The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1919-10-02
the afe of eight years, and who
knew a great deal about hell"

the afe of eight years, and VIII,
knew a great deal about hell"
Without waiting to observe tn,
effect Of this somewhat surprising
information, he nodded a ligh.
farewell and went with Il leisurely
step across the sidewalk, up to the
entrance of the hose with the gold
fish in the window. The door flew
:, open at his approach, and CLOSED
noiselessly behind him.
After a pause of stupefaction:
the boy turned away toward the
cast side of the city. But, mind
full of those streets wree to be
weak is 20 be in danger, he again
halted and unfolded the bank note
until now held crushed in his cold
discolored fist. It was not a SIS
bill, as he had supposed, but on of
$40.
David Noel was not an Ordinary
boys, as his later history showed +;
yet it might have been that his
meeting with the little girl would
not have stamped SO deep an i'm
preston upon his plastic youth
had he not met the gentleman
also. If he could not understand
the allusion, he could understand
the thought implied, and the
ma2's careless suggestion became
The boys fixed idea. The magic
shoes were never to be forgotten.
Their small imprints were to go
before him on a strange trail, a
path that turned away from all
he knew; and the first blaze on
the trail was the $40 bill. He
snoothed it between his fingers,
sobered rather than exultant. Five
dollar woulds have been a wind
fall $40 was a sum for serious in
vestment. And it was the gift Of
his very small lady; none the less
her gife because, as he well know,
the shoes had gone back TO- her.
He dimly felt that the money was
not to be spent without making q
difference in his future; it was
gate money to be paid for entrance
to a new place. Young as he was.
he had long since resolved not to-
live out his time in the place to-
which he had been born. Now,
the urge of action, the capital to
finance it, and the driving Of a
fine discomfort were abruptly
thrust upon him by baby hands,
with baby impetuosity. He stood
m the freezing street, dazed as a
boy, rcsolute as q man, and con-
sidered what he held.
Presently he raised his head and
looked about him. Decided upon
his first course by a craft learned
from the gutter, he brok into a
run and dashed into a smart, glass
fronted tobacco shop across the
avenue.
"Chsnge for an old gent that
wants to buy a paper!" he painted
his, request. Wont you do it,
iDaisyg"
The gIr1 cashier toward whom
he, pushed the $40 bill across the
mounter laughed good naturally
and too Ethe money.
why didn't you run away with
iittfs'' Ii leased hl1fm
Maybe, I Will yet,." he answered,
lingering in the warm, tobacco
interior. "Say, whose
house is that-aeruss theref The
'one with a Big, fancy kind of fish
: Bowl u, Tive M;;ms9e.r9 Whc lives
there 7'y
"That's the. old Bruce house."
The people are called Brucef"
"Strel Awful swells!'' she
Aim amusedgy. "Going to
buy iitt7f
: Maybe! h the little girl that
lives there called Bruce, tooi"
! "Shre! Miss Constance, You
mean? Shes old Madam Bruce's
granddaughter"
Tile, boy nodded slowly gather
ing together the heap of small
bills. and silver the girl returned
to him..
"Think they're likely to move
awaya'' he asked, as casually as
he could manage the question.
The cashier stared, and laughed
outright
"l guess not! That house is
sevanty-five years old, and no one
except Bruees ever lived in it.
Say, is your old gent waiting out
theref He'll be coming after you
with a policeman.
Recalled to his role, avid ex-
claimed . phrase of thanks swept
the pile of money into his hand
and ran ont with every appear
anca of hastef A round the cor
ner of the building, he stopped
and carefully bestowed his wealth
in various places throuphOnt HIS