The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-01-09

pinski's reputation, when Ben a couple
or evenings later told her the next
night he would have to be out all
night In his boat "A most unusual
thing-something jumped up in Caro-
lines throat and her heart beat In
fear.
No man could have deduced that
kimpinski had gotten Ben and his
boat mixed up In liquor smuggling.
Any woman could, especially one who
knew Ben's streak of recklessnesS,
and who had been reading lugger
stories.
Wherefore as Ben's trawler chugged
up to an anchorage three rods
from the shore where Kimpinski's
truck waited, on as dark. q night as
you can nave when there are no stars,
and when Ben, with six Of the cases
piled into his %skifboat, rowed ashore,
four cOastguard gobs and a coastgaard
lieutenant arose out Of the hedge to
greet him, and at the same instant
two others stepped from behind the
trees where they had been watching
Kimpinski for 20 minutes, and grabbed
the junkman by the collar.
We'll just trouble you for the loan
Of your skiff, Travis" said the officer,
till we bring the rest of that stuff
ashore ourselves. Then o can take
her and go about your business. You're
a very lucky chap"
1t was at the front gate Of Caro-
line Webster's home that they had II
out the next afternoon. Caroline.
pale, but determined, met Ben there
and talked to him over the barrier in.
stead Of swinging 1t open, as usual,
In mute welcome.
II know what happened last night"
shee began, taking the situation by
the horns. ut was / who informed
If you want to call 1t that"
Travis looked at her as If she had
struck him in the face.
"You!"
"Yes, |, Ben Travis; you and I have
been nearly three years trying to get
a home together SO as to start right.
II has meant just as much to me as II
has TO you. And in my way I've workei
just as hard for 1t as you have. But
If we ver do have q home together,
Ben, it's got to be one without a stain
on it. 1t has got to be earned straight
and kept straight.
II could have pretended not to know
anything about that escapade Of yours.
Or / could have let 1t go and then
pleaded with you afterward not to do
il ar,Y Lore. But that wouldn't do
neither Of these things would do
for me. You've got a wild streak In
you, Ben, that's got to be driven out.
$50 when I made up my mind that
you were getting into this crooked
liquor smuggling-crooked it is, Ben.
no matter what you may think-I
went straight into town and saw the
c~Ommandant of the coast guard sta
ton. / told them what I felt sure
was going to be done, but / wouldn't
tell them where nor WHO was probably
in it, until they promised to let you
go-and let Kimpinski 60. too, fer the
information he could give them-if
they could only get the goods and get
at the people higher up, the big men
behind the business. They didn't want
to make terms like that. but by and
by they consented. Today the com,
mandant told me over the phone that
Kimpinski had come through and
the men who are financing this traffic
are going to the penitentiary.
ben, / don't know how you're 60
Ing to take this. Maybe you'll think
that a woman who will do a thing like
what I did isn't a ~goodenough pal to
tie up to. If you do, I can't help it.
But II you come through that gate It's
got to be as a man who Is through,
for good and all, with every thought
of getting an easy dollar by breaking
the law of the land" Caroline I'M
latched the gate and stood back.
And Kimpinski wasn't the only
smuggler who "came through"