The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1919-06-19


: Journey would bring sadness N part
ing, he knew. He wanted to knock
down the men who stared insolently,
offering audible comments on her COM
ple1ion and bearing that made the
swift, frightened color come to her
cheeks. He ate his breakfast | n
naughty silence, sitting between Jean
and one of the men. and shielding her
as far as possible from any need OF
conversation save with her hostess,
who waited on them all and lowered
admiringly round her young guests
chair with offers Of molasses and mush
that were fairly Overwhelming.
ANY need fer a Clergyman" asked
the ugliest of the three men, leaning
forward across the table, his knife and
fork held perpendicular each side OF
his plate, a large piece of ham aloft on
his fork. He gave an ugly wink at the
others and they laughed coarsely and
meaningly.
"Yas, you could sit the elder by go
in about 10 mile out O. yer way" add
| GU dAlOtlC1, dl1A uCNOICu AAAoS oouA
bly, to his thick cup of muddy coffee.
Holt ignored these remarks and be-
gan asking questions Of his host about
the crops and the exact location of the
house with regard to railroads, won
dering meanwhile, if Jean understood
! their rough jokes, and hoping she did
not.
IA Isl ~
If she did she was serene with 1t all,
and smiled her. very sweetest on her
hostess, making her heart glad at the
parting by the gift Of a pair of cheap,
but pretty, little cuff pins that had
been fastened on the front of her trav-
! cling robe.
So they mounted and rode away,
Jean like the queen of a girl that she
was, and her companion no less noble
in his bearing. The joy they felt in
the day and each other was only
equalled by their own shyness in
speaking of it.
CHAPTER vi.
They talked about many things that
morning as they rode happily toward
11dWh 11ACy. 11Olt 1ClL III dAAlCLy,
now, about reaching there by night,
for he knew exactly where he was and
how to get there. He had bargained
with one of the men for firearms, and
he could now shoot enough to keep
them from hunger even if they were
delayed. He had matches in his peck
ct and an old cowboy hat on his head,
\ or1 ho falf voc&oI o~rf ST. p1r kI,o ;o,r
ney. Fol the first half Of the way, at
least, he could give himself up to
the bliss Of a companionship such as
he had never KIN ,wn in the whole OF
his young life. Reverence; awe, adora-
ton were in his glance as he looked at
the girl, and a great, wistfua sadness
grew as the day fingered toward eve
ming
They rode first straight down to- the
telegraph station, which was about Is
miles from the settlers cabin, and
sent ~reassuring kilograms from, the
forlorn little office set out alone: in. the
middle Of the prairie; one to, Jeans
father and mother back in the eastern
home, and n to her sister, Eleanor
Harrington, in Hawk Valley.
"Don't worry about accident. Am.
safe and well and shall reach Hawk
ValleN tonight.-Jean." said the first.
message The second Holt worded. for,
himself, for he had left the girl out
side the station on her horse. She
had asked him to be sure and tell her
sister that me was with her so she
would not worry, but the message he
sent was.
you. with a friend who will look ont.
for me-. Expect to reach Hawk VAL.
ley tonight-Jean."
Inquiry concerning the accident.
brought. little information. The wreck
had been an&the "other road and the
agent hadn't heard much.'' Ha.
didn't know whether many lives weres
lost OR, not" and he guessed it a
the. engineers fault, anyhow-it usual.
~. was"
They rode on their way in. happy.
converse. Jean was led to tell of her
home lite. Not that Holt questioned.
her, but she seemed to love to talk, of,
home, and picture her family, her,
800 .HEgH<E 80
friends, the church where her father
preached. the companions OF her girl
workhood the serious school. life.
and church work to which She had,
been devoting herself; and, above all,
he saw and wondered over the sweet
confidence that existed between this.
girl aa1a her parents. A wistful look
came into his eyes as he thought. what
might have been his life II so1nfaanfs
had cared for him and trusted. in. hina
that way; or II he had had, a. sister.
like this girl.
Suddenly, in the middle of tftm annn-
noon the girl looked up ami asked:
VIII your mother worry? Did ynu
send her a telegram, too?"
my mothers" he said in a. strange.
cold voice. my mother newer wor-
| rios about mo 81 Che iop,S, kbre% l-Sra