Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-06-05


| for the fight he had made with the angry
bull which had threatened her life. She Is
glad of rebulke he had given Wrinkle. but
lew minutes before, who had conde-
scendingly thrown him a coin for a little
CHAPTER lII.-Ronald, returning home
will, his brother, is overtallen by the Has
brooke trap. Wrinkle, holding the reins.
tries deliberately TO ride Ronald down,
basket in his hand 10 the ground. Ronald
determines to have satisfaction.
CHAPTER ~.
The next morning the two brothers
met as they were leaving their rooms.
David caught Ronald by the arm and
turned his face towards the little glass
less window at the head of the stairs.
Gown up" he said, with smile, you
didn't git wink O. sleep last night"
II confess it," was the answer 81
didn't know what was the matter with
me-"
But do" David touched his brow
significantly; "it was hot blood in the
brain. know how you felt. You Jest
rolled an tumbled. / heerd you git
up an look out O. the window 10 see
eff it was gittin' daylight five times eft
you did once. My Lord, couldn't rest
for two nights fore whipped Budd
Meyer fur reportin' me fur sellin' that
quart to The Calhoun boys, but you bet
after ! made his face look like buckle
berry custard l slept the sleep of the
righteous. Two . my friends had to
perJure the'rse'ves TO keep me out O.
the chain-gang, an was tryin' TO wash
out Their sin with his blood; eff Their
conscience ain'$ clear it amt because
thar wasn't enough O. the fluid fur
laundry purposes, fer he bled like
stuck pig. | reckon" Dave broke off
suddenly as they began to descend the
stairs, that breakfast is about ready,
heerd the old man cussir' about thar
bein' too much ham fried..'
After breakfast our hero left the
houseandfook theroadl
Carnleigh. He wore his best suit of
clothes. which fitted him perfectly.
In each of the pockets of his dark sack
coat there was revolver; he had
shaved himself by the first rays of the
sun and wore becoming nccktie; his
boots shone with fresh backing, and
Il y
AS he left the house Mary Lou and
Ann Josephine, having shirked the
dishwashing, stood arm in arm on the
porch. Their shoes were unlaced, their
dresses soiled and torn, their hair dis
heveled.
He walks mighty biggity," observed
Mary Lou; II reckon he is maxim
tracks fur town to see about bein' ex-
amined fur the law. Who do you reck-
on would hire i'm to speak fur emp"
"Thar's no tellin' the luck of lousy
calf" opined Ann Josephine. iron
amt nobody's fool; body couldn't
read as many papers an magazines an
study law as hard as he does without
l'arnin' something"
He'll take keer O. number one any
ways" commented Mary Lou. "Iheerd
pa say t'other day that Ron refused
to market his cotton when everybody
In the county was turrin' loose O. theirs
last fall an that he held onto ii tell IL
riz an he put cool two hundred dol
lars profit in the bank; an another
thing, he never goes in debt over head
an yeers like pa an Dave does; he's the
only farmer round heer that pays cash
fur labor an that's one reason he gifts
scmnch out o his hands. Niggers don't
want to work fur orders on the store
at two prices when the cash planked
down will git so much better bargains"
| Meanwhile the subject of these re-
marks was walking swiftly down to-
wards Carnleigh. The great house was
now in full view, and that part Of the
grounds through which u hower-bor-
dered walk led in sinuous curves from
the veranda down the grassy slope
where there were spring, summer
house and rustic seats. The spot was
only few hundred yards from the
main road, where, in a corner of the
colonel's zigzag rail fence. Ronald
paused and waited, hoping that by
some chance Capt. Winkle would stroll
in that direction as Ronald in passing
had once or twice seen him do.
He had not long to walt. He saw
Wrinkle In fntiguc uniform come out
on the veranda and receive cigar from
man-servant. A few rlinntes after.
wards, under banner IF blue smoke,
the young officer took one or two turns
on the lawn among the flower beds,
and then. as if obeying Ronald's fierce
desire. conveyed to hipl telcpathicnlly,
he turned into the walk leading down
to the spring. lie moved easily. with
lazy, swinging stride. ruthlessly cut
ting at the nearest flowers with n cane
which he poised on his shoulder like
d sword or swung in front of him as if
fencing.
No sooner had Ronald seen the d.
rection he WAS taking than he vaulted
over the fence and made his way
through the dewy grass and weeds into
the wood which interviewed between
him and the spring.
He came upon Wrinkle as that worthy
stood on the fiat stones round the
spring. The officer wore his eye.
glasses, and had his cigar between his
liups. The grass muffled Ronald's
steps, and as Wrinkle was look
ing towards the house as if expect
ing some one, he did not notice our
here's presence till he stood beside him.
"Ahl" CALCULATED Wrinkle, as he
turned, and then thrpngh his glasses he
eyed Ronald coldly from head TO foot.
"Ah!" he repeated, and then he took
puff at his cigar and blew the smoke
towards the house as he looked again
mp the walk. One familiar with the
tricks of Winkle's sallo1y fnca miuht