The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-09-02
CHAPTER VIII.

crowd just IN time to witness the
Colonel's discontinue. He expert
enced sense of great relief at the
escape of Miss Betty and her friend
and kept himself as much in the
background as possible when the
irate citizens rushed forward and as
sisted Pettibone to set their leader
upright and dust him off
"I'll have the law on you, sir!"
ragged the Colonel, breaking through
the ranks that surrounded him and
shaking his fist at Barney. Threat
en- me. hey? Egad. it makes my
blood boil!''
Don't get excited, Colonel" shout
ed Barney from the carriage.
''ENcited, you impudent puppy!
Excited! Pettibone, arrest that man.
I'm surl rised that you stand there
without raising a finger against the
young sealawag."
The town had only one fault to
find with Dick Pettibone, and that
was that he was too easy going, too
good hatured There were Spartan
fbers running through his makeup,
but they were in evidence only on
extreme occasions.
COB. I wouldn't make him any
trouble, Colonel" returned Petit
bone, soothingly. "He's young, you
know, ind all young men are more
or less headstrong."
Hes traitor!" fumed the
Colonel. eff it hadn't been for him
Vlandineham's daughter wouldn't
have Slipped through our fingers"
II thi1lS she would, Colonel"
'No, s'r!" raved the Colonel. car
rest that young rapscallion or I'll
chastise him here and now"
The Colonel began to roll up his
coat sleeves, and Barney, coolly eye
ing him, made wry grimace. Lay
ing the shotgun down on the seat,
Barney attempted to turn the car
riage and drive off. By this time,
however, the Colonels words had
had an effect on his followers and
two of them caught the horses
heads. Pettibone, seeing that there
was nothing for him to do but to
act in his official capacity, ordered
Barney to get down. Barney obeyed
without any show of resistance and
Pettibone marched off with him,
while Mr.. Glimmer took the team
and carriage back to the livery
stable.
During all this time Guy had been
overlooked. He remained in the vi
entity long enough to note the out
come of the exciting little drama
and then slipped quietly away to
the hotel.
ly engaged in a St. Paul paper, when
nervous little gentleman, wearing
pair of nose glasses, was led up
to him by Pedro Smith.
'Mr. Herbert" said Pedro, "Mr.
Pinchbecl. Mr.. Pinchbeck has re-
Gently interested himself in our lit
tie city and he wishes to talk with
you concerning the outlook"
Guy shook hands with Mr.. Pinch
beck, and the latter seated himself
at the young mans side while Pedro
drifted away toward the kitchen.
81 understand that you own near
ly all the vacant lots in this town,
Mr. HERBERT" observed Mr.. Pinch
beck, catching his glasses as they
dropped from his nose.
Guy nodded.
"Have you bought here recently?"
he asked.
"Quite recently"
Every much?''
ga b.ock-conditional Mr.. Pinch
beck caught his glasses again, fitted
them carefully to the bridge of his
nose and wrnkled his brows time or
two to satisfy himself that they would
hold. 81 am to pay $4,000 for the block,
providing this town wins the county
seat fight"
"Ah, see. Yolr money is to be paid
back if we lose"
"Well-er-it hasn't really been paid
over, as yet. ] have merely contract
for deed. It's this way, Mr.. Herbert.
When the ballots are counted if they
show good safe majority for Concord
am to pay $4,000 to the workmen who
have been brought here to build roads,
bridges, ETC., and am also to pay 81 900
for that wooden shell which is ulti-
mately to be the court house"
This was revelat ton to Guy. Here
was the ''tenderfoot" about whom the
Colonel had told him. The Colonel,
however. had said nothing of condi-
tional bargain.
''In case we lose the county seat, Mr..
Pinchbeck," said Guy, "what would
happen?"
Mr.. Pinchbeck smiled. The mirthfui
wrinkle. disconnected his glasses and
they evaded his hands and dropped into
his lap. The smile faded into look
of vexation as he picked up the glasses
and jammed them back on he bridge of
his nose.
"That's all right, Mr.. Herbert. l
have contract with Vlandingham for
a block at the same figure in case his
town WINS
Guy was startled.
'Has Mr.. Vlanding CHAM also imported
some voters:' he asked.
"Um-I don't know as | ought to saw
so. but he has run in a Jo+ or folIo,ys