The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-05-28

M IA AVA SARSt
g young Caesar grasping power as her
Roman matron's pride in him would
have had. She turned and went out
without word to the telephone. In the
q n found Michigan. a shaggy ami
mai tortured beyond further outcry.
swaying his head n whispering.
Done come-done come, Lord"
When she went ack the two men
were by Aurelie's side. They lac been
muttering to each other. Curran was
staring at h younger.
You knew-last night? How could
you know
Father told me. And Tanner we
choked 1t out of him. And no one else
knows, Wiley. Ladeau is deadAand
Tanner dares not speak. I'd swing him
to the pen-as I'll drive him out of the
Icounty!" Then Harlan's new-found
wonder broke again. But your little
girl. Wiley!"
"Yes-God help me. I let her grow
love. Just fighting her own way, al
ways! l never could understand what
moved me SO about her-the delight
she gave me. n you, boy-you
thought'-he WHISPERED it-"she'd
always-put it away IN her mighty
pride-but loved you always! Why,
with all her laughter and her
playing, / never dreamed OF loving
her as you did. Oh. the wonder of it!
toiiS lSd IilS Ol IL lleT ldI1Q OIL JOY. A
BE still" the younger man NUT
tered. She's trying to say something.
Home! She's home now" Harlan's
eyes went to his mother cool, fair,
listening by the bedside; he slipped his
arm down about Aurelie's head to
watch the fieck of crimson on her lips.
Home, mother!"
The mother put her hand upon his
shoulder; the other on Aurelie's brow.
You'd better go now. The doctors are
here. She's shot low in the side. Will
you leave her a moment?
Curran was moving to the door. But
Harlan, as he tried to rise, found Au-
relies fingers stealing through his
hair; he was listening to his name up
on her lips.
he passed out. With a gesture she held
out her hand to him. "Thepe are things
beyond us all, Mr.. Curran. Deeps Of
life that move n sweep US all to
things we have never dreamed-that
we cannot evade or compromise. And
SO we accept-with courage and with
gladness. I am sorry-humbly sorry
will you believe me?" He
looked long at her and his face did not
soften.
"A word from you-a kind word
any little gracious act would have
changed it all. Would have given her
to Harlan long g and saved us this.
It's hard to forget'-his brief smile
same bitterly; An this life Of hers
love for your son kept her good and
fine and simple through it all !.
and that meant nothing to YOU"
TIN sorry" the mother whispered.
He will have his way-and we accept.
Some day shall we tell her alp"
Yes. But not now.'
Why not now?' The mother stirred
In the doorway.
She is not SO badly hurt, they say.
And Harlan is trying to explain. What
Is greater han the truth for her"
Curran stared at her, holding her
cool fingers for an instant, then look
ing in the half dark of the room.
Tell her" he muttered. Then drew
PACK. But a sound from within came
ed in a sigh with Harlan's murmurings.
The physicians a stood apart.
Curran went in. The mother in the
nall, coming nearer from the telephone
presently. heard a cry, then all their
voices low and awed. She looked in as
she passed, for she would not enter,
The men were on either side the bed.
holding Aurelie's hands. Mrs. Van
Hart could not hear what they said,
the girl lying white-faced and still, and
the men bending to her.
But after a while Curran rose and
came out. The mother in the hall saw
him pass, and the glitter of tears was
on his cheeks. He found Janet in the
window seat as he reached the door.
The mother heard his voice rise low
fully.
She said that dreams come true,
Janet! Yes-good dreams, child
dreams, like those that sent her out to
find and love me. Oh, you should have
heard her say it, Janet! Father-the
proudness Of it on her lips!"
Janet went with him out into the
bleak night.
Where are you going, wiley?"
Il don't know. Yes-back to the
shop-my old shop. I thought of leav-
ing-selling out, for no one'll ever IN
derstand. But I'll stay-Tll fight it out.
Face it all with silence-the defeat and
questions--and fight 1t out-for Au-
relies sake. It's safer-it's better for
her, Janet"
They were passing High street. along
which a few people were still coming.
The thousands a melted away from
the tragic field out the creek road.
They crossed the square and at the
corner Of his office he stopped. The
the stores, but the place seemed yet
deserted, so still that the creak of the
frosty trees on the bluff came down to
them. Curran paused while Janet tore
the hem from her skirt and bound
again his forehead where a buckshot
had furrowed it.
What an election day." she whis-
pered. Il don't think half the county
vote was cast, Wiley. But there's the
Mercury-Journal carrier coming from
the interurban-and the polls closed at
six"
He a no word as he watched her
buy a paper from the boy. When she
turned, he had gone in the News office
and was looking at the grimy old press
and the worn cases.
Come here, Wiley!"
Yes" He went over and looked
down with somber eyes to the sheet
she had spread upon his desk.
THE Lindstrom story had five col
umns Of the front. But ACROSS the other
two was this head:
"Concede Curran's Election"
He looked up at Janet with a mutter:
Election? Didn't they see the News
last night?'
mo. Come out in the back yard,
Wiley"
He followed to where she pointed to
the heap Of burned paper half way
along the path to his cottage.
For the first time In so years there