Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-02-24

W~ucTSdUOueo
It had been the most puerile trans
action possible, and ne was aware
that a report of it, which he must wire
at once to Miss Barbara
would not impress that young woman
with his capacity or trustworthlness
In difficult occasions. The iron that
had already entered into his soul
deeper ge had ordered a fresh horse,
and was resolved to return to Mount
Nebo church for a personal study OF
the ground in broad daylight.
AS he crossed the musty parlor OF
the little hotel, to his great astonish-
ment Miss Osborne's black Phoebe,
stationed where her eyes ranged the
whole lower floor of the inn, drew at
tention to herself in an elaborate
courtesy.
Miss Barbra wish me t say she
done come heah on business, and she
like TO- to see yo' all right away. She
done bring huh saddle. n war
a-gwine ridin' twell you come back.
She's a.gettin' ready, and I'll go tell
huh you done come. She got a heap
| O. trouble, tibet young missis, so she
hev," and the black woman's pursed
lips seemed to imply that Prof. Girls
void was in some respon-
sible for Miss Osborne's difficulties.
AS he stared out into the street a
negro brought a horse bearing a bet
ter saddle than Mingo county had
ever boosted, and hitched 1t near the
horse he had secured for himself. An
instant later he heard a quick step
above, and Miss Osborne, sedately
followed by the black woman, came
downstairs. She smiled and greeted
him cordially, but there was trouble
in her brown yes.
"f didn't warn you of my coming. I
didn't want to be a nuisance to you;
there's a new-a most un~accountable
perplexity. 1t doesn't e right to
burden you with it-you have already
been so kind about helping me-; but 1
dare not turn to our Oldest friends
I have been afraid to trust fathers
friends at all since Mr.. Bosworth act
ed SO tra%itorously."
MY time is entirely at your service,
Miss Osborne; but / have a shameful
report to make of myself. / must tell
you how miserably 1 have failed. be
fore you trust me any further. We
that is to say, the prosecuting attor.
ney Of this county and a party he got
together of Appleweight's enemies
caught the outlaw last night-took him
with the greatest ease-but he got
away from US! 1t was all my fault,
and I'm deeply disguised with my
self"
He described the capture and the
subsequent mysterious disappearance
of Appleweight, and confessed the
obvious necessity for great caution IN
further attempts to take h outlaw,
now that he was on guard. Barbara
laughed reassuringiy at the end of the
story.
"Those men must have felt funny
when they went back to get h pr1s-
oner and found that he had gone up
into the air. But there's a new fea-
lure of the case that's more serious
than the loss of this and the
trouble again possessed her eyes. She
drew from her purse a cutting ron
a newspaper and handed it to aim.
That's from last nights Columbia
Vidette, which is very hostile to my
father"
He was already running over the
heavily loaded column that set forth
without equivocauion the fact that
Gov. Osborne had not been in Column
bia since he went to New Orleans. 1t
secuted the story that he was abroad
in the state on official business con-
nected with the Appleweight case
the yarn which Griswold had forced
upon the friendly. reporter at the tele-
graph Office in Columbia The gov
ernor of a state. the Vidette went on
to elaborate. could not vanish without
leaving some trace of himself, and a
Vidette representative had traced the
steps Of Gov. Osborne from New Or
leans until he had again entered South
Carolina under cover of night and for
purposes which, for the honor of the
state, the Vidette hesitated to dis
close.
The writer of the article had ex-
hausted the possibilities of gentle
suggestion and vague innuendo in an
effort to create an impression of mys-
terry and to pique curiosity as to
further developments, which were
promised at any hour. Griswold's
wrath was aroused, lot so much
against the newspaper, which he as
sumed had some IRE for it's smother
ed trifle of smoke, but against the
governor Of South Carolina himself.
who was causing the finest and noblest
girl in the world infinite anxiety and
pain.
THE thing is preposterous." he said
lightly. "The idea that your father.
would attempt to enter his own state
surreptitiously is uncomfortable in
these days when public men are de-
MED all privacy, and when it's any
mans right to deceive the press if he
finds it essential to his own comfort
and peace: but the intimation that
your father Is in South Carolina for
any dishonorable purpose is prepos-
ferrous. One thing. however, is GER
tain, Miss Osborne, and that is that
we must produce you father at the
earliest possible moment"
"But"-and Barbara hesitated, and
her ayes, nea tears as they were,
wrought great havoc in Griswold's
soul-.but father must not be found
until this Appleweight matter is set
tied. You understand without making
me speak the words-that he might
not exactly view the matter as we
do"