Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-22
soon put an end to the merriment.

, oSoA CuC dA cuu W Nllc uleCTlIleuU.
You must a-had razor soup fur
breakfast" he grunted, letting his eyes
rest on Fanshaw, and then he began to
smile. "Thar wasn't no use sus-
picionin' jeff" he proceeded; eur as
soon as the news got out Thad Will
liams straddled his mare an notified
the sheriff. Ratcliff is quick on trig-
ger, an he tuck Thad's mare an made
fur the spot armed to the teeth"
We'll, did he ketch the one that
did it?" broke in Dave Fanshaw, i'm
patiently, and anyone could have seen
from his face that he was not one of
Harris followers.
sgd bent his eyes on Dawes face and
sneered. "You are like yore daddy"
he observed, you want yore hog fore
it's barbecued. Yes, you bet he
ketched i'm; that's what he was out
after. About half mile from the
widows house he run across a young
stranger a-hidin' in a barn nigh the
tale mines. He was too good thing
to be missed, so Ratcliff arrested i'm
then an thar an made i'm turn is
pockets wrong side out. He had
fifty dollars in hard cash, an, more
over, his hands was red in streaks, an
he had blood on his handkerchief an
shirt-sleeves. He was young fellow,
an cried like a baby; he said he hadn't
killed nobody, nur stole nobody's
money, but Ratcliff tuck i'm in tow.
He was sech little fellow that Rat
cliff lowed folks nd get the laugh on
i'm if he roped or handcuffed i'm, so
he started on with i'm jest so. They
made it all right till they got back
heer piece to the beginnin' O. Col.
Hasbrooke's swamp. Thar, at Swiff's
cabin. Ratcliff stopped to git light
fur his cigar. Nobody ever heerd tell
o. him takin' prisoner to Jail with
out he had a cigar stuck in his jaw.
He don spend dollar yeer fur CT
gars, but he has to smoke one when he
jugs a man. 1t makes him look i'm
portant. He had jest called fur a
chunk O. fire, an Aliz Swift was fetchin'
it out to i'm. when 10 an behold, the
little stranger showed he was up to
snuff. He lodged off behind hay
stack before Ratcliff could draw his
gun an was off into the swamp
like skeered rabbit. A boss amt
with tinker's dam in swampy land
an cane brakes. an Ratcliff amt as
Timber as he wuz twenty yeer back.
And" the speaker broke off with a
laugh. 1.-THE little skunk's in the
vii Mo FoI = 1 =
watch this road, an Ratcliff's gone
round t'other side to stir up the peo-
PIE. They'll drive i'm this way before
long, am then the. fun will begin
- What do You mean by the fun?'
brokesin Ronald sharply.
The gaunt giant on the horse
Shrugged his shoulders and bent a
critical, half-aggressive glance on the
questicner
"Oh. | reckon the boys won't want
to wait fur them blamed thievish law
yers in town to get whack at i'm an
finally git i'm turned loose. We hain't
got much book l'arnin', but we know
when a mans guilty, an we know
what lawyers is"
A murmur of approval rose from the
group, even Mrs. Fanshaw, who sat
rocking between her two daughters on
the porch, grunted as if sgd Hart had
furnished the key to problem which
involved the welfare of the nation.
Ronald's face was flushed, look OF
determination was in his eyes.
No" he said, firmly; ''they must
give him trial.
Sydney Hart leaned back IN his sad.
dle and laughed tantalizingly.
"Oh, you want to get chance at
him, Ell? You are studyin' to be lnw-
yer, an you've already begun to look
after the intrust of your gang. We'll,
you won't make anything out of this
job if can help it,"
"We shall see," answered Ronald
"He may not be guilty aud you shall
not lynch llim!"
Ronald and snapped his fingers, white
look of fury unbridled on his sinister
face.
"Bah!" he said, contemptuously. "Ii
couldn't thwart you ia cut my throat.
It's a go, then; you are a-goin' to give
the scamp trial an I'm a-goin' to let
the boys have Their fun. Ha, ha! you
make me sick"
Ronald said nothing and Hart
wheeled his horse and, followed by the
crowd, he started towards the edge OF
the swamp. Dave fingered by the side
of his brother.
Don't stick yore head in the fire,
Rom" he counseled; mo human power
can balk sgd when he once makes up
his mind. Besides, you'll make dan.
gerous enemy out o him, an erythine
points to the fellows guilt. What did
he break an run fur if he was limo.
cent?"
That's what want to know" in.
terposed Jade Fanshaw, in surly tone
and his wife and daughters nodded APP
provingly.
Because" was Ronald's reply, she
perhaps knew that the law is not up
held in these mountains and 1yae ,fra;6