Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-08-01

~ JUSTLY HeISell! ne KNEW enough
already, and desired to know no more
Could she hope-natural coquette tha'
she Was-to regain her hold upor
MIN! h man smiled grimly, conf
dent OF his W strength. Yet VIII,
should she care for such a conquest
the winning of a common soldier
mere must be some better reason
some more subtle purpose. Could Il
be that h feared him, hat she wal
afraid that he might speak to her in
jury! This was by far the most like
ly ~supposition. Molly McDonald-the
woman was aware of their acquaint
ance. and was already alarmed at its
possible result.
Hamlin stood up resolved. He
would meet the woman, not from any
desire Of his own, but to learn hel
purpose, and protect the girl. The
meeting could not injure him, no,
even bring a swffter beating Of the
heart. but might give him opportunity
TO serve the other. And LIE Fevre-
surely h could tell him something
OF LIE Fevre.
Leave was easily obtained, and the
Sergeant, rejoicing In a freshly issued
uniform, dressed with all the care pos.
sible, his interest reviving at this new
point of view. 1t was not far down
the bluff road to the squalid little vii
lage which had naturally developed in
close proximity to the fort-near
enough for protection. yet far
enough removed to be lawless-a
rough frontier outpost town, OF shacks
and tents. most of these dispensing
vile liquors. Among these, more en-
terprising spirits-hopeful Of future
development-had erected larger
buildings, usually barn-like. with false
fronts facing the single main street.
filled with miscellaneous stocks of
goods or used for purposes not SO le-
climate. One OF these housed the
Poodle Dog saloon, with gambling
rooms above, while a few doors below
was a great dance hall, easily converts
ed into a theater If occasion arose-a
grotesque, one-storied monstrosity. Be-
low these was the stage office, built
against the Unrestricted wooden ho-
tel, which boasted OF a wide porch on
sides. and was a picture OF ugli-
ness.
By daylight all was squalor and dirt,
dingy tents Tapping In the ~ceaseless
wind. implanted shacks, wooden
houses with boards warping under the
hot sun, the single street deep In yell
low dust, the surrounding prairie lit
tered with tin cans. and all manner OF
But with the coming OF night
much of this roughness departed. Sol
diers from the garrison on pass idle
bull-whackers, adventures
Of all kinds stranded here because Of
Indian activity, stray cowboys from
the nearby valleys, thronged the nu-
merous dives, seeking excitement.
Women, gaudy Of dress, shrill Of voice,
fitted from door to door through the
crowds. Lamps blazed owes
the motley assembly, loud-voiced bark.
ers yelled. and a band added its dis
cords to the din. The Poodle Dog"
glared in light, resounded with noise;
lamps cleaned from the hotel win
dowsr and the huge dance hall stood
wide open: Out from the shacks and
tents crept the days ~sleepers for a
night Of revelry; along the trails rode
others eager for excitement; 1t was
the harvest-time of those birds of prey
in saloon and gambling hell.
Hamlin LAY all this, but gave the
surroundings little thought. He was
OF the West, of the frontier, and be-
held nothing unique in the Gene.
Moreover, the purpose Tor which he
there overshadowed all else. left
him Indifferent to the noise. the 1ost-
ling. drunken crowd. Some he met
who knew him and called his name,
but. he passed them in a word, and
pressed his way forward. At the ho-
tel he mounted the steps and entered.
The ONCE was In one corner of the
bar-room. The proprietor himself. a
bald-headed Irishman. sat with feet
cooked up on the counter, smoking,
and barely glancing up as the Ser.
geant asked for Mrs. Dupont.
who are yer?" he asked.
MY name is Hamlin; I am here on
the lady's invitation"
Sure: thet's Their name all right,
me bhoy. Yer ter go out on the east
porch there, an wait a bit whole |
sind her word yer here. Dim imag.
min she he'd sum doubts about yer
comm, the way she spoke"
How do ! get there?"
Through the winder of the parlur
over thar-sure. it's a noice quiet spot
fer a 'tate-a-tate." He got up, and
peered through his glasses across the
room. Here. Moike; damn tibet slapy
head. VIII one O. yer gents wake the
lad-that's it Now come here. Moike.
You run over to the Palace an tell
Mrs. Dupont the Teller Ia here waitin'.
Hold on now. not 30 fast; wait till
Dim done tellin' e Say tibet to her
alone-do yer moind tibet, We sap-head;
nobody else Is to hear whut yer say;
stay there TIL yer git q chance ter
whisper it to her. Now skip"
Hamlin hesitated, watching the boy
disappear.
"At the Palace-the dance hall
the street," he asked incredu-
lousy.
Sure. in~differently, relighting his
pipe. "Of1cers' ball; couldn't break in
with q can-opener unless you had a in.
vite. Guards at both ends, sergeant
taking tickets, an Third Regiment
Band maxim music. He'll OF a swell at
fair; got guests from Leavenworth,
Wallace, and all around. Every room
] got Is full an runin' over-say, there
are fellars over thar In them fool swal-
ler-tail coats; damned II there amt.
II the b'yssever git sight Of 'em on the
street thereM be q hot time. Say,
ain that the limit Injuns out thar
thick as ieas on q dog, an them
swells dancin' here in sw~aller-tstls