Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-05-15

mo other man would have done such
thing. Oh, Sim! Poor. heartbroken
Sim! How I pity your
Later in the day she went out and
stood by the gate. looking down to-
ward the wood, the way she had seen
Sim go the previous evening. Her
heart was heavy, and her thoughts
were all of him. Before he went she
had always thought she could never be
happy except with Frank Shelton, but
now she felt that she could never be
happy again under any circumstances.
Presently Mary Mann came down
the street on her way home from the
store, where she had gone to view Mel.
WINS remains and to learn all the news
about the tragedy. Louisa had not
been from home oil day. and no one
had visited her, SO she was entirely ig-
norant of all that had transplred to set
the community in tumult of excite
ment. Mary Mann knew this. and,
glad Of an opportunity to tell the news
and at the same time inflict cruel
wound on one she hated. she stopped
when she reached Mrs. Banks and &C.
costed her sweetly, very. very sweetly,
with:
"Howdy. Loueesy7 I'm right glad
to see you. You rale wellr'
''l'm very well. Mrs. Manu." Louisa
replied coldly without looking up.
"I'm glad to hear It." Mrs. Mann said
in her suavest tones, ignoring I.ouisa's
GOODNESS. "I'm rale glad to hear II.
Loueesy, but must say you amt
a-lookin very we'll"
"I'm very well, l thank you"
"Yes7 And sim-l suppose he's
well?"
II presume 3d."
"Is he at home todayf"
"No."
"Where is he. Loueesyr
Mrs. Banks. remembering all she had
heard Of the relationship existing be-
tween this woman and Sim, flashed an
CRY in an instant.
81 don't know" she replied sco.nful-
ly. that It's particularly any Of your
business where he is"
Mrs. Mann did not allow her feelings
to be rufiled by this curt answer. Her
time to deal deadly thrust was COM
ing. and then her revenge would be SO
full that she could wei afford to walt.
Quietly she said:
"oh. you feel that way bout it. do
you?"
81 do.s
"waal, s'pose it's nat'ral, Loueesy,
that you should. reckon it's even
nat'ral that you should feel that II
amt nobody's business"
Whether it's natural or not, Mrs.
Afsim, that is just how / feel.'
Jest so. But, for I'LL that, Loucesy,
there's many as will feel different
bout 1t. There's heap Of people, an
specially the officers, who will think
It's right smart of their business"
Louisa raised her head and gave Mrs.
Mann look Of scorn.
II know Of no reason why they.
should" she replied, "nor do I presume
you know of any"
LA! Is that so? Then you've not
heard bout all that's been goin on to-
dayY
II have heard nothing"
Now had the time Of Mrs. Mann's
revenge arrived-revenge for the loss
of Sim and all she had suffered in con.
sequence Of 1t. Bluntly, almost brutal
ly, she said:
"Then you didn't know that your low
er, James Melvin. had been found dead
with bullet hole through his heart.
1t was cruel blow cruelty dealt,
and Louisa staggered under 1t. Her
eyes opened wide, her face became
deathly white, and for moment her
heart stopped beating. She reeled and
would have fallen had she not chung to
the fence for support. Her lips moved
as If in speech, but no sound escaped
them.
Her suffering was intense. It was
pitiful. Even heart Of stone must
have been touched by It. But Mary
Mann was impervious to pity. In her
heart there was no compassion. She
had dealt a hard blow. but she had q
harder yet to deal. and she did not hes
itate. Relentlessly she said:
Eyes. your sweetheart has been kill
ed, an 1t was your husband murdered
him. an you, Loueesy Banks. are re-
sponsible for it ALL"
With one wild. heartrending shrek
Louisa fell back in dead faint.
Two hours later group of men were
standing In front Of Hicks store dis
cussing the murder. Some there were
who talked, and some there were who
only listened. Pap Sampson. Jason
Roberts and Sam Morgan were Of the
latter. Jim Thorn. still occupying the
position Of supreme Importance In the
village. was saying:
mo. sir. men, I've got nothin on
earth ag'in Sim Banks. an thars not a
man In the world I'd befrlend quicker
than would him. but in, spite Of all
that can't shut my eyes to the plain
fact that everything goes to show that
Sim Banks fred the shot that killed
Melvin"
II hate moughtily to think Sim could
do SIGH thing.p Hicks remarked.
'but I'm afeard I'll have to own that
everything seems to point pow'ful
strong ag'in him."
"Of co'se 1t does" Thorn agreed.
"Lord, Jake. us much as hate to say
It, got TO own that It's plumb plain
case. In the fust place, Sim had a rea-
son for KILN Melvin, an thar want
nary another soul In this whole section
that did have a reason. You know
that's SO. don't your
'I'm afeard It is. JIM" Hicks ad-
mitted.
sThen yistedy evenin, Jest before
Melvin must a. been killed." Thorn
went on, "sim was seen goin down
into them woods with his gun on his
shoulder. He knowed Melvin was at
the store here. no doubt, an would be
a-passln through them woods ON his
way to Turner's. What more likely
than that he went down thar an hid
behind that tree till Melvin come along.
then uped an drapped himT
at pears to look like II mought "a
been TINT ,a-way." Hicks replied. ut