Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1879-01-29

ment. / had now an additional incen.
tive to make myself agreeable to the
lady, and / determined to bring my art
to bear that success might follow.
/ began by paying her marked atten-
ton, and intruded upon her society
whenever / could find her apart. She
treated me at first with a suspicious re-
serve, but l persevered because she was
really attractive, because her indifference
in a measure wounded my vanity, and
for the less important reason that it was
furthering sone scheme of my partner
to bring TO justice the criminals upon
whose hunt we had started. My efforts
were not wasted; / could discover after q
while that the woman was really becom.
ing fond of me. Her manner toward
me became serious, and she begun to
welcome my attentions with undisguised
delight. My intimacy with her, how
ever, cooled my admiration. l per-
ceived In her a cruel, selfish nature, i'm.
pulsive, sensual, with only the shadow
of q conscience. A mere voluptuous
figure dressed up with art and superficial
grares. / soon became cloyed with her
company, and would gladly have re-
treated had not the business considera-
ton induced me to follow up the affair,
which l did,, / must confess, in such IN
ardent and heartless manner, that she
actually declared her preference for me
stage l became uneasy with my position,
for hardened AZ l had become by contact
with crime, I do not think any person
can charge me with cruelty to women. 1
accordingly contrived to see SLOUGH, and
demanding al explanation, refused to
proceed a step further.
CHOW, Tony" said my partner,
"since you talk of leaving the gal, I'll
tell you how the matter stands. That
ere gal has got q husband. He is our
game, and you must bring him out"
"a husband! where2" l inquired
"On board this very ship" said
SLOUGH.
Who is he?" I anxiously asked.
"He is a dark, complexioned, wary
looking chap in the steerage. l set my
eye, on him the first day out, and have
been watching him ever since. When
Ross began siding up to the gal 1 no.
ticed he watched him like a cat; but a.
| made it out, he saw she was fooling
with Ross-having a little fun all to her
self, and then he got easy again. Now,
thinks l, if Tony gets after that gal in a
serious sort O way, there'll be a man ]
know in the steerage bobbin' round aw.
full"
"And how has he behaved during my
gallantries2" l inquired.
cts better than a play" said SLOUGH
shaking his sides with suppressed laugh
ter. "The chap and l got to be chums
you know. So l took a seat alongside
him while he was squirting toward you
and the gal, and I says, There's a lovin.
couple, amt they?' Then he looks a,
me, and says, Maybe she's somebody
else's wife,"
"'That's no hindrance,' says l. Thai
'ero gal, anybody can zee has gone spoon
ey after that man, and wilder or wife
he can lead her where he likes
"Then he gets up, rolling his eyes
and biting his lips, and goes pacing bacl
and forth on the deck. Pretty soon hi
sets down again and asks me what my
opinion is of woman. 'Wimmin,' sale
l, is not to be trusted. Frailty, thy
name is woman. Do you know who pro
posed that ere toast?' says /. Il cam
say as 1 do says |, says he. william
Shakespeare says l, the wisest maj
that ever lived. If there was anythin,
about wimmin he didn't know, there
40 use in any other mans trying to fine
it out 'Then,' said l., You don't lool
very we'll. May be this rough weathe
is afectin' YOU Il am a little sick,
says he, and then muttered to himself
therell be a sicker man than me aboart
this boat soon.' Look out sharp for him
Tony. He's got a very jealous DISPOSE
ton, and / can see by his eye that hi
means mischief"
"Well, Slouch," said l, "what d,
you advises"
"Go on with your love making, Tony
lay it on pretty thick and strong. II
keep wide awake that he don't hurt any
body. Pitch in strong and we'll bin,
him out"
Upon reflection, l resolved to act il
accordance with the recommendation o
my partner. The motive that could in
unSC a mai anu Ills WIG W SCpdIdC
themselves, hold no communication, no
recognize each other upon a journey lik
this, was a suspicious one. The fact tina
two tickets were purchased with the spu
rious bills accorded exactly with tn
case. So deciding that the end woult
justify the means, l determined to pusl
my advantage with this tickle, incon
slant woman, to test the sagacity o
SLOUGH and my own reasonable surmises
The following evening was calm ant
clear, with just sufficient starlight t,
create dim shadows upon the deck, an,
to exhibit the outline of objects about
! had been making myself as agreeabl
as possible to the woman during tn
early evening, and about ten o'clock, q
my suggestion, she took my arm for
promenade upon the upper deck. Almos
every person had retired, and save tn
officers OF the watch and two or tire
struggling passengers, We we're alone. 4
man lay extended on one of the seats
wrapped in u cloak, and apparent,
asleep, while, on the seat opposite, an
other person whom l recognized q
SLOUGH, was stretched out in apparent,
the same somnolent manner.
While we sauntered back and forth il
that dim starlight, whispering love tina
was false, l held a distant eye on tn
figure in the cloak, and saw that it turn
ed and twisted as we receded, and re
NAMED quiet only as We approached it
Counterfeiting the srdor of true affection
| placed my arm around the woman
waist, and while treading back and fort
in this condition l observed the fgur
by a side glance, as we reached the great
est distance from it, rise spasmodicall,
into a sitting posture, and then dro
again as W returned, and resume ii
quietness. Iproposed.now to rest awhile
and after seating ourselves a littl
distance from the pretended sleeper,
made so bold as to place my arm aroun'
her neck and give her a sounding kiss
Before l could turn myself to note tn
effect. l felt two powerful hands gras
my shoulders, and without time to Al
sumo a position of defence, l was forces
backward upon the deck. A man stoo,
bending over me with his knee upon m,