Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-05-21
copyright. 1896. by J. B. Llpplneou Col
rc or after chose

J. B. Lippineou Col
anyone about just before OF after those,
spells"
Matthews was silent, deep in thought,
for a moment. then he said:
Eyes, do remember somethin' rather
cdd, sir. 1t was when Mr.. Wildly was
at the seashore in the summer. and mag
ter was maxim me sleep in his room
every night while he was gone. Ono
evenin' master told me he was lookin'
for a visitor to sec him on important
business, and that was to stay back
here till he left"
ibid you see tho MANI
Eyes. sir. Iopened the door when he
rang"
How did he look?"
Every queer-lookin' individual, mir, It
struck me. He looked like he might be
drinkin' man. He was tall and thin.
and had dark eyes and white hair. He
was so queer-lookin', sir. that thought
strange o master havin' o appointment
with him. To tell the truth, sir, kinder
thought 1t might be some poor relation
in trouble, that master didn't care for
people to see about. showed him into
the parlor and went back into tho
kitchen. About Is minutes after that
thought heard loud words and
scramblin' o feet In the parlor. Their
voices would sink down and then rise
up again like they was quarrclin'. l
was frightened, but was afroid o. dis
pleasin' master If went in, SO just
come as far as the room next TO the par
lor."
did you then hear anything?"
"They kept it up. sir. Master seemed
| to be arguin' with him in low, steady
voice, and the stranger would break in
and beat the table with his fist. Once
heard him say he wanted half of some
thin, and just after master answered
1 heard blows and the fallin' of chairs.
| thought had waited o. long as l
could, and, grabbin' old pistol that l
always kept by me, rushed in. Mas
ter was on one side of the room, behind
sofa, and the fellow was holdin'
chair by the back and just about to
raise it. When he saw me and my pistol
he put down the chair, and, with an
oath, backed out of the room. fol-
lowed him as far us tho front door and
saw him spring over tho fence and walk
away quick.
Then went back to master. To my
surprise, no was tryin' to smile as If
nothin' had happened; but he was Us
white us ghost. For minute he
couldn't say word. Presently he said:
"'Rather nasty temper he has. Mat
thews. My friend was little upset.
but he would have como around all
right. You frightened him away with
that pistol
"'Didn't he strike you, mastcr?'
asked. I thought heard you fghtin'.'
And then noticed a bruised spot on his
forehead which showed mighty plain
under his white hair an on his pale
skin. He saw me lookin' at II, and put
his hand over 1t, but he was SO excited
he couldn't keep from showin' that he
didn't want to let me know what the
cause of the trouble was.
""That fellow was drunk master
said. 4 think his mind is wrong, too, q
little. Yes, he did strike me, and I reck-
on you were right to come when you
did,
"Then he asked me IL was sure my
pistol was loaded. and told mo to sleep
in his room, and sec that the windows
aud all the doors were locked"
WAS that alp" asked the colonel,
deeply interested.
"Yes, sir, except lie made me promise
not to mention the affair to Mr.. Wild
by nor anyone else. I'm sure he didn't
sleep a wink that night, for heard
him rollin' and tumblin' in bed, an he'd
get up every now and then and eau
tiously look out of the window"
After that, did you see anything to
indicate that Mr.. Strong was ever
frightened or greatly excited about
nnything?"
"Nothin', sir, except he bought . Ano
watchdog, the one that died Last win
ter, you know. He was always inter-
ested in him, and particular about leav-
in him unclaimed at night. Then do
seem to remember that now and then
master would get letter that would
excite him somewhat. They always
came in Strengthening blue envelopes.
Once when gave him one ut break
fast he turned pale when he opened it,
and didn't finish catin'."
Col. Warrenton rose and knocked the
ashes from his cigar.
1--WE got an appointment down
town." he said. "See here, Matthews,
| don't saw ANYTHING about what YOU
have told me. l nm Investigating a
little on my own account in this mat
ter and don't want anyone to know
it. Hold your tongue, and I'll see that
you don't lose anything by it."
A few minutes later the colonel was
in his Office downtown. He had Just
begun the dictation of letter to his
stenographer when he heard the cry
of newsboy in the street.
Extra! Extra Morning News! New
developments in the Leighton avenue
murder case! Extra! Extral"
The colonel went to the door quickly,
and returned reading newspaper still
damp from the press. Under large. SEN
sational headlines he read detailed ac-
count of q circumstance that seemed
to bear strongly on the murder of the
night before. No less than rs type
written notes had been picked up in
different parts of the city carly that
morning; they had been found on the
sidewalks, under the doors OF private
residences, in the yards of unoccupied
houses, in the mail boxes by letter-car-
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