Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-16
All that night Ronald Fanshaw lay

sight of land to starving, shipwrecked
man, and yet when the sun was up its
genial rays failed to disperse the shad-
ows in his heart; he found that it ached
as well by day as by night.
After breakfast Mr.. Redding called
to see him.
"Well, this is pretty howdy-do!" he
exclaimed, in q CHEEKY voice, us the iron
door changed to after him. 1.-THE sher-
if rode out to Kings plantation last
night to tell me the news, but couldn't
get back till this mornin'. He's bent
on gettin' you out O this if he can"
II am awfully sorry to have to call on
you in such disagreeable matter" re-
turned Ronald.
Redding thoughtfully pinched his
nose between his thumb and forefnger.
"Ratcliff told me the particulars" he
said, frowning little. "Thereis no use
cryin' over split milk-or split blood,
either. This case will give you chance
to practice little on your own hook.
The main thing is to keep q stiff upper
lip and take cheerful view"
II am afraid take detected view of
it," said Ronald. you will find me
hopeless sort of client. Ifeel SO awfully
knocked out over taking human life
that even the prospect of being publicly
justified does not brighten my hor-
izon."
81 can Eympathize with you, my boy"
the voice of the lawyer softened and
he pinched his nose again. II once told
you-or rather limited at great sor-
row in my life-a big drawback to my
energies, we'll" Redding broke off and
waved his hand, as he sometimes did
when expression failed him.
II remember you limited at some dis
agreeable occurrences; but as you were
unmarried"
my trouble didn't wear petticoats,"
interrupted the lawyer, forcing little
smile, and as he went on his face grew
more serious than it had ever appeared
to Ronald. ut took place right down
thar in front of the courthouse door
Just after the close of the war. never
pass in or out of the building without
stepping over his body. People don't
mention 1t to me now; sometimes
wish they would rank it with other
events in my career; it's their DANCED
silence that hurts.
"Me'n him was candidates for the leg
islature; it was sort of duel. I was
ready for Uncertainty was loaded for
bear; I had three revolvers an AK
handle. proved, without much trou-
BILE, that he pulled down on me fust.
A Teller come to my counsel an said he
would swear lie Roy had said he was
goin' to kill me on sight. His testi-
mony cleared me, but the same skunk
come to me after it was all over an
wanted ten dollars. can't forget the
hell in his eye. knew he had perjured
himself, but was afraid to refuse him
the money. Then thar was the young
widow. It left her as pore as Jobs
: turkey. She let me supply her an the
: boy, that had his daddy's eyes, with the
necessaries Of life, an then she began
to make eyes at me. Somehow I took
a fool notion that ought to marry 'er
an the thought weighed on me till
nearly got off my nut. Jest about then
! Judge Bates began to see whar the
/ NluO WAS DlOW1A AGA 00ukS OIL SdlO
one day: Looky heer, Reddin', let that
slide-it never will mend matters bit;
you'll always feel as If you killed i'm
to get his wife, She married another
fellow. Oh, yes" Redding broke of
with deep drawn breath, 81 know all
about it, an that's why I didn't SLEEP
much last night. The worst feature
in yore case is the evidence Thad Viii
liams threatens to give. As far as ]
e know, his oath would be valid. Do you
think that the dead man told him yor
: attacked him frst?"
"If he did he was out Of his mind,
answered Ronald; II think Thad Will
liams told me that to frighten me-"
"But Ratcliff says you actually heard
!. the two talking together just befor,
sgd died."
Ronald nodded. "That Is fact,
was not near enough, however, to over
hear what was said"
Redding unused moment and thel
> he looked up suddenly.
II must see him at once, my boy, be
= fore the prosecution gets i'm to commi
y y imselt to Their side. shall try to sho,
= up the consequences of perjury in
Z strong light, and frighten him of {
that line. He's good natured sort O
Teller ii you strike him right. neye
). shall forget" (Redding seemed ben
Is on cheering up his friend) "Thad wa
- captured about five years ago as
y moonshiner, an Jim Lowe, who was i
. the employ O. the government, an n
better n Thad, started with i'm to Al
!. lanta for trial. They made sort Q
- picnic of it an got drunk together, III
y postponed their trip till that night
y They was waitin' in the office of tn
hotel to ketch train, an Jim had gon
= in to his supper, leavin' Thad smokin' a
70 the stove. Then amongst us we got u
). Joke on Jim an went to his prisone
- an told i'm II he wanted to, he coul
- git away as easy as shellin' peas. Blu
Thad shook his head an helt out hi
y hands to the fire. Men Lowe is sorte
:. chums,' he said, AN If you will hav
9 the truth, never have had much of
- ride on the cyars in my life, an sorte
= lowed I'd like the trip Then we pre-
y posed compromise. We told him b
70 could ride within few miles of Atlant
and jump of while Jim was not lookin
- and in that way he could get his rid
=, and liberty also. You ought to hay
- - heard i'm laugh. Don't you give m
away, an I'll play 1t fine,' he said. An
u he did work It. He turned up here tw
- days later, making for the mountain.
= He was the worst bunged-up chap yo
:. ever laid eyes on. Not being familia
with the running of trains, he ha
hurled himself at bank, eight mile
out Of Atlanta, when the train wa
= goin' like CREASED lightnin'. But Low
never did try to arrest him again.
;, Redding's smile vanished as he turne
!. to the door. "I'll try to win i'm roun
+ to US this mornin' If can get at i'm,
he concluded. He'll be apt to be a
!, the funeral. Now, don't you worry
:. I'll do all I can. an we'll try to have yo
| p,A LII