Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-07-29

drenched lawn, where the leaves of the
preceding autumn still lay dank and
brown beneath stark and leafless trees
to which the breath of spring had not
come. He stopped at the lower
gate to Loo back at the grey house he
had left.
How small and insignificant it was,
and how d~esolate. The Giants Castle!
He had a sudden feeling of pity for it.
1t represented all that was big In Cor
NTH, and yet how it had shrunk since
he had last looked upon it.
And 1t was still called the Giants
Castle by imaginative small folk. and
1T was a dreadful place where ogres
lived,
Il don't wonder that Mary left it,"
he said, half aloud, the bleakness OF
the view wringing the confession from
his soul.
He was half an hour ahead of time at
Jabez Cars cottage. The old man.
as dry and shriveled as a butternut
NULL greeted him With great joy and
a new garrulousness that proclaimed
his SO odd years in a way pitifully
plain. The old man was not long in
getting to the subject that pleased him
heaval in Corinth's First Congregation
al church. He had views on the sub
lect, and he vented them with many a
Joyous tackle. Jabez had not been in
slue the doors of a church in 60 years,
ana he mad no settled ideas as to reli-
glon aside from a vague recognition of
the Holy Trinity, yet to have heard him
on this wet March morning as he sat
close upon the little stove in his cot
tage you might have thought that the
burden of all Christianity rested upon
his shoulders.
Eric sat by the tiny window. watch
ing the lane. AT last he started up and
M nN-nC NJ An.
peen present, would nave noted the
sudden c~lenching of his hands and the
squarine of the Jaw.
John PaNson was coming through the
gate, g strong We'll put up figure of a
man, trinity dressed and brisk.
Ignoring Jabez, who was in the mids
or an eloquent appeal to God to witness
his absolute lack OF prejudice in the
Blagden-Presbrey controversy, Mid
thorne flung pen II e door and strobe
out INTO the open He wanted to meet
his mar where it was wide and free.
Payson came on, his eyes expressing
recognition. but not the faintest sign Of
confidence.
Eric stopped short and was staring
hard at the face of the newcomer, fas-
clnated by what he saw there. For
weeks he had been trying to recall
something he had overlooked in John
Payson's features. Now the thing he
mad always missed recognizing forced
itself upon him with such a positive
clearneSs that he was shocked beyond
expression.
Inc cream cut. aggressive face Of the
young man was s%ingularly like that of
Adam Carr. with the distinction that it
was not so coarsely moulded, and far
from SINISTER. The grey eyes were set
1ar back in the head and the cheek
bones We're high and broad, as in the
case of Adam Carr. The lower part of
the face was not so broad nor so reso-
lutte, but still there was a singular re-
semolance to the jaw and the chin of
the detective. Payson's countenance
was frank and open. full of power and
Vlrll1ty, While Adams was heavy. eX-
p~ressionless. almost %sphinxlike in its
immobility. The resemblance, startling
as 1T was, ended with the face The
younger MAJ was tall. supple, graceful;
Adam was stocky, Samsonian.
Eric had not seen the ex-teller in five
or SIX years. but he was able, in this
instant, to call up vague. haunting i'm
presslons that had always puzzled him
when he met him face to face. He had
never known him well. Payson was
older than he by half a dozen years.
Observing the peculiar look in Mid
t%horne's eyes: Payson stopped when
some SIX or eight PAGES away. His own
narrowed slightly.
Am an object of curiosity to you,
Mr.. Midthorne?" he asked quietly. Eric
started. The tone, the absence of in
Election. the very of putting the
question was so familiar to him that
he experienced the actual sensation of
awe.
Yes" he replied levelly; IAN object
of great curiosity
Perhaps, animosity?"
Yes, distinctly So
Payson came forward. / am
sincerely sorry for that, Eric.
| hope to overcome that feeling. May
l ask: why this aversion?"
Eric surveyed him coldly. II dom
believe 1t is necessary for me to answer
that question"
Permit me to disagree with you. II
l have done anything to deserve you,
harsh opinion of me. I desire to know
what it is and where I stand before
taking up the question tina means sc
much to both of u.s."
w car settle that, Mr.. Payson
without exchanging c~onfidences," said
Eric. white to the lips. You have act
ed like an Internal scoundrel in entic.
ing my
Pardon me-" interrupted the other
Il did not come to insult you nor tc
be insulted by you. Scoundrel is &
hard word. / will not ask you to re.
call it now, but I'll expect you to dc
it some day. YOU
Has Adam Carr told you what I in
tend to do to o il you do not keer
away from my sister," demanded Eric
hotly, ignoring the taunt.