Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-07-04

] IN the lacc; hhdh you pettci Nait uh-
/ til to morrow night ~
| why o. | know you tkink I'm not
exactly well balanced. But I'm all right.
I'm in just the mood for it to night"
/ Eyes you always are, for that matter.
\ Where do you propose to go tonight ~
Down to Muggins' Forks
/ The very worst place in the city! The
concentration of vile and desperate law
/ lessness.
'Your not in earnest, Ward You're
not going there tonight, are youT'
/ That's just where ! am going. You
/ know their great mogul, Barney Buck, IS
awaiting for trial tor that highway robbery
scrape, and want to hear their comments
1 Jove. won't it be a rich treat ~
II heard they were going TO have talk
about it. y
Eyes, Mugglns' Forks is to hold an in
/ dignation meeting. la ma -
''Well, Ward, ] wouldn't 60 that's all "
"Well, Peck. don't want you to go,
/ but Pm going"
"You NAV take this, if you want 1t )" and
| / unlocked drawer, and drew out six
/ shooter.
mo :" he exclaimed, laughing in scorn.
I "You had better take it,"
/ But he persisted in declining.
/ VERY well have your own way. But,
be cool, and keep a sharp lookout. And
promise me one thing Ward /; that you
will not drink anything more tonight, at
least until you get back"
He had been slowly moving toward the
door, and now rushed out suddenly, ex.
cl1imlng, with laugh
"All right | guess not"
10 | eli N
my chair for some moments, and at last,
with an effort, bent myself to the work be
fore me. Presently Bailey came in on an
GRAND.
"Whele's Sutfn p he said.
"Don't ask,'' | replied.
Oh :" he exclaimed with scowl, "Be
gone long,"
''Iill hali-past one, he said"
"Well hope he'll get back And with
. lie last word the door swung shut as Bal
vley retired.
/ echoed an amen to his wish. We all
liked Ward. and felt an interest in him.
He was, young, 50 bright and capable Of so
much,
My head was not clear that night. !
could not think straight, nor bring my en-
crgics to bear on the tasks before me- So
took my meerschaum down from the
I shelf ,scraped it carefully, went TO pri-
/ yate drawer, and filed the pipe with genu-
| inc Turkish tobacco that kept ON hand
for rare occasions like the present one.
/ For it was not often my brain batiIed me,
aud when it did a pipeful of this tobacco
would invariably set things going SWIM
mingly. suspect it contained liberal
admiXture of those fascinating, treacherous
drugs for which the east is famous, for its
effect was always indescribably cXhilarat-
[ ing. 1t gave me new energy, new life and
quick, iar-s htCd penetration that could
grapple with any problem within the scope
of my learning or information.
/ Perhaps | took a more liberal allowance
/ than usual that time. do not know that
/ | did but never felt so keen or so fas-
! cinated by any work as on that particular
night. | worked on steadily and untiring-
/ ~, conscious of no effort, and completely
absorbed in the tasks before me
do not know how long had thus sat
when very strange incident occurred. 1t
was the beginning of the strangest expert
cnce of my lite--an experience whose
parallel | hope and expect never to pass
through again.
My tasks were completed, with the eX
Ceptoa of one or two trilles, ana leaned
back in my chair and yawned Happen
ing to look around,-I know what impel-
led me TO look around at that particular
moment beheld the door open noisless-
Is, and Ward Suttin entered. 1t was about
o clock, or after,
"What is the matter. Ward - | cried
tor there was bright red wound on his
forehead, and every yestige of color seem
ed TO have faded from his face.
He paid no attention of my inquiry, but
proceeded direct t. his desk and sat down.
lie walked with his usual quick step, and
Immediately on seating himself took pencil
and paper and began to write.
"Ward say
Still he did not reply His pencil travel
ed over the paper rapidly.
Ward ~ | spoke loudly and sharply.
But he paid no attentio to my voice, |
concluded dist he was so absorbed as not
TO hear me, though that would not he like
him. | let curious To know how he had
received the wound ON his Tor, head, which,
however, / concluded from his cool be-
havior could be nothing serious.
toc& ncWspapor rolled it up into
burch, and threw it At his head, thinking
to startie him
Horror. Il seemed to go through him,
and he went on writing, apparently mdis.
turhed
cazed ut him spcll-bound
Finally he threw ,wn his pencil and
arose.
:, See here, old boy - l exclaimed
sprngiug mp and starting toward him.
But, without even so much rs looking AT
me. he walked quickly 20 the door, opened
H. seemed 20 gI1}e out, and closed it noise.
lcssly aIt,r him.
followed him hastily Going into the
outer hall, expected To oycrtake him, but
he WIS not in sight Iran across an office
boy.