Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-11-05

"Get a good seat he laughln8iy
said, and don't forget the red lemo-
made"
The straggly red whiskers qulvered
again and the pale blue eyes scrutinlz-
ed the dollar closely.
"Pll be dummed," he muttered and
slid the coin into his trousers pocket.
you say you know all the old Win
sted families" Jim Atherton remarked.
do you know 2 man named Ingram.
John Ingram"
yep. Know him we'll. John Ingram
lives tn other side O. tn village on
tn Ingram farm. He's poorly badly
crippled up with Rheumatic. Can't
do much Of anythin' 'cept hobble
round. Old Doc Peasely says he won't
be no better here. Only hope for him
Is to cit out to Collyrado where it's
dryer thar it is here-but I dunno
as he can afford to go-not, anyway,
till he can sell his farm-an' nobody
wants it"
SIS he alone there?"
Hes got his son, Phil, with him.
Pills doin' tn work. He's a poorly
good boy, Phil is-mebby a mite stuck
up, but not SO you'd notice 1t much.
An he's mighty good to his old dad.
The boys mother was determined he
should have a college ~eddication an
he got Though how she managed
it I can't understand. But it amt
dom him any good. He's Jest tied
down thar to the old man an the
farm"
Jim Atherton stirred uneasily.
and the boys mother?"
she died bout four years ago"
The man from the city put on his
hat.
Thank you" he said. "Good-by."
"Good-by." drawled the man on the
fence. He looked after his retreating
figure. Then he drew his silver coin
from his pocket and bit on it. Evil
IDENTIFY satisfied with the test he slipped
tho dollar back and grinned until his
blue eyes were almost closed.
Jim Atherton went down the main
street to the old tavern and drank a
glass Of buttermilk, and asked about
his lunch and the means of transpor-
tation to Monticello, the nearest rail-
way town. And after he had sat on
the old porch a while and half dozed
in the sleepy atmosphere, he ate the
simple fare that the tavern provided,
and started out for a walk.
The air was warm and he walked
slowly. Somehow he turned toward
the Ingram farm. He remembered that
the old swimming hole In the Four
mile creek, a favorite resort in that
boyhood time, was just of the road
In the ravine and close to the line of
tho old farm. He would visit the
ancient resort.
It hadn't changed. It was still the
same quiet, shaded spot. He dipped
his fingers in the water. It was Just
of a proper GOODNESS.
Jim Atherton was fond OF the water.
He had been a clever swimmer when
he vas a boy. 1t was an art he had
practiced whenever opportunity Offer
ed. At the seaside resorts he had
visited he always improved the chances
for his favorite sport.
A sudden desire to get into the
water came to him. He looked around
The place was absolutely quiet and
deserted.
He rapidly removed his clothes and
laid them on the big flat stone he
had used for the same purpose ven
and-twenty years before.
Then he slipped into the water.
It gave him a pleasant sensation.
The temperature seemed exactly right.
He waded out to the deeper places
and presently found himself swim
ming easily and lightly.
The old swimming hole had lost
none Of its alluring charms.
He was floating on his back looking
up at the interlacing branches Of the
trees, and the patches Of bright blue
sky beyond, and the drifting white
clouds, when, without warning, his
legs were seized by a terrible constric-
ton. He tried to kick 1t off. He was
powerless. He felt himself sinking and
uttered a wild cry Of terror.
He knew what had seized him. 1t
was cramp. His mind was quite clear
despite the drumming in his ears. He
realized that he was drowning. He
wondered how the street" would take
it, and what the papers would say.
He offered no resistance as the waters
drew him down. His head roared;
there was fire before his eyes.
Then he was fighting and struggling.
He struck out with his clenched hands.
He chung madly to the dark thing that
was attacking him.
The next thing he remembered was
the sound Of a pleasant voice. He was
lying on the soft sod beside the swim
ming hole with his face downward.
Somebody was rubbing him briskly
with a coarse towel.
you're coming back all right" said
the pleasant voice. "Lie still until l
get the circulation going. 1 fancy the
cramp has gone. It was lucky I saw
you leaving the road. And 1t was
lucky, too, that 1 heard you call for
help. You were In the deepest hole of
all. and you gave me a hard fight for
a moment or two. But you're all right.
There. Now you can put on your
clothes. No symptoms of a chill, eh?"
He was a fine looking young fellow,
clear eyes and dark haired, alert and
quick and CHEEKY. He brought Jim
Atherton his clothes and helped him