Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-05-09

| easier. Go on. go on
'Good morning, Uncle joe" said to
| the old gentleman, the next day, ''any
more communications from that esteemed
| friend of our family, X. Y. T.? l hope
to have the pleasure of meeting him or
| rather her Mt q later day. Such people
| are so apt to be delightful acquaintance"
! Don't, Will, for heavens sake, don't
| jest about such serious matter" replied
the old gentleman. II haven't slept a
| wink all night. Poor Elizabeth. be-
gin to feel the deepest sympathy for her
| a. the time grows near for us to enter
| upon this wretched business. And yet,
my dear boy, it's our duty; it's your duty
| to punish her. She is young: it will be a
terrible but salutary lesson. But Will.
it need not separate you-unless-un-
less" and Uncle Joe's voice choked up.
"Unless what, Uncle Joe?" asked.
"Why, unless we find that this young
villain has succeeded in making her so dis
| satisfied with her humble lot in life that
you will not be able to win her back
| again.
ooh, Uncle Joe," said l, 'let's hope that
the thing is not so bad as that. You
| wrong Bess. She is not half SO vain and
frivolous as you imagine"
"God grant it. God grant it, my poor
boy" cried the old gentleman, dashing a
| tear away with the back Of his hand, but,
Will, know women; they are SO weak;
nothing but grown-up children, that's all,
that's ALL"
As entered the corner drug store, I'm
Gle Joe was just in the act of drinking
| glass of soda water, and as drew near
1 noticed that it had most suspicious
odor which the flavor of the strawberry
had not been able to disguise. The fact
is, the old gentleman had been taking
something to steady his nerves. His face
had a drawn look and, although he pre-
tended to be quite hmselg, it was only
too apparent that the thought of discov-
ering skeleton in my closet was wor-
rying him dreadfully. The night was
overcast, and the solitary gas light was
too distant to do more than accentuate
the darkness of the area into which we
took refuge. Five, ten, fifteen minutes
went BY and not q soul even passed
through the street. Uncle Joe's nerves
were in pitiable condition. A sudden
splitting BY Tabby caused him to give a
start as If an unseen hand had been laid
upon his shoulder. Suddenly felt him
clutch my arm.
Look, look" he whispered, as his
breath came and went with q labored
sound.
Sure enough, person of about medium
height, slight build, fashionably clad,
wearing a silk hat and carrying a cane,
was walking in a rapid gait with a noise.
less and stealthy step toward my house.
Uncle Joe stopped breathing, but tight
ened his clutch on my arm. The figure
halted for second at my stoop, glanced
nervously up and down the street, and
then sprang up the steps with the agility
Of cat.
"Ha!" came in hoarse whisper from
Uncle Joe.
SSH! said 1; gracious heaven, don't
give an alarm!'
waited for the fashionably clad caller
to ring; but no, the figure passed into the
vestibule and we heard the door close be-
hind it.
"Great God" exclaimed Uncle Joe, put
ting his lips to my ear, 'either one of
two things must be true: he has latch
key, or Elizabeth was waiting for him."
1T would seem %" I replied, "but come,
lets look into the matter a little more
closely"
Hold on. WILL" whispered Uncle joe
now let me manage this thing. It would
be as humiliating for you as for Eliza-
beth, for you to engage personally in a
hunt for this young serpent that has lust
crawled into your house. Leave him to
me. Let me make the capture. I've
waited long years for this opportunity, I
knew 1t would come at last. knew he
was bound to run himself into hoe; now
let me have the pleasure of telling him
just what think about him. 1t will do
me q heap Of good
Whats your plan, UncleY' asked
quietly.
"Well, he 10 in there, isn't he?" oueried
the old gentleman; you admit that, don't
you, or are you such a doubling Thomas
that you want to wait until you hear him
cry out for mercy before you'll believe
that your dear friend. dandy Van,' has
played you false2"
Vanlier Wright, who had just lighted
fresh cigarette, sent series of graceful
rings floating of into the air, seemingly
utterly unconscious of the anything but
complimentary language which had lust
dropped from his friends iips.
Halford Dunn fdgeted about in his
chair, and began to think that what he
had imagined to be simply bit of play
fal farce was very likely to turn out a
genuine mel0drama with a bad. mad man
in 1t. He half wished himself we'll ont of
the scrape, for he had very little taste
for the serious side of life.
Admitting that he is in there. Uncle.
! made answer. exactly what do you
propose to dor t
Lock him in, doggone him." muttered
Uncle Joe, between his teeth. Come. sir.
leave It all to me. III preserve my dig.
nifty, Will, promise you that, but hang
me II don't wither him with my glance"
We now entered the house, Uncle Joe
locking the front door, taking out the
key and putting it into his pocket. Then
pushing me aside, he whispered: "Let me
be the first to face him, WILL" and hang.
ing his hat on the rack, he drew himself
up In military attitude, holding his cane
- II It were . sword, and he were march
ing IN review, turned the knob Of the par
lor door and, giving it such violent push
that It dew back against the wall. m.
setting wobbly little table which had
staggered under . heavy plaster imare.
ever since We had been married. smash.
ing the image into thousand pieces. FOR
this drst practical result Of Uncle Joe's