The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1911-01-20

The Seven Wives,

LIS SSNGH "iNNs
Hardly had the words fallen from
the lips of Obadiah Price than the old
man straightened himself and stood a.
| rigid as a gargoyle. his gaze penetra-
ting into the darkness or the room
beyond Captain Plum, his head In
clined slightly, every nerve In him
strained to a tension of expectancy.
His companion involuntarily grfpped
the butt Of his pistol and faced the
narrow entrance through which they
had come. In the moment OF absolute
silence that followed there came to
him, family, a sound, unintelligibie at
first, but growing in volume until he
knew that II was the last echo of .
toIling bell. There was no movement
no sound of breath or whisper from
the old man at his back. But when
II came again. floating to him as II
from a vast distance, he turned quick
ly to find Obadiah Price with his face
lifted. his thin arms flung wide above
his head and his lips moving as III in
prayer. His eyes burned with a duil
glow as though he had been suddenly
thrown into a trance. He seemed not
TO breathe. no vibration of life stirred
him except in the movement OF his
lips. With the third toll of the distant
bell he spoke. and to Captain Plum
IL was as If the passion and fre In
his voice came from another being.
"Our Christ. Master OF hosts. we
cali upon thy chosen people the three
blessings of the universe-peace. pros
perity and plenty, and upon Strang,
priest, king and prophet, the bounty
of thy power,"
Three times more the distant bell
tolled forth its mysterious message
and when the last echoes had died
away the old mans arms dropped be
side him and he turned again to Cap
tain Plum.
Franklin Pierce, president of the
United States of America" he re
peated. as though there had been no
interruption since his companions
question. sThe package Is to be de
iiyered to him. Now you must excuse
me. An important matter calls me
out for a short time. But | win DC
back soon-oh. yes, very soon And
you will wait for me. You will wait
for me here, and then I viii take you
to St James"
He was gone in q quick hopping
way, like a cricket and the last that
Captain Plum saw of him was hil
ghostly face turned back for an In
slant in the darkness of he mex
room, and after that the soft pattel
of his feet and the strange chuckie II
his throat travelled to the outer dool
and died away as he passed out int
the night. Nathaniel Plum was mo-
a man to be easily startled. but their
was something so unusual about TIT
proceedings In which he was as ys
] playing a blind part that he forgot u
smoke, which was saying much VIII
was the old man? Was he mad? Hi
eyes scanned the little room and al
exclamation of establishment fell from
his lips when he saw the leather bag
; partly filled with gold. lying wher'
his mysterious acquaintance hal
, dropped It Surely this was madnes
or else another ruse to test his hon
. esty. The discovery thrilled him !
: was wonderfully quiet u in tina
next room and very dark We're hid
den eyes guarding that bage Wei
If so. he would give their owner .
understand that he was not a THE
He rose from his chair and nov
toward the bag, lifted ii In his hant
and tossed IL back again so that IN
gold In ii chinked loudly. Then D
/ went TO the narrow aperture an
| blocked IT with his body and listere
| until he knew that IL there had bee
| human life in the room he would hav
heard It
The outer door was opened an
l through It there came to him the so
breath of the night air and the swee
ness of balsam and wild flowers
struck him that it would be ~pleasants
waiting outside than In. and 1t woul
undoubtedly make nc difference
Obadiah Price In front of the cab
he found the stump of a log and Sea
ing himself on II where the clei
light of the stars fell fun upon hi
, he once more began his interrupts
smoke. II seemed to him that
had waited a long time when he heal
q the sound Of footsteps. They can
rapidly az IL the person was half ~
"a ming. Hardly had he located the {
a. rection of the sound when q figure q
u peared In the opening and hurri'
toward the door Of the cabin.
a dozen yards from him 1t paused Tor
pr moment and turned partly about as
inspecting the path over which II b.
come. With q greeting whistle Ca
tain Plum jumped to his feet
heard q little throat note. which "
70 not the chuckiing az Obadiah PIX
- and the figure ran almost into |
~ arms. A sudden knowledge OF havf
nj made q mistake drew Captain Plum
AZ mace backward. For scarcely me-
er than i've seconds he found hfms
staring into the white terrified ia
he of a girl Eyes wide and glowing VI
~ sudden fright me his own inscl
lively he lifted hts hzzd 70 his b
ID hr< h.for1 hp cnuid sneak the r