The New era-leader. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1911-1912, 1911-03-10

a tremble Of the passing emotion IL
his voice. obadiah told Marion tina,
help might come to us through you
and Marion brought the word 70 me
at the Jail last night-after she had
seen you at the window. Th~ old
councillor kept his wordi You nave
saved her!"
Saved her!" gasped Nathaniel
From what? Howl" A hundred cues
tons seemed leaping from his hear,
to his lips.
From Strang. Good God, don't you
understand? | tell you that 1 am going
to kill Strang!"
Neil stood as though appalled, By
his companions incomprehension. 81
am going to kill Strang, I tell you!'
he cried again, the fire burning deeper
through the sweat of his cheeks.
Nathaniel's bewilderment still shone
in his face.
She is not Strang's wife" he spoke
softly, as IL to himself. And she is
not" His face flushed as he nearly
spoke the words. obadiah lied!" He
looked squarely into Neil's eyes. ''No,
| don't understand you. The councillor
said that she-that Marion was
Strang's wife. He told me nothing
more than that, nothing of her trou.
BILE, nothing about you. Until this
moment | have been completely mys-
titled. Only her eyes led me to do
what | did at the jail"
Neil gazed at him in establishment.
Obadiah told-you-nothing ?" he
asked incredulously.
Not a word about you or Marion
except that Marion was the kings
seventh wife. But he limited at many
things and kept me on the trail, al.
ways expecting, always watching, and
yet every hour was one of mystery.
| am in the darkest of it at this In
slant. What does it all mean? Why
are you going to kill Strang? Why"
Neil interrupted him with a cry so
poignant in its wretchedness that the
last question died upon his lips.
Il thought that the councillor had
told you ALL" he said. Il thought you
knew" The disappointment in his
voice was almost despair. "Then-it
was only accidentally-you helped
us"
Only accidentally that | helped you
yes! But Marion" Nathaniel
crushed Neil's hand in both his own
and his eyes betrayed more than he
would have said. I've got an armed
ship and a dozen men out there and
If can help Marion by blowing up
St. James-I1l do it,"
For a time only the tense breathing
Of the two broke the silence of their
lips. They looked into each others
face, Nathaniel with all the eagerness
of the passion with which Marion had
stirred his soul, Neil half doubling
as IL he were trying to find In this
mans eyes the friendship which he
had not questioned a few minutes be-
fore.
Obadiah told you nothing?" he
asked again. as If still unbelieving.
Nothing"
And you have not seen Marion-to
talk with herr"
NO"
Nathaniel had dropped HIS compan.
ions hand. and now Neil walked to
the log and sat down with his face
turned In the direction from which
their pursuers must come II they en-
tered the swamp.
ZN
Suddenly the memory of Obadiah's
note shot into Nathaniel's head, the
councillors admonition, his allusion to
q visitor. With this memory there
required to him Obadiah's words at
the temple. "If you had remained at
the cabin. Nat. you would have known
that | was your friend. She would
have come to you, but now-it is i'm.
possible" For the first time the truth
began to dawn upon him. He went
and sat down beside Neil.
II