The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-07-03

tation. , .
The door was flung wide and In the
stream of light Mr.. and Mrs. Harrfng.
ton stood looking eagerly out into the
darkness. with a little girl of IL In a
white dress. peerfng shyly but curious
ly around her mother and a boy OF 5
struggling to get into the center Of the
family group. Jean stood alone in the
light on the porch, with Holt In the
shadow at her side.
4 have brought Miss Grayson," said
Holt In q grave, almost challenging
tone, from his dark position Just out
side the stream OF light.
But the people In the doorway whose
eyes had come fro mthe lighted room
saw only the figure of the girl standing
in the brightness.
"Oh, Jean! My little sister! You
have come at last!" cried Mrs. Har.
rington, rushing forward to clasp her
in her arms, and draw her inside the
door; and In the confusion Of the
greetings the girl'G escort was quite
forgotten for the moment.
b Within the doorway at last they
looked about for him and found no
one.
why, who came with you. child?
Where has he gomez" asked her broth
erinlaw solicitously. We must ask
him In and hear all about your adyen-
lures" He stepped out on the porch
and looked down the path in the moon
light, but saw no n anywhere.
Eyes, please ask him In" pleaded
Jean, her face illumined with eager
ness, "he has been so wonderful! He
saved my life. II It hadn't been for
him I shouldn't have been here" And
she hurried to the door and peered out
into the darkness.
"Of course" said her sister, going to
the door to look. How thoughtless
Of us not to have welcomed him at
once, gut We were so overwhelmed to
have you at last, after all the anxiety
you can't think how terrible it has
been. Which way could he have
gone? James, look down the road
either way. He can't be far away.
What was his name, Jean? Can't you
call after him?"
HE must be over there" . Jean
poitred toward the great tree where
the horses had stood but a short mo-
ment before. 1--WE dismounted just I'M
der that tree. He can't have gone far
with two horsss-so soon" and she
hurried across the grass to the tree,
but there was no sign of horse or man
in the deep shadow or the serene
moonlight anywhere. s. ....
Call, Jams!" commanded Mrs.
Harrington, and her husband obeyed,
but no answering call came back, save
the echoes of his voice. &
What did you say his name was,
Jean?" asked the puzzled householder
walking slowly back to the steps. ut
seems very strange he could get away
SO o Where was he going? Did
he live near here? We ought to put
him UP for the night, of course It's
most notifying to have him disappear
in this manne when he has been so
good to you. He must have gone to
find rest and food for his horses and
himself. Ill send the servant out to
look him up. Hess surely find him.
What did he look like? What did you
say was his name?" . %. - D..
Jean, slowly climbing the steps to
the porch, and comprehending that
Hollis disappearance had been inten.
tional, answered in a strange low voice
that tried to be natural:
Holt, his name was Holt, Jasper
Holt her voice fingered on the
words as IL she would glorify the man
by merely speaking his name, and ele.
vate him in their eyes to the place he
occupied in her heart.
Holt" exclaimed her brotherinlaw.
Holt! Not Jasper Holt! Impossible!
There must be some mistake"
"It couldn't have been Jasper Hob,
of course" said his wife quite decid,
eddy. "He isn't capable of saving any.
body's life, much less a relative OF
ours, Jean dear. It must have been
someone else. Are you sure about the
name?"' fl
"Quite sure!" said Jean c~omposedlN
though she felt her whole frame trem'
bling. " .'E ...,
Perhaps it was his father" sug'
gested Eleanor, locking at her hus
band. Have you eve heard that
Jasper Holt had a father living
James? How old a man was he,
Jean?" H..
"He was a young man, Eleanor, tall
and handsome, and very brave and
strong" Jeans eyes were lifted tc
met, her sisters smiling doubt, and her
chin was raised with an attitude o1
defiance.
Listen, Eleanor, he was wonderful
II dropped from the window Of TIE
burning sleepr into a river, and soma
thing struck me on the head when
rose and tried to swim" q
you poor. dear little GIRL inter;o
lated Eleanor, reaching out yearrin;
arms to clasp her s:stor again, bu
Jean held her gently back and wet OF
with her eager tale.
! He caught ne and dragged m,
along, helping me as FAR as I ennld 90
and when I couldn't swim sny longaI
he brought me a long distance h assI
J to land, and carried me a gIsai way.