Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-04-29
CHAPTER XIX.
TARDY REPENTANCE.


TARDY REPENTANCE
OF course, SO soon as alone | regretted bit
terly my manner at parting toward Blanche
and spent large portion of the night in
imaginary interviews with her, in which ]
acted more nationally and smoothed over all
my roughness. | resolved to see her as early
as possible next day and acknowledge to her
my error. But the doors of our to-morrows
are not always those of our to-days, and may
open on far different scenes and events, on
which or in which, despite all our effort OF
inclination, we must either gaze or partici-
pate.
Broener arrived early that morning
knew that a surprise was in store for him
and wondered how he would take it. knew
that he had been disappointed at not finding
Blanche at Marysville, and least of all ex-
pected to find her at Bull Bar He showed
no signs of chagrin, however This was
characteristic of him. 1t was his philosophy
that care, vexation, trouble of any sort or
from any cause were all foes to be fought of
and beaten off as speedily as possible 1.-THE
actual event, he said, twas quite enough All
dwelling in thought upon it afterward was in
substance a recreation and repetition of it.
Switch the mind off on some other track and
put the trouble out of sight. 1t can be done
by training"
OF Blanche's presence said nothing He
would visit Pratt and find out for himself
Concerning my capture and the events of
the night 1 told him in the briefest possible
terms. OF the manner of my release / said
simply, Il got away" That left a large
field for conjecture. He saw that | preferred
to remain reticent and did not question me.
Uncertain as were our social relations toward
each other we had reached that fortunate
condition where each knew to a hairs
breadth where tho other desired to stop at
self-revelations, and acted accordingly.
Soon after breakfast he went over to
Pratt's Despite my misery l was half
amused at a thought thus shaping itself:
''Well, the drama progresses / wonder
what figure viii be disclosed by the next
turn of the kaleidoscope" I had uncon-
sciously absorbed something of Broeners
philosophy "No matter what happened, y
he said, "a man who had brain enough could
always find something of interest in noting
that no two of lifes pictures were exactly
alike, and that, as regards incident, event or
situation, every day for such a man had some
new shade of color"
He returned in about half an hour, sat
down awhile, pared his nails carefully, and
finally remarked: "This world is all fleet
ing show; but, nevertheless, a very interest
ing one. | wonder which way the cat will
Jump next At the same time how monot-
onous it would be if the cat jumped the same
way every time"
l could not help laughing in spite of all
eyes, he said, as if in reply to remark of
mine, II agree with you, Holder. Out of the
nettle trouble we will find flowers of recrea-
ton, if not of resignation
| wondered for whom he meant the term
resignation The man had sometimes two
and even three meanings for some of his SEN
fences, which it might take days, even weeks,
to make out.
How is Prattr' l asked.
ITO the ordinary Defeating mind of Bull
Bar he replied, 1.-THE professional pill-ped-
der who practices the solemn scientific over
him included, he is no better. To one like
myself, few degrees higher than they in the
plane of intelligent animal development, he
will eventually mend and recover the small
fragment of mind vouchsafed him by-well,
the Infinite: oh, woman, in her hours of
ease etc.
A horseman rode up to the cabin door and
called out: "Does John Holder live hereg"
II am John Holder" replied, coming out.
This was a deputy sheriff with a warrant
for my arrest on charge of assault with in
tent to kill Jededah Pratt
gave myself up and asked of the officer
as a favor that he would make no parade of
me as his prisoner on the Bar. | desired
above all things not to make any semi-dram-
attic departure in this situation before
Blanche, or give her any notice of it what
ever. 81 have friends, said to him, ''liv-
ing near by, and | don't wish they should
see me-"
- will be responsible for Mr.. Holder said
Broener
'All rigat," said tho deputy. ''You want
to get away quietly, I know I'll wait for
you up yonder, where the trail turns up the
mountain"
4 will go with yoa nnd give bail for your
appearance, said Brocner.
NO ! said; Pm going to jailn
u wouldn't do that" he replied. First,
there isn't the least necessity for it. Second,
it will hurt your case. Appearances go a
long way here, and to go to Jail is to put
yourself in the position before the community
of man without money and without friends. "
Well | asked, what matters that so
long as | am innocent!o
''It matters a great deal,n he answered,
from the point of view that law is dealt out
here-or elsewhere. Plate sin with Oro' you
know, and the lance of justice harmless
breaks. Clothe it in rags, pigmy's straw
doth pierce it, How William s. did write
for po5terity, with a big Fl Come, Holder,
don't make what's hard any harder than ii
need be-"
1t was not so easy now to resist him as
had imagined There was a shade of tender
ness and feeling in his tones, ana in his look
also. Some change had come over him.
What, to me, was indefnable. But | would
60 to jail
Sorry, Holder, that I've got to put the
matter to you, then, in another light he
said. This arrest of yours is aimed at me
as well as you, and is backed up by some
party behind Pratt, influenced by some mo
tive other than that of mere friendship fol-
Pratt. The parties are, | think, those who
sent him up here to hunt for the Bank.
Suppose they manage to get you in prison
though but for a time. Then you, as one o.
the Bank keepers are out of the way Next
they'd probably turn their batteries on me
whoop up some prejudice against me on thu
Bar as an abettor in the assassination anC
cripple me by legal process in some way
! This leaves the Bank at their mercy. Theil
| tool hero now is possibly Setter The only
| flaw in their calculations is this: The Bank
| Is nearly worked out Still it may be a feeder
/ TO some even richer vein Anyway, | wan
to fight this thing out. As matter o
simple justice, ought you not to help me il
the best way you can"
YES
Very well. One of these best ways lies il
/ not going to Jail when you can get bail fo
4 your appearance, and so keep respectable
showing for our side
I'D as lieye go to jail as stay ON this bar,
replied Its been hell to me for weeks"
''You needn't stay ON the bar, he answered
"Stay anywhere you like Travel round ant
amuse yourself as you like till the trial come
on
And leave you here with Blanche Seton
thought.
I'VE might ramble round together h
said, after a pause Hunt more quart
leads elsewhere. We're posted in all it's sign
( and indications, and there's world of tina
wealth lying as yet uncovered all over thi
state
Then in mind | objected because-becaus
l could not be near Blanche, on the Bar, ant
because, turn which way | would. Broene
I seemed always getting the best of me i
making me act like a rational creature
Now, thought, confound him, he outdoes m
in unselfshness in volunteering thus to leav
the Bar and Blanche himself.
/ consented on one condition: that in a
that concerned the trial / should have m
own way.
/ Broener was well known to the deputy