Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-06-22

I'm not guilty.
sgd Hart, Thad Williams and their
faction were too full of whisky and
hatred to be moved by mere eloquence;
they were there for blood, and they
We're going to have it; so they tried
to drown out what the prisoner was
saying. But Fanshaw, towering above
them all on his horse, finally succeeded
in getting him heard and the boys
story satisfied me of his innocence. He
said the money he had was his saw
ings from two years hard work in an
iron foundry in Chattanooga and that
he was taking it home to his widowed
mother, who depends on him for her
support. He said he was tramping
home on foot to save the expense of a
railroad ticket. Somebody asked him
why he had tried to escape from the
sheriff, and he said he was afraid of
being lynched-that he had heard of
the treatment men accused of crime re-
ceived in these mountains.
Then some one asked him about the
blood on his hands and shirt, and he
showed them cut on his leg which
had been bound up and was bleeding.
about that time sgd Hart became
obstreperous again. Captain, saw
you talking to him just then. l won
dered If you had said anything to in
flame"
II thought might reason with him."
broke in Wrinkle, with start. 81 saw
he was clear out of his head, wholly
unreasonable, you know"
swell, you seemed to have struck
stony ground for your good Seed"
laughed HasbroolSe, for he got wilder
than ever"
"Oh, do go on!" cried Mrs. Lancas-
ter. What became of Mr.. Fanshaw?"
Il was. coming to him." said the old
man. AS soon as he appeared on the
scene, the sheriff, who had hardly
opened his mouth in any sort of remon-
STRANGE, picked up his courage and be-
gan to try to get possession of the pris-
oner; but nobody paid any attention to
him. Hart and Williams had their ears.
However, young Fanshaw saw how the
thing was going and brought il 10 TO-
Gus by the. most unexpected and
risky move ever saw. Pretending that
he wanted the people in the edge of the
crowd to see how small the prisoner
was, he lifted the little fellow onto his
horse in front of him, and, before any
one suspected what he was up to. he
had wheeled his horse and was off like
the wind. sgd Hart pulled his revolver
and aimed it at Fanshaw's back, but
Dave Funsh knocked the weapon up,
and it went off without harming any
one. Then Dave held pistol at Harris
head and dared him to stir muscle.
This quarrel drew the attention of the
mob from the prisoner and Fanshaw
bore him away without any opposition
The sheriff followed at his heels. They
have gone with him to the Jail in Dan
ube. He'll be safe there"
Evelyn was closely watching Wrinkle;
she had read him better than had her
father.
ct was the noblest deed ever heard
Of" she said, exultingly.
Wrinkle responded with shrug and
frown.
"Fanshaw will pay we'll for it, in all
probability" he said, sullenly.
Despite her habitual command over
her emotions Evelyn's face fell, but she
did not crafty her enemy by reply
Ing to his thrust.
Her father agreed with Wrinkle.
"Yes," he said, sit is not over yet by
any means. sgd and Thad will certain
ly be bent on revenge, and Fanshaw
will be their target. Inever saw more
malignant countenance than lIarts
when he realized that his plans were
thwarted. I guess he will lie in wait
for Fanshaw on his return from Dan
ube."
Grown suddenly faint, Evelyn turned
into the hall. Mr.. Hardy voice followed
her and beat pleasantly on her ears. II
certainly take off my hat to that sort
of courage" he was saying. "Fanshaw
has the right kind of grit. It's pity
the world has not more men like him."
Evelyn's window commanded a view
of the road leading from Danube to
Fanshaw's house, and the remainder of
the night, sleepless and distraught, she
sat gazing across the fields at spot she
knew he must pass on his way home.
And there, in that awful still suspense,
she read her heart as she had never read
1t before.
Yes" she confessed to herself, aloud,
because she loved to hear her Own voice
pronouncing truth which seemed to
have quickened her soul into new and
higher life, Eyes, l love him! I love
him!"
About five O'Clock, after it had grown
light--when the sky in the east was
turning golden-her long vigil was re-
warded. Moving along the road, with
tired step, she saw a white horse, and
a moment later she recognized the
rider. Then she put her icy hands to
her face and burst into tears of relief.
An hour later, with mothers solicit
tude, Mrs. Lancaster stole into her room
and found her asleep, her head resting
on the bare window board. The good
woman comprehended it all, and, rails
ing the girls face, she kissed her eye
lids till they opened.
'IIe is safe!" were Evelyn's first
words. 81 saw him come home. In
tended TO go to bed then, but was say
ing my prayers here whenI fell asleep"
Mrs. Lancaster's lips twitched sympa-
theticnlly as she put Evelyn to bed and
sat by her stroking her brow until
sleep came again. Then the old lady sat
with her chin resting in her hand, quite
thoughtful.
II really don't know which way my
duty lies" she unused. "She loves him