The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1919-12-18

paper bore no relation to affairs
diplomatic or political. 1t was only
the concession for the erection OF
a little ore line far up in the noun.
tains, which would have to cross
government land on its way to the
river. Bruce had a mental view of
lines Of little rude cars moving in
slow procession down the hill to
the waiting boat. Why was that
document of SO much Importance?
Why should there be doubt of du-
plicating it2 And above all why
should Noel speak as if the OBJ
scurc concession would be Of i'm
portance after his own death? I'm
portant to whom? Who were
Noel's heirs and why should they
or he trouble about this one small
point in the mass Of his wealth ?
Yet Milo Valdez had given him no
other paper. Bruce looked again
in the envelope, assuring him
self tina! there was nothing more.
Noel never spoke at random. IF
he said, guard, why, it must be
guarded. Bruce put the concession
in a small locked drawer within
the safe, as an additional precau-
ton, then returned to his desk
more puzzled than ever.
He found himself unable to
work. Strive against them as he
would, he was not able to dismiss
the thoughts which had rushed
upon him when Noel spoke of
death as a near possibility. For
David Noel dead, what would be-
come of Corey Bruce convict re-
leased on parole? Corey Bruce,
with Is years still to serve OF his
sentence. They would return him
to Rio Nabuco, no Doubt. He
would 80 mad there, die there!
Hideous pictures of the unspeak-
able place unrolled before his
shrinking memory. lie covered
his face with his hands, and felt
sweat trickle between his fingers
like a woman's tears. His pen
rolled off the desk and clicked up
the floor; he heard the softl :
breeze f%luttering over the pages of :
his ledger. He had no power to ,
pick mp the pen where it had fall
en-, or to check the confusion the /;
wlnd was stirring amid his work. =
He was nerveless as a sick man.; ,
he felt both sick and weak. :
Rio Nabuco had broken him he /.
recognized this with a bitterness !
like no deaths. A year of liberty .
bad not cured him. Nothing would :.
sGre him. He was a broken man. :
was like the dog that David !,
Noel had shot, out Of pity. :
No one would shoot him. Hell !.
a nan and not entitled to so !,
much ruthless mercy. He might :
come to the point of doing that for :
himself. /.
Black horror closed over his '
head like bitter waters. He went !,
io1yn, down. , .
Someone was shaking him with y
violence, speaking his name
repeatedly. Bruce recognized the
voice as that Of Marshal Grana-
los. He had, then, capped his
degrading and womanish panic
", sWooning like a woman. Theln
Of Corey Bruce lay face :,
on the Shiny floor Of :
Rio Nabuco. =
Yet, not dead. Fallen pride still :
.riea out to be clothed in the sem :
of self respect. If Grana- !
los or Noel suspected his weak :.
:oAvardice, Bruce felt that even his J
present liberty would be valueless. :
they ned not--they must not =
know. The day had been hot he !,
Gould say he was ill. !
He opened his eyes. His head :
'ested on the desk among the scat- 4
cred papers, and Gil Granados :
can brown face was bending over :
i'm, marked with concern. The :,
gave an ejaculation Of re-
ief, when he saw the patients !,
yes open, and putting his arm I
round him, supported him to q Z
In reply to Bruce S STAN :,
nered explanation Of dizziness, he :
'hecked him with reproaches fore
working in the heat Of the day. Helf
'ang for various beverages hell,
bought proper as restoratiyes, {
md administered them himself {
With a deft use Of that mutilated :
lanH. 8
Slowly the healthy reaction Of :
she mind against despondency )
:arne to Bruce. David Noel was
lotaE dead, but alive, and probably ]
no: eozss;russ III il. ! I
rot already q veteran Of many :
in field and forumi And J
here were other friends! Grana I
los might help him. Milo Valdez J
certainly would try. Even il Nilot
lost with Noel the elder Val /,
u S-I 4 AE.L-lLLfEltgy &lsfEGF aErlNE&.-y ~