The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1897-09-18

lace 10 race Win the victim OF q crime
"a murdered woman! Clicked to
DEATH"
''Choked!" gasped DENIM. GLOW
do you know that"
1T is very evident" made an
swer, approaching the cot again.
"See for YOURSELF" and showed
DENIM, at the throat, several dark
marks, like the imprints of fingers
Cover it up again, J oe. The sight
is too horrible!' moaned DENIM. I'VE
must lot disturb tit must be left
just as we found it," and seizing the
blanket with shudder he pulled it
over the staring face.
'And now what's to be done?' he
continued. ''Our first step is undoubt-
eddy to go and lodge a complaint
against tn is Ike and Pete Burroughs,
the landlord. We must do so at once"
Not SO fast, my boy. Do you i'm
aginc we would be allowed to leave
this house by stealth at this hour? No,
indeed, we are supposed to be"
''What?" sked DENIM, impatiently,
as paused.
Cutting tn e body up, of course, so
that they can co nveniently dispose of
it-bury the pieces separately, no
doubt? Isn't the matter clear to you
now? Some one, for round sum of
money, has agreed to furnish them a
villainous doctor and an assistant
who W ould do the job for them.
Don't v on remember that Ike said to
me, VIII en- he cautioned me in the
other room, We looked for you two
avs ago, dOctor?' And what he
meant by You've got what you need
in them thi ngs,' pointing to our
valises, where were the surgical instru-
ments neces sary for the operation"
!, opening the va lise,, took out two
loaded revolvers, and going up to
DENIM, said, in whisper:
Take this revolver and keep Your
wits about you. Certain it is that
either Ike or the landlord will be
here before daylight to see whether
we have done the job. Whoever
comes, we must be prepared for him.
1t was draw ing near to 3 in the
morning when i heard soft footsteps
in the pass age, approaching the door.
and pres e ntly there came a light
knock. l motioned to DENIM, and
when ope ned the door, in walked
Ike and Pete. the landlord, but to
find them selves confronted suddenly
W it'll two revolvers aimed straight at
their breasts. At the same time I
cried out:
Hands up
Don't shootw the two worthless
stammered, simultaneously throwing
up the ir hands. No harm was MEANT
wv hat! No harm, You villains! 1t
was cold blooded MURDER said,
ehemently.
Ike burst out laughing. winking
ing fur iously, while from every part
IF the house seemed to come an ex-
PlosiOn of shouts, and into the room
rushed score of miners.
THE fact is, pard," said Ike, sup
pressing his mirth, we've been pretty
hard on you and your friend. But
that's the initiation we generally give
to all new tenderfeet-a pretty good
skeer, that's all. And really, in the
fust place. it was intended for two
tenderfoOt friends of our'n we ex-
pected two days ago. But when they
1idn't come, and we seen youse COM
up the street, SO innocent like, we
couldn't resist the temptation to play
the joke off on you," and with several
-apid winks, Ike W alked to the door
If the adjoining room , one of the
miners following him with the lamp,
and unlocking it with another key,
brew it open, walked to the cot, and,
amid Il roar of laughter, jerke d out
rom under the blanket, by the hair,