Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-07-03

L unlocked drawer, and drew out six
shooter.
mo - he exclaimed, laughing in scorn
''You had better take it,
But he persisted in declining.
VERY well have your own way But
be cool, and keep n sharp lookout. And
promise me one thing, Ward that YOU
will not drink anything more to-mght,. "a,
least until you get back"
Hc had been slowly moving toward the
door, AID now rushed out suddenly, ex-
claiming, with q laugh:
''All right. l guess not''
After he was gone, moved uneasilv in
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
"Where's Sutfn ~ he said.
Don't ask" replied
Oh p he exclaimed, with sCowl, ''Be
gone loug?7
iii halt-past one, he said
''Well | hope he'll get back And with
the last word the door swung shut, as Bal
ley retired
echoed an amen to his wish We all
liked Ward, and felt an interest in him.
He was, young, So bright and capable of so
much.
My head was not clear that night.
could not think straight, nor bring my en-
ergles to bear on the. tasks before me, So
l took my meerschaum down fir, IN the
shelt.scraped 1t carefully, went to a pri-
vate drawer, and filled the pipe with genu-
Inc Turkish tobacco that [ kept on hand
Tor rare occasions like the present one.
For 1t was not often my brain batf1ed me.
and when 1t did, pipeful of this tobacco
would Invariably set things going swim
mlngly. / suspect it contained q liberal
admlxture of those fascinating, treacherous
drugs Tor which the east is famous, for its
effect was always indescnbably exhilarat-
ing. 1t gave me new energy, new life and
quick, far sig hted penetration that could
grapple with any problem within the scope
OF my learning or information.
Perhaps took more liberal allowance
than usual that time. do not know that
| did but [ never felt so keen or so fas-
clnated by any work as on that particular
night. | worked on steadily and untiring-
~, conscious OF DO effort, and completely
absorbed in the tasks before me
| do not know how long | had thus sat
when asery strange incident occurred. II
was the beginning of the straugest expert
/ ence Of my lite-an experience whose
parallel | hope and expect never to pass
through again.
My tasks were completed, with the ex-
cepton of one or two trif1es, and I leaned
back III my chair and yawned, Happen
ING to look around,-I know what impel-
led me to look around at that particular
moment heheld the door opPn noisless
ly, and Ward Suttin entered 1t was about
2 O clock, or after
What is the matter, Ward ?71 | cried
Tor, there was bright red wound on his
forehead, and every vestige of color seem.
ed to have faded from his face
He paid no attention Of my inquiry, but
proceeded direct to his desk and sat down.
He 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 y L spoke loudly aud sharply
But he paid no atteutiol TO my voice, |
concluded that he was so absorbed as not
to hear me, though that would not be like
him. | lett curious 10 know how he had
received the wound on his forehead, which.
however, [ concluded fron bis cool be
havlOr could be nothing serious.
took newspaper, rolled it up into a
bunch, and threw it at his head, thinking
TO startle him
Horror! 1t seemed to 90 thouqh him,
and he went on writing, apparently undis-
turbed
[ gaZed at him spell-bOund.
Finally he threw dJwn his pencil and
arose.
90 See here, old boy ~ [ exclaimed
springing up and starting toward him.
But, without even SO much as looking al
me, he walked quickly TO the door, opened
it, seemed to glide out, and closed it noise.
lessly after him.
I followed him hastily. Going into the
outer hall, expected to overtake him, but
he was not i'll sight. ran across an office
boy:
''Did you see Mr. Sutfin, Just now ?'' I
asked.
''No, Sir"
"You did not ?1
''No, sir. There haiu't been nobody
here :"
GLOW long have you been here ?''
"a few minutes. | was Waitln' for
SIM
"Ward certainly just came out here from
my room"
Guess not-leastwise didn't see him y
| was bewildered. / returned TO nv
room, and was Just about TO sit down TO
my table, when bethought myself to ex-
anime what Wa;d had written.
[ went to his desk, and to my intense
establishment and horror, read the follow
ing
MURDER.-Mr. Ward Suttin, local editor
OF this paper, came to his death at the
hand Of assassins shortly before 2 O'Clock
this morning. He had been Attending
d spectator--au indignation meeting at
Muggins' Forks, and while leaving, was
set upon by three ruffins, and severely
beaten. One OF the trio Accomplished
their muIderous design by striking fear
full blow on his forehead with n small bar
of iron They left his pody in a cellar
way in PinChes alley.
At first | was SO transfiXed as TO be al
only to held the paper in my hands and
stare at it. [ read it thrice over, scanning
each word and letter in horrible faScina.
ton. 1t was Wards handwriting there
was no mistake about that aud Ward had
written it, Tor | had seen him.
Strange to say no suspicion of practi-
cal Joke entered my head for an instant
Calm reflection would doubtless have sug
gcSled thNt explanation of the affair. Bu
| did not reflect calmly. pounced upor
the conclusion without delay, and that was
titst w Gb' u Ddtl Dttu dlltl kudI
had seen his ghost Strange proceeding
would ii not be, for man to appear after
being killed and write his own obituary
However the strangeness nor the prepos
teTousness OF the idea did not enter my
mind then. | simply accepted it at once
with all Its horror and Wildness.
AS said [ held the paper in my hand
and read it carefully. | was in a sort o
stupor for few seconds, and then came
suddenly to act. The place mentioned a
the receptacle of Wards body must b,
searched Immediately.
laid the paper down and went to III,
door. AS [ opened it a gust of wind swep
IN, creating quite cOmmotion among th'
papers. | sprang back TO the table
Wards manuscript had blown on whit h'
rest, and l stopped down to look for i
Just then | heard Bailey's step i'll the out
hall, and l called out:
Bailey! Bailey! Come in here, TO