Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-11-04
CHAPTER u.
The Absence of Gov. Osborne.

The Absence Of Gov. Osborne.
Griswold spent the night at the
Saluda house, Columbia, and rose ir
the morning with every intention O.
seeing Gov. Osborne. or some one ir
authority at his office, as soon as pos
sible and proceeding to Richmond
without further delay. AS he scanned
the morning newspaper at breakfast
he read with chagrip this item, prom,
inently head-lined:
Gov. Osborne. who was expected
home from the Cotton Planters con,
vention yesterday morning, has been
unavoidably detained in Atlanta by
important personal business. Miss
Barbara Osborne arrived last night
and proceeded at once to the COVER
nor's mansion.
Several matters of considerable i'm,
portance await the governors return.
Among these is the matter Of dealing
with tn: notorious Bill Appleweight.
1t is understood that the North Caro-
lima officials are unwilling to arrest
Appleweight. though his hiding-place
is in the hills on the border near Kill
dare Is well known. Although he
runs back and forth across the state
line at pleasure, he is a North Caro-
linian beyond question, and it's about
time Gov. Dangerfield took note of
the fact. However. the governor of
South Carolina may be relied on to
act with his usual high sense of pub
lie duty in this matter
Prof. Griswold was not pleased to
learn that, the governor was still alb
sent from the capital. He felt that
he deserved better luck after the
trouble he had taken to warn the
governor. 1t was now Tuesday: he
had no further lectures at the univer-
sity until the following Monday, and
after he had taken his bearings OF
Columbia, where it occurred to him
he had not an acquaintance, he walked
toward the capitol with a well-formed
idea of seeing the governors private
secretary-and. if that person ap-
prising him of the governors danger.
1t was not yet nine o'clock when he
entered the governors Office. He
waited in the reception-room, adjoin-
ing the official chamber, but the sew
eral desks Of the clerical staff re-
NAMED unoccupied. He chafed q bit
as time passed and no one appeared.
for his north-bound train left at II,
and he could not fairly be asked to
waste the entire day here. He was
pacing the floor, expecting n of the
clerks to appear at any moment, Hhen
a man entered hurriedly, walked to
the closed inner door, shook it impa-
tiently, and kicked it angrily as he
turned away. He was a short, thick
set man of 35, dressed in blue serge,
and his movements were quick and
nervous. He growled under his
breath and swung round upon Girls
void as though to tax him with re-
sponsibility for the closed door.
"Has no one been here this morn
ing?" he demanded, glazing at the
closed desks.
If you don't count me I should an
swer no." replied Griswold quietly.
"Oh!"
The two gentlemen regarded each
for n moment, contemptuous
dislike clearly written on the smaller
mans face. Grswold half-smiling and
Indifferent.
Il am waiting for the governor" re-
marked GTiswoiia thinking to gain
information.
"Then you're likely tt wait some
time" jerked the other. "The whole
place seems to be abandoned. I never
saw such q lot of people"
Not having see them myself, I
must reserve Judgment" Griswold re-
marked, and the blue serge suit flung
out of the room.
Presently another figure darkened
the entrance, and the colored servant
whom Griswold had seen attending
Miss Osborne on the train from At
lanta swept into the reception-room
and, grandly ignoring his presence,
q down in a chair nearest the closed
door of the inner chamber. Griswold
felt that this was encouraging, as i'm
plying some link between the COVER
and his domestic household and
he was about to ask the colored WON.
an i1s she knew the business hours of
the once when the closed dour. opened
and Miss Osborne appeared on the
threshold. The colored woman rose,
and Griswold, who happened to be
facing the door when 1t swung open
with such startling suddenness, stared
IN instant and bowed profoundly.
7"I beg your pardon, but I wish very
MneA te4eee Gov Qshorne or his e
retary.'
Miss Osborne, In white, trailing q
white paxAsol In her hand. and with
NhltA 49, n her hall. xtiIl atond half