The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1911-01-13
cHAPTER 1.
The Two oaths,

The Two oath&
On m afternoon In the early sum
ner Of 1856 Capt Nathaniel Plum,
master and owner OF the sloop Ty'
phOon. was engaged in nothing more
important than the smoking Of an
enormous pipe. Clouds OF strongly
odored smoke. tinted with the lights
~ the setting sun. had risen above his
bead In unremitting volumes for the
Iast half hour. There was infinite con-
tentEnent in his face, notwithstanding
Tie fact that he had been meditating
N I subject tka. was not altogether
pleasant But Captain Plum was. in
way. q philosopher. though one
would not have guessed this fact from
his appearance He was, in the first
Dlaca. q young man. not more than
sight q nine and twenty. and his
UtronG. rather thin face, tanned by ex-
Dnsure TO the sea. was Just now lighted
~ ~ eyes that shone with an un-
bounded good humor which any in
Ufanf might take the form OF laughter.
At the present time Captain Plam's
vision VA confiaed TO one direction.
which carried his gaze out over Lake
Michigan Earlier In the day he had
boen able TO discern the hazy outline
- the Michigan wilderness 20 miles
- the eastward Straight ahead.
shooting up rugged and sharp in the
Fed light Of the days end. we-a two
6lands- Between these, three miles
nuny. the slOop Typhoon was strongly
BlIh0uetted tn the fading glow. Be
Sund the islands and the sloop there
Wexo no other objects for Captain
k1um's eyes 20 rest upon So far as
- could zee there was no other sail.
~ ~ hack he was shut In by q dense
ExUwth 81 trees and creeping vines.
md uniess i small boat edged close In
nEuund the end Of Beaver island his
D1nce q conceaIment must remain IN
n1scovered At least this seemed an
n1sured fact to Captain Plum
n the security OF his position he be-
IN 70 whistle softly as be beat the
bUUl ~ his pipe On his boot heel to
0npty II OF ashes Then he drew .
long-harreled revolver from under a
cot that he had thrown aside and
examined It carefully 10 see that the
pOwder and bail yer In solid and that
nCno Of the caps vas missing From
III same place he brought forth =
bozk. buckled II round his waist,
showed the revolver into its holster.
end dragging the coat to him. fshed
Ut : letter from an inside pocket 1t
was . dirty. much-worn letter. Per
Anps he had read II . cor Of times.
H fead II again NOW. and then. refill
ung his pipe. settled back against the
rock that formed q rest for his shout
aeFs and turned his eyes In the direc-
~ q tho sloop.
The f1st rim Of the sun had fallen
bea0w the Michigan wilderness and in
~ RAPIDLY Increasing gloom the slooD
49, becoming indistinguishable. Cap
enfn Plum looked It his watch. he
0uUt I'M wait . little longer before
se1xlng mt upon the adventure that
- brought him to this isolated spot.
h rested his head AGAINST tic rock,
81 thought He had been thinking
10 hours Back In the thicket he
1enrd the proving Of some small ami
0al There came the sleepy ehirp OF
= bird and the rustling of tired wings
scaling for the night A strange still-
noos lowered about him. and with IL
EAeEs came over him . loneliness that
wns chilling. . loneliness that made
~ homesick. II was q new and un.
lepa1ant sensation to Captain Plum.
H could not remember Just when he
- experienced 1t before: that Is. II
- lnted the present from two weeks
- tonigft- n was then that the let.
- ~ been handed to him In Chi
-. md Il had been = weight upou
y soul ana : prick to his conscience
OVur since Once q twice he had
80 - HI mind to destroy IT. but
- ttme - had repented at the last
GMnant- n . sudden r~evulsicn 1t hiz
Uoanns0 10 pulled himself together
~Dp1ed the dirty mfssive into . bal
fung II ont upon the white rim
~ "a. aeu0a there came ! quicl
oUo003 = ~ dance van u verdurs
~nona ~ NolseIessIy the tAngie O
- 0pnx1ted and . head thFus.
- 80 = tfme to see the bit q
om mn dbugx o. TIE waters edee
H. honA sh0t back - svifss,