Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-11-11
CHAPTER Xxu-(Continued.)

1aS $1,000
TO each other. In one instance it was
the devoted loyalty of Joan Bright to
Eric Mldthorne; in the other, the sur
prising devotion Of Mary Midthorne to
the sick man in the Widow Payson's
cottage. There was no speculation as
to the attitude Of Miss Bright, but in
some quarters wonder was expressed
over Mary's behavior. Corinth, in
Ignorance Of the real situation, found
some difficulty in satisfying itself as to
an imaginary one. OF course, it was
known that Mary and John We're in
love with each other, but that was no
reason why she should devote SO much
OF her time to Adam Carr, outsider. The
man could not be moved, but as there
We're two nurses in the house to at
ten to him, with doctors making daily
visits, 1T was not reasonable to suppose
that Mrs. Payson dependent on Mary
for assistance. Moreover, Corinth was
still unable to make out whether Adam
was friendly to Mary's brother. In any
event, he was distinctly at odds with
Horace Blagden, which Vas some
thing.
Before the end of the week, Adam
Carr recovered the power Of speech.
He was hopelessly paralyzed from the
waist down. AT first he spoke with an
effort. but his indomitable will power
overcame the impediment; he arti,
culated slowly but clearly. His mind
was clear and active. He required the
truth of the doctors. Getting it, he
philosophical:
There's no sense in your waiting
here, Jack. l may hang on for 10
years Doctors can't tell anything
about it, but I'm such a tenacious in
dividual that it's not likely that I'll
give up the ghost without a long fight.
or course, l ought to be sensible n
quit right now Better for you, better
for me, better for Mrs. Payson, better
for everybody, if could pass on to-
night, but | guess it won't be SO easy
as that. Nothing a ever been real
easy for me. Even this Won't be easy.
II l were YOU, I'd get back to New
York and business. I'll be lying here
1t you a find the time week ends, to
come and see your mother and Mary.
l don't mind 1t much, after all. A long
rest will do me good. AS you won't
hear to be being removed to a hospital
and your mother won't either, I guess
I'll have to stay where I'm put. In a
81 week or two l can be wheeled about in
a chair. so it won't be so bad. Now
listen to what I've got to say; get it
firmly in your mind. So far as the
world is concerned, l am never to be
anything more to you han Mr.. Adam.
That's what I've been for 80 years.
I've never said l was anthing else. 1
never will, not even to you. 1t won't
hurt the world any to keep on think
tngy your daddy is out there in the At
lantic, and that your mother is here
instead of up there in the little grave
yard at Gloucester. Horace Blagden,
much as he'd like to, can rake either
Of them up. He only suspects half the
truth. He doesn't know about poor
Lucy Barlow. Your mother here won't
mind being mother to you, right or
wrong, till she dies. So just you go
on thinking of me as Mr.. Adam, your
best friend, and I'll keep on being your
hnc4 fyi~,l All tho I; /, 49,, ~. -~l
nl the kings men can't drag it out of
me. When it comes time for me to
die, and | know it, l may ask you to
put your ear close TO my lips so that
I can whisper it to you, but it won't
be till then, and it won't be for an
body else's ear. There's only one 9TH
er person that must be told. Eric's got
to know it before you make Mary
your wife.
But I'm not going to make her my
wife said his son gently but firmly.
oh, yes. you are said Adam de-
cisively. There's no way round that.
I'm not as good as Philip Midthorne
was, but Lucy Barlow was as good as
most Of the Blagdens. Don't forget
hat, my lad. Ask your mother, She
Knew her"
"Ask my mother!" repeated John
Payson, with a bitter smile.
Il didn't mean it to sound funny,
Jack said Adam humbly.
A day or two later, old Jabez hob
oled up to see his son. He stood at the
bedside, peering quiZzically at the oc-
cupant, on whose lips there was a dis
torted grin Of welcome.
We'll, father, how are you?"
Just $3.50, ADAM" replied the
ancient.
rheumatism any better?'
Some"
There was a period Of silent regard.
Than old 1ahay fOl1n6 tho Junr1o he
wanted.
It's a blamed shame, Adam. ! don't
see why the good Lord didn't do this
to me, stead Of you. 1t wouldn't ha'
made any difference if it had been me,
but-but it don't seem right for you tc
be lynn here like this an me skippin
about as spry as ever. 1t don't seem
right
Eighty odd last January. Dang it
you amt even 60. That's why it's
wrong"
Ne" said Adam, your 80 odd years
proves it to be right. Nature makes
us pay as W. go. You haven't any
scores to settle with nature. That's
why you're so odd and spry. And, now
how are the squirrels"
Well" said Jabez, taking the chat,
that a been placed for him, they're
gettin' so blamed fresh that there AIM
no Twin with EN-. The whole caboodle
of EN- got in the house yesterday wher
l was takin' a nap. and, dang me, II
they didn't find that barril of peanuts
you sent down last month. When
woke up, by gosh. l couldn't hardly
get out of the door fer peanut shells
Fust l thought there'd been a sudden
snowstorm. but they cracked so lou6
when I stepped on EN- l knowed ii
couldn't be that. Then l got to the
door and seen them fool critters settin
around on the grass out there in front
so cussed fat that l thought they'd bust
They jest couldn't wobhle. You never
in all YOU life, Adam. seen such IDIOT,
lookin' things as they WIZ. A hundred
OF 'em! Squattin' around the place
kinder pitfal like. Cussin' them didn',
do no good. They Jest looked bach
n twigged their tails feeble the more
Ic.ssed. And you can give a squire
paregoric like You can a baby.
And now you have an idea what ma
ture had begun to do for Jabez Carr.
But / am getting ahead of my story
Adam Carr did not recover his speech
until after the brief. p~erfunctory tria
Of Eric Midthorne was over and the
young man stood honorably acquitted
The defendants story was not ever
assailed by the commonwealth. There
was no voice to dispute his claim Of
self defense. no witness to cast the
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