The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1896-09-24

the river, and the murderous trio row
down to the spot where they have left
their horses. Arriving at their camp
they see two horsemen in the act of
making off with their steeds-the two
strangers are Edward Belden and
Charles Thompson who have ridden in
this direction.
A fig hit ensues and the two cowboys
are riddled with bullets. After killing
the horses of the stockmen, the three
murderersjmount their steeds and flee
to the westward. AS they arrive oppo-
site the Preston ranch they heard the
sound of approaching hoofs,and, sheer
ing from the road, the men gallop di-
rectiy over the scene of the killing of
Will and Mabel. They are soon pur1
sued by Preston and his men but man9
age to make their escape in the furious.
| storm.
The next evening while they were
eating their supper in the river timber
a shot sounds from the bushes and one
of the tougAs falls forward,a bullet
through his brain. AS the other two
break for the woods a shot pierces the
body of Moore %sremaining companion,
and he alone escapes.
The mar who has fired the fatal
shots, Charles Hendricks, finds on the
dead bodies of the two toughs the two
silver "3's". Losing the trail of Moore
Hendricks gees to North Platte, and
and there, almost a year later, delivers
to John Preston the silver ''3' contain
ing the mysterious couplet:
He who finds the proper SO"
Solves the Preston mystery.
Getting track of Moore in eastern
Wyoming, Hendricks, while on his
trail. is wounded by h~orsethieyes and
is cared for until his death by the band
of Claude Duval.
Such, dear readers, is the story of
the mysterious tragedy which caused
the death of a fond mother, three in
nocent men, and wrecked the life of q
loving father, a tragedy viii ch was for
almost two years wrapped in impene-
trable gloom, and termed the Pres
ton mystery.
After telling Preston of his yiNainy,
Moore breathed his last, begging With
his dying breath for the forgiveness of
the man whom he had wronged.
The strangeness of Hendricks be-
haViour in not wishing to meet Pres
ton is explained by the fact that they
had been bitter rivals for the hand of
Margaret Noble.
After burying the body of Moore,
Preston and his men bid farewell to
the band of Claude Duval, after
thanking them for their valuable sssis-
lance in running down the murderer.
Moore, and started for the ranch Oh
the Niobrara, and after a weary trip
| they reached home.
Preston soon sold out his cattle in
terests in Nebraska, and accompanied
by John, went back to Ohio.
X = f
Let us lift the curtain which has fall
len between US and the heroes of our
DER true tale for a parting glance at
them. dear reader. In a pleasantly
situated spot on the banks of the Little
Miami river near Cincinnati may be
seen a comfortable looking residence,
surrounded by lovely grounds. 1t is
the home of John Preston.
On a certain summer evening q pas
serby might have observed John and
his pretty wife seated on the yerands.
A short distance down the garden can
be seen an aged man. He is leaning
on his cane, and as the rays of the set
ting sun fall On his uncovered gray
locks, they also fall upon a neat marble
slab at the head of a flower strewn
mound. AS the old nan sadly kneels
in prayer over the grave, we may read
the inscription on the marble:
sacred to the memory of Isabel and
Margaret Preston.
"Moying now among Gods angels
In the heaven Of the blest
Where the wicked cease from troubling
And the weary are at rest"
THE end