Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-11-05
stretched out the right hand of fellow.

ship. But alas! Herr Schmidt was
young and handsome-far too hand
some, Phineas thought.
Every well, Mary" said Phineas, TAX
ing his hat from the peg and making
for the door; you have overruled me
as usual, and must be prepared for the
consequences. In less than week we
shall have the house and garden over
run with every conceivable variety of
reptile-from the beastly lizard to the
boa constructor"
And Phineas stalked Indignantly
forth with the merry laughter of his
wife ringing in his ears.
Ill.
A month or more had passed, and SO
far the fears of Phineas had proved to
be groundless. Herr Schmidt's mon
strosities" had been kept we'll within
bounds, and as yet Mr.. Peel had not
seen so much as strange caterpillar
in his garden, which never looked bet
ter.
However, he was not happy. He had
taken an aversion to the new tenant
from the first, and would never be sat-
isfied until he had got rid of him.
"Confound the fellow" muttered
Phineas one evening, as he sat on an
upturned bucket behind the peasticks,
hes prowling about on the other side
of the hedge again. Hope he won't catch
sight of me, for I'm about tired of his
oily tongue and eternal smile. Hullo!
what the deuce is the meaning of this?"
Down the garden path tripped Mrs.
Peel. The naturalist was evidently eX-
pecting her, and greeted her with a
smile that almost brought tears into
the eyes of the furious Phineas.
"Goot efening," he said. You vos
joost a leetle late!"
1t was evident that this was not tn"
first chat INDUCED in over the boundary
hedge. Though Phineas strained his
ears, he could not catch the drift of the
conversation. Like a flash he remem-
bered that Mary had often of late taken
a stroll in the garden at dusk. Was
this the explanation?
PhiEeas had been glaring at the
couple from behind the pea.ticks for
ten minutes or so, when he saw his wife
take a rosebud from his favOrite tree
and hand it over the hedge with
charming smile to the delighted Herr
Schmidt. Then, with pleasant Good
the house.
You villain!" Kissed Phineas, saw
agely, jumping from his seat and shak-
ing his fist after the retreatiEg figure
in the next garden, "Pll pay you out
for this
The rage of Mr.. Peel was something
to be remembered. Nothing but blood,
he vowed, would obliterate his wrongs.
But he would be cautious. He would
smile and smile and murder while he
smiled. Selling a peastick he tragic
ally buried it in the heart of an unof-
Tending cabbage, and played havoc
with a stately row of sunflowers.
Half an hour later Mary saw him
take down a huge old-fashioned duck
gun from the hook in the hall.
There's a German vulture in the
neighborhood," he volunteered, i'm
pressively, land I'm goingeto bag him
at the first opportunity"
However, as nothing short of an
earthquake would have induced the old
gun to go off in any circumstances
and Phineas had made assurances
doubly sure by dropping in the shot
first and powder afterward-the "vul-
ture" in question was not likely to be
seriously damaged, and Mary conttnted
herself with expressing a hope that her
husband would not hurt himself.
On the following evening Phineas
took up his old position in the garden,
with murder in his heart. Herr
Schmidt, however, did not put in an APP
pearnce. After waiting some time,
Phineas reentered the house and reared
his duck gun up in the hall in a con-
splcuous position.
He bad almost decided to run up to
town and consult his brother John,
the detective, with a view to having
the movements of Herr Schmidt
watched, when he was startled by the
click Of the letter box.
A scrap Of paper lay on the mat.
Picking it up, Phineas glanced at it,
turned deadly pale, then hurried into
the garden. Scrubbed in lead pencil on
dirty paper was the following:
Peel has discovered everything. We
have not moment to lose and must
clear out tonight. The front door 10
unsafe. VIII meet you at the back
1890 sharp"
There was no signature.
Good gracious" CALCULATED Phineas,
after reading the note for third time.
I'D no idea matters had gone so far.
Oh, yes, Mr.. Schmidt" he added grimly
I'll meet you at 1880 sharp"
1t was about 10:45, and raining heav-
lily. Phineas Peel, seated on wall
overlooking the back of Rhyd cottage,
with his duck gun laid across his knees.
was beginning to feel uncomfortable.
THE note said 1885," he muttered.
at must be after that time now. What's
that?"
Phineas had caught the sound Of