Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-03-23

might take alarm. Here is the address.
You had better take it down"
.'Oh! I'll find the place ALL" Then
Thompson thought a moment and
pulled himself together. Thanks"
he said. carefully noting down the
street and number.
The detachment OF police drew up In
front of the place q few minutes be-
fore two. The streets were deserted
and SO silent were the bluecoats that
the footsteps of a belated wsyfarer
sounded sharply in the night air from
the stone pavement of the distant
avenue.
'.Are you sure" said McCrasky to the
man in charge of the police, that
there is not a private entrance some
whereof
Certainly. there is" was the impa-
tient reply. ''Sergt McCollum and
four men are stationed in the alley be.
hind. We know our business, SIR"
McCrasky thought this was snub.
and he was right He looked around
in the darkness for his reporters. He
found them standing together in a
doorway on the opposite side of the
street.
''Been here long," he whispered.
Murren was gloomy and did not an.
swer. The religious editor removed
his corncob and said briefly: 'About
ten minutes, SIR" Thompson was gaz-
across the way.
you've seen nobody come out?'
Nobody. On the contrary, about
half dozen have gone up that stair.
way"
lis that the place, sir?" asked Thomp
son. with a lamb-like innocence, Of the
criminal reporter.
Eyes. upstairs there"
"What did tell you?" said the reli.
gious editor. Thompson insisted ii
was next door,"
Come along" said McCrasky, 1.-The
police are moving at last"
A big bell in the neighborhood sol.
EMMY struck two slow strokes and all
over the city the hour sounded in vari
Gus degrees of tone and speed. A whis-
tie rang out and was distinctly an
swered. The police moved quickly and
quietly up the stairway.
Have you tickets, gentlemen" asked
the man at the door, politely; ''this is a
private assembly,"
1.-THE police, said the sergeant, short
~, ''stand aside"
If the police were astonished at the
sight which met their gaze their faces
did not show it. But McCrasky had
not such control over his features and
he looked dumfounded. The room
was the same, undoubtedly, but there
was not the vestige of card to be seen.
There were no tables, and even the bar
had disappeared. The chairs were
nicely arranged and most of them were
occupied. At the further end of the
room Pony Rowen stood on a platform
or on box or some elevation, and his
pale, earnest face was lighted up with
the enthusiasm of the public speaker.
He was saying:
ION the purity of the ballot, gentle
men, depends the very life of the re-
public. That every man should be
permitted, without interference or in.
timidation, to cast his vote, and that
every vote so cast should be honestly
counted, is, take it, the desire of all
who now listen to my words" Great
applause, during which Pony took a
sip from glass that may have con-
tanned water.
The police had come in so quietly
that no one, apparently, had noticed
their entrance, except that good man
Mellish, who hurried forward to well
come the intruders-
''Wil you take a seat?" he asked.
''We are having little political talk
from MIR. Rowell, sergeant"
Rather an unusual hour, Mr.. Mel
llsh," said the sergeant. grimly.
1T is little late" admitted Mellish,
as if the idea had not occurred to him
before.
The police who had come in by the
back entrance appeared at the other
end of the room and it was evident that
Rowell's Grafton had come to an un-
timely end. Pony looked grieved and
hurt, but said nothing.
''We will have to search the prem.
Uses, Mr.. Mellish," said the sergeant
Mellish gave them every assistance,
but nothing was found.
As the four men walked back to-
Rether to the Argus Office McCrasky
was very Indignant
ave will expose the police to-mor.
row." he said. They evidently gave
Mellish the tip"
81 don't think So" said Thompson.
1--WE will say nothing about it."
.'You forget yourself, Mr.. Thompson.
It rests with me to say what shall go
on the local page. Not with YOU"
II don't forget myself" answered
Thompson, sadly; "I've just rcmem-
bered myself. The Argus appointed
me local editor yesterday. Didn't they
tell you about it? That's just like
them. They forgot to mention the
fact to Corbin that ne had been super
seeded and the manager went off fish
ing after appointing Jonsey local ed
itor, so that for week we had two
local editors, each one countermanding
the orders of the other. 1t was an awful
week. You remember it, Murren?"
Murren's groan seemed to indicate
that his recollection of the exciting
time was not a pleasant memory.
I'm case of doubt" murmured the
religious editor, this time without re-
moving his corncob. ''obey the orders
of the new man where the Argus is
concerned. Thompson, old man. I'm
wild you. When did the blow fall?"
Yesterday afternoon" said Thomp-
son, almost with a sob; "Pn be dis
missed within a month, SO I am rather
sorry. liked working on the Argus
as q reporter. 1 never looked for such
i'll luck as promotion But we all
have our troubles, haven't we, Mac?"
McCrasky did not answer. He is
now, / believe, connected with some
paper in Texas.-Luke Sharp. in De-