Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-06-24
CHAPTER X.

|
When the excited Concordians
reached the courthouse they found
absolutely no sign of foe. All was
4 quiet and peaceful and the men who
/ had formed themselves into a hasty
12cordon about the building began to
4 look at each other obviously. Their
! attention was finally attracted by
1 Mrs. Gimmer, who came out in front
4 OF the Emporium.
"Who rang the bell" she cried
nervously.
Don't you know" returned her
4 husband in bewildered tone
II haven't the slightest idea, Ben
4 jamin. l heard noise upstairs and
ran to see what was the matter
While | was gone some one rang the
bell. Dear salles! Are the Harmony
folks comin'?"
Don't you worry, Amanda
4 Whether they come or not, I'm here
Did you see any one in the store
when you came DOWN."
"Not soul"
Here's how-de-do, boys" said
Glimmer, in puzzled tone. "Who
could have rung that bell and what
was it rung for?"
There's Sampson up on top of the
Blizzard building!" shouted Bilkins.
Sampson was there. sure enough,
shading his eyes with his hand and
looking off toward Harmony.
"See any one, Sanp?" cried Petit
bone,
Cant see thing" called back
Sampson. Some one must have
played joke on you fellows
"Joke!" spluttered Waffle. eff we
could find the man who played a
joke OF that kind we'd string him
up"
Coincident with the judges re.
mark, the Colonel rounded the front
(! of the Blizzard building. His whole
manner was one of hauteur and ut.
! ter Indifference. The crowd around
the courthouse watched him in ST
lence. The great man had been
| treated stability. The citizens real
lied that now, and as their sympathy
deepened for the Colonel their anger
arose against the judge.
The Colonel mounted slowly and
with dignity step by step. On reach
ing the upper landing he laid his
hand on the knob of the office door,
hesitated, and then turned and
vouchsafed his attention to the
group below.
'Men of Concord" he said, sonor-
ously, Christopher Waffle has
spared traitor this day = at my
expense. You have been cozened,
deceived by some confederate of
Liscomb's. This confederate raised
a disturbance in Glimmer's living
| apartments. and while Mrs. Glimmer
went to ascertain the cause of the
I. unwonted noise the confederate
slipped into the Emporium and rang
the bell. What was the effect? In
the confusion that resulted the
traitor escaped. Search among you
and see If 1 am correct
The Colonel entered his Office and
| slammed the door. He had had his
fling. Upon them he had returned
q moiety of the disparagement that
had q short time before been his
And he was right, as usual, for Lis
comb was nowhere to be found; nor
could the confederate be discovered
After brief period of search the
citizens went their several ways.
| Guy and Pettibone turned in the
direction of the hotel. While
sauntering leisurely along, discuss
sing the incidents of the morning,
Sampson passed them. The printer
was going to the post Office to get
the Colonel's mail and, he had his
hands in his pockets and was
whistling Justify. Any one with half
an eye could have seen that he was
very well satisfied with himself.
! II want word with Sampson in
private, Pettibone," said Guy. "Will
you wait here moment while
oyertake him?"
| "Going to put up job to give me
the slip?" inquired the sheriff with
. wink.
Il hadn't thought Of such thing"
"All right. go on"
Guy called to Sampson and over.
took him dozen yards ahead.
There is one man in this town.
sampson" remarked Guy, who
knows all about your dealings with
the Harmony people"
! The printers jaw dropped and a
troubled look shot athwart his
! freckled face.
| ''What's that?" he mumbled.
Guy repeated his words. and Samp.
son cast an apprehensiye glance be,
4 hind him.
What are you trying to get at
any how?" he demanded, putting on
a bold front.
sI'll tell you in moment. But
for a combination of unusual cir.
eumstances that came to my aid
: