The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-04-15
"IIow did you find it out, Gregg

fee by mistake, and then something
Ijust kind ofstruck me to try the thinl
OLA sort. oil experiment you know
"Does any one else know anything
about it?" r . l.f - .r
! Nary onc.' -tt
"rhen see here--this must be {
sccret OF honor between us. an
going to secure that young man t.
write leaders for mc--he is worth his
weight in gold--but nobody mnst
know who he is, and am almost sure
he will never he suspected. Rcmem
ber, Gregory, ifthis secret gets wine
I shall blame you For i'll!
, That very day, Arthur. Granger
w's secured at handsome salary,
to write such articles ~ the elitor re-
quired from week to week; and it wa;
fnrthcr arranged that the matter
should be kept n profound secret and
to avoid suspicion the parties were t.
meet only when absolutely necessary
and then either clandcstincly or open
ly as strangers. The effect Of tho
first article we have mentioned but
when the succeeding week, some three
or four more of the same stamp ap-
peared, if anything more caustic aud
cutting directed against the whole
party. and individual members be.
side, the excitement increased. curl
osity became eager and wonder grew
apace. And each succeeding week
hut added fuel to the flame. The
democrats grew triumphant and the
Wings furious when the parties he.
ing nearly equally divide |, the form
er carried the election 10y respecta-
bic majority, the latter grew despcr-
ate, AMI raved like mndmen, denoun-
cling the unknown writcras II liar and
coward, and making q standing Of.
fer of Il thousand dollars to any one
who would disclose his name.
"If YOU are discovered, Granger,
vou will have to quit this region on
short notice. said the proprietor OF
the democratic paper to the young
lawyer, during one Of their stolen in
tcrviews.
"Why so e. asked the latter.
"Bccause you will bc in danger. y
"Will thoy murder me- I"
"They will insult or challenge You,
and YOU will have to fight or run
"Supposc I ight?"
"And he kill d?'
Il must take chances Of course. I
shall bc entitled to choice ofwcapons
"What then? What can You do
You are not heavy enough for the
bowie knife, and your antagonist will
be most likely to I've dead shot."
"Bv your leave he may be shot
dead himselfW
eli can you shoot p
with one Of my hair Triggers can
snuff candle ut ten paccs.'
you amaze and delight me-
Where did You learn to handle the
pistol with So much skill 2
"For the last two months / have
been practising daily in the woods
Just ont of town preparing for such a
crisis, which | have all along foresccn.
By heavens! exclaimed the other,
grasping the yo1ng mans hand with
Al increased admiration, II am Just
beginning to know yon, ana l am
proud OF your acquaintance. To tell
you the hone.t truth, never snppos-
cd there was any more fight in you
than IN n girl of sixteen years and
for n Young man to be challenged in
this region and refuse to fight, is to
he forever disgraccd, F., and not even
the genius of Shakespeare, and the
wisdom of solomon, could give you
any influence over these people; there
fore, I believe YOU woIld have to leave
the state in event Of n discovery"
"Mr. Bradley" rejoincd the Young
man, with compressed lips, and ape
cnliar CLEAN Of his dark blue eye,
IL hope and pray it may never be my
fcrtune to meet an antagonist on the
so called feld-uf honor; but should
snch he the cnso mark met may
fnll--but he will die Let.us change
that subject
The crisis came. Accidentally the
secret was discovered, anl in less
than twcntv-four hours Arthnr Gran
ger received three challenges to NOR.
tal combat from three different par,
ties. lie called upon Mr., Bradley,
I his employer, to act as his friend and
second, and assured him he WAS ready
10 fight them all.
! MY dear friend" said the journ-
alist, taking him by the hand, "this is
serious business. These men are all
practical duelists and considered dead
shots. They intend to kill, that is
certain and to he candid, | see little
hope ofyon escaping all three. am
not snre that you should accept more
than one challenge at present
"Oh, yes-all y returned the young
hero, positively, "Plcase arrange the
first affair for sunrise tomorrow NOR.
ning--the second half an hour latel
the third haitian hour later, the fourth
half an hour later still. III escape
the first, shall lie in time for the
second; and if the second, the third
will not be kept waiting. II l fall
before giving such chance, must
be excused" ..t iHiit %
Bradley threw his arms around tho
neck of the young man, and fairly
hugged him so great was his admi
4 ration of his coolnoSs and cOuraon