Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-02-22

Things AVE changed greatly on the
river. There are no open bars, no card
playing. no shooting; much less travel.
for that matter.
We We're a q dozen at super. /
sat opposite a gray bearded man, who,
when he had completed his meal, close
~ scrutinized a modest appearing
young woman quietly supping at
another table: She finished n depart
ed. When she was gone my neighbor
teamed across and said:
Perhaps you thought it funny l
watched that lady so closely? But
mats Sis l remember her 20 years
back, on this very boat. My. but what
u look at her brings to my mind"
He leaned back, his eyes on the
table. Il grim smile broadening a kind
1y ~countenancc, and pushed both hands
deeply into his pockets.
The mani had something he wanted
to tell.
"A romance. 1 suppose? I'd like to
hear it,"
1T was 90 years ago, and on this
boat, the Hester Hale. professional
for victims. None were more daring
nor more lucky than Ready Rankin,
A handsome fellow. of good family,
with a heart big and manly, if he was
81 cut-throat gambler and a bad man
all around. Down at that landing we
left before MISUNDERSTANDING old
man was waiting, one night, with a
wee tot of a girl. He brought her
aboard. You know how natural it is
to consign children to the care of some
person? The child was the Ole mans
granddaughter. She was to get off at
Low Water Landing, which is the next
stop Well make, a few minutes from
now He haNnana6 fn nnf tho child
in Ready Rankin's care. He agreed to
see her safely ashore and to deliver
her to her ma. Ready got a state
room. put the child in one of the
berths and gave her a bag of candy
to keep her from crying. Their he
CHANGED to be tolerable heavy that
night, with Rankin an $4,000 winner.
But 1T ended in a row and Rankin,
seeing trouble ahead, rolled his pile in
81 newspaper and laid it beside the
sleeping child in the stateroom. The
landing. Ready got into a fight with
the man he beat the table, and was
badly shot. His last words were con-
fused. He said something about:
Stateroom siX-little one-Low
Water landing-money.'
The o made the landing. They
woke the child up. put all the bundles
into her arms, n turned her over
TO her ma.
Sis mother soon discovered the
package of money, and met the boat
mt the landing on her down trip mex
night, to make inquiries of the captain
But he knew nothing about n money
So Sis mother kept 1t, trying all the
time to get some knowledge of Ran
kin family. That she could not do
They had disowned him.
about three years g a party OF
young men came up the river hunting
They stopped off at Low Water landing
and boarded with Sis ma. One of the
young fellows was teller in a bank
down in Natchez. He fell head over
ears in love with Sis. You can't much
blame him, al you? She's awfully
handsome. Naturally enough, they got
to comparing notes; n the story OF
the money came out. Do YOU know
sir, it turned out that h young bank
teller was Rankin's son? Fact! He
and his mother and stepfather lived to-
gether, and all they'd ever heard was
that Ready had been killed in a fight
on the river. They didn't mourn over
much, although Ready wasn't the
worst chap that ever lived.
There! We're just blowing for Low
Water now. Let's go on deck and sec
Sis land. Up to visit her ma, / reckon
"Rankin's son is going to marry her
1 suppose?"
Married man! Year ago. LAS
Christmas. They live as cozy as you
please down in Natchez. He's cashier
of that bank now"
We stood by the rail as the boa
made fast. The young lady tr1ppe6
lightly ashore and greeted a white
haired old lady.
The Hester Hale resumed her way.
"Step this way. I'll show you where
Ready was killed."
We strolled to the gangway. HI
pointed to a little bullet hole in the
easement.
"There were three shots fred. Ready
ffred one and l."
l looked up quickly into his patri
nrchal face. He paled, and fixed hi!
eyes on me.
Il didn't mean to say so much
friend; but 1 believe you are a square
[ man. This spot has a fascination fol
! me. And it is 20 years ago, 2O-year!
ago
His mead dropped. He seemed to b.
thinking of something beside what HI
uttered.
II understand you," j said.
pressed his hand, and went to bed
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