The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1921-02-10
CHAPTER xiI-continued.

voice was thin and sharp like his face
high like the peaked crown Of his
rusty hat.
"Did your grandpa send your"
"Uh-huhl / brung y'u a letter.
Gran'pa tends { III post Office now.
The OF postmaster had a stroke night
bfore last, an hain't knowed nothln'
since. SO gran pa tends to IT."
He unbuttoDed the bosom OF his
waist, drew out a letter and handed it
over.
"Air you P6x 23?"
"I-yes-I guess So" was the
startled answer as she took the letter.
"Huhl That's a funny name-fer a
girl"
But she was too busy with the let
ter to notice the remark. Ii was adj
dressed In a very bold and legible
hand Box %, Buckeye, Ind. The
postmark she could not be sure Of. 1t
appeared 10 be V%incennes, but some Of
the letters were too dull to read with
certainty.
rs that your r~'volver7"
There was NOT much chance to read
letters-or do anything else--wIth a
%youngster like that in the house.
"Yes. Have they found that man
that escaped from jail last nightT"
NAV! An / hope they don't. 1
met that timber buyin' Teller on the
way down here" He came near the
girls chair. "If they's anybody / hate.
It's him. Gran'pa says"--he leant
nearer, and spoke low--'he kills peo-
plel Geel but ! wus skeered when /
saw him a-comin' down. tn roadl He
wus awful mad. an a-swearin' to his
self. He slashed at me with a switch.
But ! ducked. an cut dirt, an Skinned
owe tn fence. When | looked back
he was a-goin' on toward town, an |
streaked 1t through tn woods lickety-
split"
The very Information she had beer
about to venture forth into the woods
to acquire.
"TIow Is your grandma today7"
"Oh, she's well ag'ln. She cooks
lots Of things now. She fried me
some ~screw-cakes yisterd'y."
He was gone-"llckety-split.n
The girl closed the door. laughing
softly, and turned toward the curtains.
The P~earlhunter was just coming
through them. at couldn't have
turned ont better" he said. .The
dark, one stroke more, and things will
take a turn."
THAT stroke!" She was very
thoughtful, her eyes searching the side
Of bis face toward her. "You speak
ot IT lightly; but so you spoke of that
dreadful fight with the mob"
He sa, still a long time.
II don't know why ] shouldn't tell
you." he said ut last. "The only rea-
son ! didn't was to save you the
thought of 1t. But a girl like you'd
ask no better backin' in a tight place."
Her face lighted.
"Then why not take me with your"
He started, turned his slow eyes
toward her. A moment he studied
her. and then shook his head. =,
"No"-the word seemed final. at
wvo't do for a girl-a lady-to hear
what will have to be heard tonight /;
snd see what will have to be seem"
Her eyes cropped so did his They
both met at she same focus-the letter
In her hand. She passed 1t to him. He
turned II over and over, looked at the
address, the postscript, and handed 1t
back.
Il never GOT a letter in my life." he
said. nor wrote one"
Neither did l." She turned the let
ter over and over studying It "Box
%" she unused. Its for Daddy He
couldn't read it, even II he were here.
NO you think l should open It'll"
"Yes, / think you should" he adj
vlsed.
She tore open the end Of the envel-
ope and drew out a folded sheet Of
legal cap. AS she unfoldcd II, a bill
IA greenback- fell out upon her lap.
She pounced upon 1t.
aFifty dollarsi Why-why-w
.The letter will TELL" he said. lean
ipgs eagerly toward her.
she unfolded the sim sheet. the In
ner side of Ii covered with the letter,
written in a clear, readable hand:
.vincennes, Ind, June ID. ISL.
"My Dear Colonel:
Enclosed | am sending the usual
monthly remittance. IS reT your order
when you left.
.Vhy haven't you answered any OF
nv lefters2 II have sent the remit
lance regularly but have not heard a
word from you for nearly seven years.
A / have repeatedly told you, your
estate has increased till l hardly know
how to invest It further. II don't
bear from you I shall have to come
~ to Buckeye for a consultation.
aThe little girl-little Hesper Dawn
--rnusf be quite a woman now. As
have written you, her grandfather, old
Godfrey Dawn, died last year. He re-
penfed III his last hours and left her
sole heir to his fortune which, as you
grow. Is even more considerable than
.cur own. The estate Is IN my hands
r.ady 10 convey to her. The legal age
n 4 woman In this state Is eighteen,
" MA a. -