The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1911-02-17
farther end Of the room and motioned
Nathaniel to a SEPT c~nposire him

Nathaniel 10 q seat opposite him.
I'VE are a much prosecuted people,
Captain Plum, very much prosecuted
indeed" His wonderful voice trem-
bled with a subdued pathos. I'VE
have answered for many sins that
have never been ours, Captain Plum,
and among them are robbery, piracy
and even murder. The people along
the coasts are deadly enemies to Us
who would be their friends; they
commit crimes in our name and we do
not retaliate. 1t was not my people
who waylaid your vessel. They were
fishermen, probably, who came from
the Michigan shore and awaited their
opportunity off Beaver island. But |
shall investigate this; believe me. I
shall investigate this fully. Captain
Plum"
Nathaniel felt something like a
great choking fist shoot up into his
throat. 1t was not a sensation of fear
but OF humiliation-the humiliation of
defeat, the knowledge Of his
weakness in the hands Of this man
who had so quickly and so surely
blocked his claim. His quick brain
saw the futility of argument. He
possessed no absolute proof and he
had thought that he needed none.
StranS saw the fash Of doubt in his
face, the hesitancy in his answer; he
OWNED the working of the others
brain and in his soft voice. purring
with friendship, he followed up his
triumph.
Il sympathize with you" he spoke
gently, and my sympathy and word
shall help you. We do not welcome
strangers among us, for strangers
have usually proved themselves our
enemies and have done us wrong. But
to you l give the freedom of our
kingdom. Search where you will, at
what hours you will, and when you
have found a single proof that your
stolen property is among my people
when o have seer a face that you
recognize as one of the robbers. re-
turn to me and / shall make restitu-
ton and punish the evil-doers."
So intensely he spoke, so filed with
reason and truth were his words, that
Nathaniel thrust out his band in token
OF acceptance of the kings terms.
And as Strang gripped that hand Cap
tain Plum saw the young girls face
over the prophets shoulder face,
as death in it's terror, that told
him all he had heard was a lie.
And when you have done with my
people, continued the king, you will
go among that other race, along the
mainland, where men have thrown or
res -raints of society to give loose
to lust and ayarice; where the
Indian is brutified that his wife may
be intoxicated by compulsion and
prostituted by violence before his
eyes; where the forest cabins and the
OF towns are filled with half
breeds: where there stalk wretches
with withered and fearless eyes, who
are in nowise troubled by recollection
Of robbery. rape and murder. And
there you win find whom you are look
ing fort"
Strang had risen to his feet. His
eyes blazed with the fire of smoth- |
cred hatred and passion and his great
rolled through his beard trem-
llous with excitement, but still deep
and rich, like the booming of some
instrument. He flung aside
MS hat as he paced back and forth;
MS shaggy hair fell upon his shout
huge veins stood out upon his
'orehead-and Nathaniel sat mute as
watched this lion Of a man whose
great throat quivered with the power
hat might have stirred d nation-that
might have made him president in
stead of king. He waited for the
thunder of that throat and his nerves
Keyed themselves to meet its bursting
But when Strang spoke again
t was In a voice as soft and as gentle
a woman's.
Those are the men who have Will
led us. Captain Plum; who have COW
cred us with crimes that we have
never committed; who have driven
people into groups that they may
free from depreciation; who watch
ike vultures to despoil our women:
Wild wifeless men, Captain Plum, who
have left families and character be-
hind them and who have sought the
to escape the penalties of
aw and order. 1t is they who would
destroy us. Go among my own people
irst. Captain Plum, and find you lost
property If you can; and if you can
not discover it where in seven years
not one child has been born out Of
xedlock, seek among the Lamanites-
and my sheriffs shall follow where you
place the crime."
He had stretched out his arms like
one whose plea las of life and death;
ais face shone with earnestness; his
.ow words throbbed as If his heart
borne upon them for the inspec-
ton of its truth and honor. He was
the tragedian, the orator, the
of a legislature, a governor.
dozen juries-and of human souls.
And sc he StO0d silent for n momop+