Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-08-22

Lieutenant Gaskins. He is wealthy
understand"
he is"
This knowledge, coupled with the
fact OF your engagement"
my what?"
Your engagement. I had heard II
rumored before. n Mrs. Dupont as
sured me 1t was true"
But it is not true. Sergeant Ham.
lin"-indignantly. Il cannot imagine
how such a report ever started. Lieu,
tenant Gaskins has been very friend.
ly; has" her voice breaking slightly
even asked me to marry him. but
but ! told him that was impossible.
He has been just as kind to me since.
but there is nothing, absolutely moth
Ing between us. / have never spoken
about this before to any one"
II Hamlin's heart leaped wildly at
this swift denial. there was no evil
dence Of 1t in his quiet voice.
The point is. Miss Molly, that Mrs,
Dupont, and those connected with her.
think otherwise. They are presuming
on Gaskins' being in love with you.
Mrs. Dupont can be very seductive.
Little by little she has drawn the Lieu
tenant into her net. Believing him en-
gagged to you, they have him now
where he must either pay money for
silence or be exposed. Just how it
was worked, / do not know. The shoot
ing last night was done to convince
him they we're serious. The fact that
Gasktns later denied knowing who his
assailants were-even endeavored to
accuse me-is abundant proof of their
success" He hesitated, wondering at
her silence. What puzzles me most
is why you were present"
Present? Where7"
"At this quarrel with Gaskins last
evening. As ran by toward the scene
Of the shooting I passed you hiding
at the angle of the barrack wall. OF
course l have mentioned the fact to
no one. That was why l made no at.
tempt to defend myself when arrest.
ed"
She gasped for breath. scarcely able
to articulate.
"You believe that? You think that
Of me-"
II may have been deceived; l hope
SO; there was but little light, and l
got merely q glimpse" he explained
hastily.
You were deceived impetuously.
ming. ! was in the parlor with my
father when those shots we're fred.
You are sure you saw a there
-hiding?"
There is nc doubt of that; her
footprints were plainly to be seer
In the morning. This discovery, to-
gether with the size OF the weapo
used, resulted in my immediate re-
lease. l saw her. and imagined her t.
be you. l cannot account for the mis-
take, unless you were in my mind, and
possibly what / had heard Of YOU con-
nection with Gaskins. Then 1t must
have been Mrs. Dupont. That looks
reasonable. But she stays at your
home, does she not?"
She makes our house her headquar-
tiers, but is absent occasionally. Last
night she was here at this hotel. Well,
we are getting this Strengthened out q
little-that is, II you believe me-"
"Of course"
Then 1 am going to question you.
You spoke of o~verhearing a conversa-
tion?"
Yes; 1t was after Mrs. Dupont had
left Captain Barrett came, and took
her away l was sitting here thinking
when two men came into the parlor."
Who were they7 Do you know?"
One was the soldier who drives you
about-Connors; the other a black
bearded, burly fellow called 'Reb.'"
mr.. Dupont"
What? Is that Dupontf Lord! No
wonder she's gone bad. Why, I
thought her husband was a ranchman
down south somewhere! This fellow
Is a tin-horn."
He did run cattle once, years ago,
I think he was quite we'll of, but drank
and gambled 1t away. Papa told me
all about it. but I found out he was
the man by accident. HE'S the one
I am really afraid Of"