Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-22

your hearts, have these, bloodthirstY
i fiends run at large, but as soon a S one
is about to suffer for his crime you fill
his cell with flowers. Now, this swamp
rat has killed helpless old woman and;
the people are rising to see that justice.
is done. BE ought to be hung, and that
promptly"
The colonel was listening to this coll
loquy as he stirred the apples up in
the teddy with an old-fashioned silver
ladle.
"Of course" he remarked, "lynch law
is q deplorable thing. 1t is fundamen-
tally wrong, because mistakes have
now and then happened; but how on
earth are yon going to stop it? Why.
Mrs. Lancaster, those chaps sgd Hart,
Thad Williams and their ilk-would
burn me out of house and home if 1 ut-
tered protest in this natter
"But, papa"-Evelyn stood holding
to Mrs. Lancaster's hand, and as she
spoke her voice trembled "but, papa,
you must do something-you really
must. The man has not been proved
guilty; he may be absolutely innocent
"Ah, there you go!" laughed the
colonel as he touched her chin p.ayful-
". "You think your old father ought
to run the world. Why, I am absolutely
helpless. If telegrapned the governor
to order out the, state militia, they
couldn't get here in time, and if they
could these determined mountain men
would make it hot for them. Twenty
lives wosld be lost instead of one"
just then breakfast was announced.
The colonel gallantly offered his arm
to Mrs. Lancaster, and as she took it
she started to draw Evelyn along with
her. But the girl drew back.
II don't care to go in now" she fall
tered. II had a cup of coffee in my
room. Oh, 1 am so afraid they will
hang him!"
well, shall come out to you soon,
DEAR" said the widow, tenderly. "Wait
for me-"
Seated at a window in the drawing-
room-she felt too nervous to remain on
| the veranda alone-Evelyn had good
view of the road running along the
edge of the swamp. She could see the
ever-strengthening chain of men, their
guns and pistols cleaning in the sun,
light. To her the sight was more avs
ful than had it been an army in bat
tie, array. Presently she saw figure
on white horse moving along the line
| Of men, pausing now and then as IL
| in argument. She decided that the
horse was Ronald Fanshaw's- that he
was the rider. Something told her that
he was feeling as she felt and that he
was trying to influence his neigh bors
to refrain from illegal conduct Sha
-EWatched the.-rider so closely t1at the
strain on her eyes tsEJduced1a blursin
her vision. He was almost out of sight
now, and she went out On the veranda
| to get a more extended view of the
road bending round the swamp. She
saw black lobe, one of her fathers
servants, coming up the avenue from
| the road just traversed by Ronald.
Tobe had been to the post office and
was bringing back a bag of letters and
| papers. As he handed her the bag she
| observed half-frightened look in his
eyes.
| "Tobe," she asked almost afraid to
trust her voice to calm expression,
who is the man on the white horse 2"
de oldest Fanshaw young man,
4 missile" was the answer.
what is he doing?" she asked, with
bated breath.
He's powerfully upset, young miss.
He is dom his level best to try ter git
UNI all to let de sheriff TEX i'm fur
far trial. My Lawd! wish you could
a-heer dat young man talk; he sho is
bright!'
Are they paying any attention to
him, Tobe?"
Not one speck, young miss; dey des
laugh in his face en- tell him dey will
hang him eff he fools wild 'em."
/ As lobe went round the house to-
wards the negro quarter, Evelyn stood
holding the bag bsent-mindedly Her
| heart was in the throat.
"How different he is from the rest
of men!" she thought. "Ah, he is my
! hero! Heis my hero! God bless him."
She opened the bag and spread the
letters out on the hall table, their adj
dresses upwards. There were five or
| Ola IOi SdPp. Uluhle, al DAINTY PINK,
white or blue scented envelopes, adj
dressed in girlish handwritings. For
barely an instant slight sneer fitted
over her troubled face, and then she
/ turned back into the drawing-room.
She went again to the window. She
could see the white horse and its rider
coming back along the line of men.
She could see Ronald gesticulating.
Sometimes he took off his hat and
wiped his brow as if he were fatigued.
Evelyn felt soft hand steal round
her waist and, knowing to whom it be-
longed, she simply pointed towards the
horseman.
| do you see him, Mrs. Lancaster?"
she questioned, almost under her
breath.
who is it, dear?' asked her com-
panion.
Mr.. Ronald Fanshaw." Evelyn