Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-05-15
CHAPTER v.

CHAPTER V.
The citizens of Concord were stupi-
fed. That weathervane was symbol
of their defiance of the other town
and to have the hated Dingle come bra
zenly among them, insult their leader
in a peculiarly irritat ting manner, es-
cape mysteriously while they were
wrangling over the method of his pun
ishment, and flee with the grotesque
galvanized figure waving over his head
was enough to paralyze the most rabid
partizan.
Christopher Waffle was a Concord
man to the marrow of his bones; but
he had no love for Col. Keever-possi-
charged him for threshing sad" Nor
had Waffle admired the Colonel's handi-
work as exemplified in the weather
vane. The Judge had said that he was
coarse and brutally insolent and that
some thing would happen on account of
it for which they would be sorry. In
the present crisis the judge was first O
find his voice and he cried in tones vi
brant with certain kind of triumph:
81 told you so!''
That's what Waff said all along"
supplemented Bill Comfort.
The swarm turned upon the judge
wrathfully and Col. Keever shouted: y
"And do you, sir, do you mean to
champion the cause of this contempt
bic sneak from the other side of the
county?"
"No, never! But Dingle has done
this town service by making off with
that monstrosity."
"What?" gasped the crowd, glazing
at Waffle.
Bill Comfort planted himself at the
judges side and defantly reiterated
the Judges statement.
Col. Keever was red and wrathful. A
clash was impending and Guy pushed
his way between the impending fac
tions.
Enough of this" said he. eve have
q powerful enemy in Vlandingham
and we cannot hope to win unless we
present an undivided front. Instead of
contending amoung ourselves suppose
we inquire into the method of Col.
Dingle's escape? And Sampson-we
are forgetting about him. He may be
severely hurt
This was sufficient to turn the atten-
ton of the crowd into another chan
mel and Guy led the backward move
ment along the hall to the spot where
the unfortunate printer was lying.
Sampson had not moved a hairs
breath. He was fat on his back, his
arms and legs sprawled out and his
eyes closed. There were no visible
marks of injury upon his face and Guy
dropped down on one knee and lifted
his head.
glittering gold chain on the floor under
the printer and he dropped one hand
over it and concealed it in his palm. No
one else had glimpsed the bit of jewelry
and Guys heart was in his throat the
instant his eyes fell on it. Al favor
BILE moment he transferred the chain
to his pocket and continued his exam
ination of Sampson.
"Stand back!" commanded the
Colonel. GIVE him air! Get some
water, somebody! Gentlemen, gentle
men, that boy has been the trial of my
life, but if ne has been sacrificed by the
venomous Dingle, I'll call the murderer
out. by CAD! III face him with six
shooter, and, my word for it, he'll be
carried eff the field"
That awful threat silenced the by
ISLANDERS and forced them back, but
GUY saw Waffle nudge his engineer and
whisper something that made them
both grin sarca stically.
you'll not have to call Dingle out
Colonel" said Guy. "Sampson's pulse
is normal, and his heart strong, and L
can't find wound on him."
Pedro arrived just then with glass
OF ice water. In his excitement he
dashed the whole of it in the printers
face. The effect was instantaneous
and Sampson sat up, rolling his eyes
and splutOering.
''Who did that?" were his first words.
Sampson" said the Colonel, tender
ly, do you know me? Look, boy!"
"'Course know you! Who hit me
with that bucket Of water, that's what
] want to find out! Nice way to treat
man when he's DOWN."
Sampson got up theoretically and