Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-05-20

clenched fist down on his desk with
vim that made the ink leap out of
its stand and Frustrated the pen
rack. What say the statutes?" he
demanded. "They expressly stipulate
that the peoples will. with respect
to changing the location of county
seats, shall be learned at the general
election directly following the pre-
sentation of the petition praying for
such change. Now they have called a
special election. A sandbag game,
sir! Robbery, rank robbery"
"If it's illegal, why can't it be
stopped?" asked Guy.
The Colonel's Indignation dropped
away and he smiled indulgently.
This is Dakota, my dear young
man. The Commissioners are under
the thumb of Vlandingham. But you
wait. Archibald Keever is to the fore
and the Blizzard lives! Well beat
them, tell you"
"How?"
The Colonel tapped his brow sig
nificantly.
cit requires q two-thirds vote to
capture the county seat away from
u.s." ne replied. ct have arranged
matters SO that Harmony will never
be able to roll up a sufficient major
ity." The Colonel arose and walked
to the window. "Come here, Mr.. Her
bert" Guy passed over and stood
| 1oci1a him, S1Qnho1l
in the outcome" added the Colonel,
with sweep of his arm.
What Guy saw was a ten-by-fifteen
building in process of construction
| At least a dozen men were working
upon it and even a novice like Guy
could see that they were very much
in each others way.
"a lot of carpenters for small
house like that" commented the
young man.
81 should say So" chuckled the
Colonel. "Those men were brought
in from Unknown and they're voters
every mothers so:. of them. I've got
others building roads and repairing
bridges" He closed one of his murky
little eyes, slowly and slyly. They'll
vote as I tell them to, Mr.. Herbert
and there'll be enough of them to
| kill Harmony too dead to skin" He
threw up the window. "Hello, there,
Jordan!" he called to man who was
working languidly with saw. "You
fellows are getting along altogether
too fast. Take lay-off this after
noon" Instantly all work ceased,
tools were left where last used and
the 10 worllmen hurried away in a
body. The Colonel closed the win
dow and beamed upon Guy compla-
Gently. "That's the courthouse
they're building" he added.
"Rather a small courthouse, isn't
t?"
"Oh,.it will grow, it will grow"
where does the money come
from?" inquired Guy, anxiously.
Don't worry about the money, my
boy. I sold batch of lots to ten
derfoot few weeks ago, and it's
his money that's doing all this"
"It doesn't seem just right to rush
voters in in that way, Col. Keever."
"Anything's right that's successful
up in this territory. This is my lit
tie plan and of course Harmony isn't
laying back on it's oars and waiting
| for me to grab the persimmons.
| Vlandingham and his lieutenants,
Dingle, Harp, Blue and Boomer, are
| going to do something, but just what
remains to be seen. They have a
town meeting over at Harmony to-
night to discuss ways and means for
getting ahead of mel" The Colonels
smile faded into look of trouble
'Id give hundred dollars" said he
to know what kind of scheme they
hatch up at that meeting. They'll
have lynY-eyed men on watch, how
ever, to make sure that no Concord
fellows get in"
The Colonel turned and wandered
rcfectively about the Office. Guy sat
down again and watched him
thoughtfully. Finally the Colonel
halted, thrust his thumbs into the
arm holes of his vest and declared:
Herbert, you're the mani
sThe man for what?"
"To run over to Harmony and take
in that meeting. You're stranger in
this section, and they won't know you
from Adam. Be careful, though, and
don't give yourself away. Feeling is
running high and both sides are ex.
ceedingiy bitter. If you were to be
1 found out you'd have rough expert
ence. Ever carry revolyer?"
"No."
"Then get one. haven't anything
but the Office gun and can't spare that
"Col. Keever," said Guy, reddening
Sim not going to make a spy out OF
myself"
flush! tush You're not doing any
thing dishonorable. I'd cut my tongue
out before I'd counsel anything of thai
kind. You're a high minded young
! mani can see that at glance and
| admire you for it. But those fellows
on the other side of the county are
blackguards, every one of them. They
are laying their plans to steal the coun
ty seat away from you and all you arc
| to do is to discover what their plan.