Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-04-04
CHAprrR xIII-fcontInaed,

Nicksey interrupted his visitor to
gay
4No. II isn't that" and then, raising
his voice:
II want to know why you say all
this to me with your face muffled up.
End your hat pressed down over your
eyes,
And as he spoke, with a rapid wave
of his hand. he sent the strangers bat
dying from his head.
"Insolent ~yillainr' cried the man as
aanlted. bursting with rage and ex-
tending his clenched hands threaten
sDgly toward Nicksey.
And the latter said quietly and sar-
asstically:
-Syhy, your hands are az white as
those of a gentleman who can't a
his dinner without gloves"
Instantly the strangers hands were
shrust into the pockets Of his coat
II will have no more of this" he ex-
claimed; give MI those letters"
And then to that demand, sternly
uttered. Nicksey quietly said:
shall I tell you what i think Of your
visit?'
what matter your thoughts to mer
was angrily answered.
II think that IL I were TO give you
Nm those letters and suffer you TO burn
them IL would not then be long before
Mrs. Chesterton would do that, which
at present she dare not attempt; j
mean, send me to Jail for having. with
eut her permission, made free with GER
tain bank notes"
He paused, looking keenly and close
ly at his visitor, who was foaming with
a but attempted not to speak
So Nicksey shouted in his ear:
And instead Of a poor devil to
whom Mrs. Chesterton has rendered
n service. / believe you to be-her ac-
complete"
Wretch" muttered the stranger.
IF I am not mistaken" resumed
Nicksey, but now lowering his voice,
you and / had a little business togeth-
-er about twenty years ago. You were
the master In that job OF One Tree
Square. who gave me a draught from
your flask which was intended to re-
Eieye you of all uneasiness on my ac-
rpunt and the hand which gave me
that flask happened to be u~ngloved,
and was Just as white as those Of
which you just now suffered me to
have a fun view, n more than thatr'
and Nicksey snatched n Of the mans
hands from Its hiding place, "the hand
which gave me the poisoned liquor had
q scar on ii, precisely such as this"
And Nicksey held firmly the others
hand and pointed triumphantly to a
large scar with which 1t was scanned.
Having presently wrenched his arm
from Nicksey's vice-like hold, his Wis
.itor said:
THAT suspicion may cost you rather
dearly"
Not needing that last observation:
Il have paid myself that which was
due to me from the woman OF One
Tree Square" continued Nicksey, "but
you and / have yet to settle our 20
counts, my friend, for as surely as
was one Of those masked men who
stood beneath that tree on the night Of
the Fifth of February, 1907. so surely
were you the other!"
cused, replied only:
Beware. Nicholas Shearman, those
letters are, to you, useless; and by re-
fusing them to me you may destroy
y~ourselfr'
He placed his hand in his pocket,
and drew forth bank notes and letters,
standing, however, several feet from
his visitor and keeping a wary eye on
his movements.
Having separated the letters from
bank notes he replaced the latter
in his pocket, and, holding up the form
er. said:
"See. here they arer'
The other man was dashing forward
TO take them but:
wait a minuter' cried Nicksey, re-
treating as his visitor advanced. and
shrusting the letters back into the OPP
posite pocket to that to which he had
just returned the bank notes.
II will give you those letters when
L have had a fair look at your face,
and You nave told me your name"
said Nicksey quietly.
The other foamed and grinned like
a bafiled hyena.
And what's morer' cried Nicksey,
you don't go until / know something
more about youv"
And he leaped forward suddenly and
fastened his hands upon the scarf,
which the wearer had raised SO as al
most entirely to conceal his face
Struggling TO free himself from Nick
sey's grasp:
IF you set the smallest value on
your life. take off your hands.' ex
claimed the man assaulted.
But Nicksey, tightening his hold,
cried:
mo. / must be better acquainted
with you. my debtori'
And then a long and terrible st-ug.
gle ensued between those men; both
determined. both full of deadliest rage
but Nicksey was surpassed in strength
and in the power Of endurance, too, b.
mis- antagonist.
The stranger had forced Nicksey
back npon the table and was bending
over him and grasping him by the
throat when Nicksey at last succeeded
in that which only from the first OF
the struggle he had been attempt ng
and drew away the scarf which had
hidden from him he others face.
And the men were In such close con.
tact then hat as each one gasped and
painted. the other felt his adversary's
hot breath UPON his cheek.
The table had been staining near "a
the fire. and the light Of he candle on
the chimney-piece cast, rs the men