The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1919-10-23

l dusty traVelWOrn garments of a ma
from the forest jungle, in the uniforr
of a soldier on campaign, and ~latterly
in the fine linen of a statesman fro1
the adjoining capital. Bruce though
of him thus, in consultation with hi
architects, bending over blue print
and plans. Benito had called tn
builder OF the house an overseer, blu
T Bruce knew only an accomplished
architect could have developed tina
white building with it's exquisite pro
2 portions, it's stateliness that was no
2 stiff, and its m~assiveness that was no
5 clumsy. He grouped these things. ant
5 the thing "the Little Bald One" hat
: told him, about the central Figure o
the grey clothed, grey eyed mar who
had visited him a few days before
Assembling his own Impressions, he
} found his keenest surprise was that
David Joel knew of him. His keen
est anxiety was, WAT did that mar
want with a convict engineer?
Bruce's mind had had time to clear
on the journey down the river and the
ride following it, which was now draw
ing to a conclusion. He knew, or
thought ne knew, something of the
southern disposition. 1t must be for
some purpose that Noel had taken him
froE an interior prison and brought
hjn here. Wa that purpose one which
could be best accomplished by a man
helplessly in Noel's power? Bruce had
heard of such things; everyone has
heard Of such things in every land,
What use had Noel for a man who was
free, yet a prisoner.
The cool air Of approaching eve
ing vas soothing his long parched
lungs, and cleansing his long poisoned
brain of remembered foulness of odor
and sound. His body luxuriated in the
contact of clean linen. Just what would
he refuse to do, if confronted with
the alternative of return to that pris-
on?
Before he had ridden another mile,
it had fully penetrated Bruce's on
viction that he had been unbelievely
blind; that David Noel had tried to
convey to him the very understanding
at which he now had painfully ar
rived. He recalled the frank and I'M
compromising statement that the pris-
oner would be paroled in custody of
his employer. Noel had made no af-
fectation Of pity or charity in the mat
ter, and his last remark gathered new
force: 81 thought you understood. For
me, of course" Well, it was best to
be prepared by realization of what lay
before him, even if realization brought
despair.
A urn in the road brought them be-
meath a great tree wrapped from bot
tom to summit with a "a of brilliant
and as he passed, a gust blue lightly
a pendant branch against his face. In,
voluntarily he raised his hand to pro-
tect his beloved glasses from injury.
And touching them, he touch a new
collection. Noel had sem to him his
eyeglasses. He must have gone or sent
to the old camp where Bruce's effects
the case containing those ST al trimmed
spectac1es. That action Vas not born
of self interest, but of pure kindness.
AS long as he liver, Corey Bruce was
to touch or see his glasses
without a renewal of the poignant at
titEde he had felt on opening the case
at the prison door. SQUEEZING them
now, he hated his own distrust Of Noel.
Might not his purpose be secret with
out being evil? Might not
The voice of eBnito summonde him
from his gloomy abstraction.
"The gate of the great house." said
Benito.
Bruce started and raised his head
They had lost sight OF the white villa
as the road wound down the mountain.
He could not e it now, but he stood
before a magnificent jungle of tropical
trees and vines of clinging blossoms,
some crimson, some blue, some laven-
der. Opposite them was the only visi-
bic break in this Jungle; two marble
gate columns from behind which a
broad white road curved away through
the wall like masses OF jade green and
flame colored foliage. The columns
were taller thai a mounted man, ocla-
gonal in shape and tapered to SUBMITS
perhaps eight inches square. Upon
each OF these %pedestals stood a small
object carved of white translucent
stone. Bruce leaned nearer to verify
his first Impressions, in%credulous OF
his sight. But he had been right, singu-
lar as the ornament had seemed. On
either pillar was set q little shoe,
carved of white onyx; so daintily
done that the littel tassel upon each
one seemed to sway in the breeze, and
Ia chi1d's little foot to have rounded
their outlines but a moment since.
"The Horse Of the Little Shoes"
murmureu~ the soft gutIeraI voice or
Benito. "The Senior understands
Inow?"
HBut why were the shoes put there?
Why were they chosen for the gate?"
wondered Bruce.
ut was the will OF the master,
Senior"
But there might be a story. per-
hopse a legend, to account
sWho knows. Senior? No one ever
I0nrd u.,ah "a %olog ~ fhio co,,,k-~,,