
ing his temper for a single instant.
Eve no time to handy words. and
you know how you stand. Swear on
your hope Of salvation to those two
things. II you may stay. Refuse. and
l make myself safe by your absence"
The young man had the sense to
know that he was escaping lightly. He
was willing enough to swear that he
would not pursue that enterprise fur
Their. But the second undertaking
stuck in his gizzard. He hated Colonel
John-for the past wrong, for the past
defeat. above all for the present hui.
initiation.
Il have no choice" he said, shrug-
ging his shoulders;
curtly. And, going to the door, he
called Bale from his station by the
hatchway, and dispatched him to the
bishop and to Admiral Cammock, re-
Questing them to do the honor to de-
scend.
They came readily enough, in the
hope OF some favorable turn. But the
colonel's word quickly set them right.
Gentlemen" he said politely. II
know you to be men Of honor In pri-
vate life. For this reason I rave asked
you to be present as witnesses to the
bargain between my cousin and myself.
Blood Is thicker than water; he has no
mind to go abroad, and I have no mind
to send him against his will. But his
presence, after what has passed, is a
standing peril to myself. To meet this
difficulty he Is ready to swear by all
that he holds sacred. and upon his
against me-. nor be a party to 1t. Is
hat so, sir?" the speaker continued.
do o willingly, in the presence Of
these gentlemen. give that undertake
ing?"
(Continued Nert week
Lost in Antiquity.
From Cassells Saturday Journal.
a little fellow who had just felt the
hard side OF the slipper turned to his
mother for consolation.
Mother" he asked, did grandpa thrash