Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-05-22
CHAPTER VI.


wrought up. He was pacing the re-
stricted limits of his Office and toss
ing his arms and talking to himself,
so wrathfully oblivious of his sur
roundings that he did not notice the
entrace Of Guy and Sampson for sew
eral moments.
Occasionally the Colonel would
halt, glover at copy hook fastened
to the wall, shake his fist at it and
address it by such terms as Infer
nal scoundrel," "contemptible cur,
and so on. Finally he jerked the
hook from the wall, cast it on the
floor and set his heel on the sheets
that were strung upon it.
Great guns, Colonel cried Samp-
son, you're spoilin' about dozens
stickfuls of copy"
''Oh, is it you, Sampson?" said the
Colonel, whirIing. 'Mr. Herbert, l
want word with you, SIR He
picked up the hook with it's attached
sheets and handed it to the printer.
eco out and get to work on that,
he said, shortly. Sampson vanished
into the workroom forthwith. "How
long have you been in this Office,
Mr. Herbert?" asked the Colonel.
about two minutes" replied Guy
"TA.sa you witnessed my ebullition
of wrath, sir. and I beg your par
don. All, but have a devil of tenn
per! 1 would fight at the drop of
hat-possibly, sir, I would jar the
hand that held the hat. It's my
southern breeding, | suppose; my
southern breeding, backed by long
years of slaughter in our late war
/ am trying to outgrow my temper
, but success comes very slowly. Some
ancient philosopher said that every
man has a wolf imprisoned in his
breast. l believe that, Herbert, ano
] am trying to strangle my own par
ticular wolf. 1t was the wolf that
hurled scorching words at that copy
hook and tore it from the wall, sir;
not Keever-no, no, not keever
But" and the Colonel brought
his right fist down in his left palm
the wolf is going to have the up
per hand until / square accounts
with this man Dingle."
"I wouldn't do anything rash
Colonel" ventured Guy.
Rash? Cad! What would you dc
if man struck you twice across the
face with his hat?"
knock him down." said Guy
promptly.
"Pre-cisely, and that's what any
man with an ordinary temper would
do. But that would only be half
way measure with me. / presume
you noticed that / did. not knock
Dingle DOWN."
Il did," was the dry response.
81 restrained myself, held myself
in check in order that l might take
more terrible vengeance. Herbert,
am going to have Dingle's life!"
''You certainly are not"
There, there! Don't try to argue
with me, for it is useless, utterly
useless. l have made up my mind
Let me assure you that / am no
stranger to the field of honor. At
one time, sir, the code duello was
my wade mecum. / counted that day
lost, Herbert, which passed without
my calling some one out"
The Colonel pulled the brim of his
white stop" hat firmly down over
his brow. In his estimation a stiff
white hat was the acme of gentility.
the crown and symbol of a gentle
man. A stiff white hat, moreover,
throws about it's wearer political
glamour, which was something not
to be ignored by the editor of that
justly celebrated sheet, the Concord
Blizzard. The Colonel not only pulled
down the brim of his hat, but he but
toned the two lower buttons of his
frock coat across his capacious stem
ach, rested one elbow on the top OF
his desk and swung his cane-swung
it slowly and relentlessly. His man
ner plainly stating that threats,
drawers and entreaties would alike