Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-08

BUSINESS aPpeTlalulHS W tHe county
seat"
What name?" inquired the new
hand.
Herbert"
"Wait! Stop! 1don't think you can
have that horse!" cried the hostler,
who was familiar with Guys name if
not with his face.
But Guy was we'll away by this time
and gave no heed to Herkimer's sum-
mons.
There were two roads leading to
Amityville. The shortest road paral-
leled the railroad track and led directly
through Harmony. In order to follow
this route it would have been necessary
for Guy to traverse the main street Of
Concord and bear west from the depot.
He did not care to do this, or to run
the risk of being halted in Harmony,
so he debouched southwark along the
other road and angled toward Amity-
vile by way of Lake Elizabeth.
This latter course had been the one
taken by the men who had spirited
away the courthouse and Guy saw,
stretching out before him, the broad,
deep wheel marks of the gigantic truck
which had been improvised by the Har-
monyites.
When near Lake Elizabeth he sud
denly glimpsed half dozen horsemen
galloping rapidly toward him. 1t was
too late to beat a retreat, or to gain
unnoticed the friendly shelter of the
trees on the bank of the lake. He had
been so deep in his thoughts that the
horsemen were within short quarter
of mile of him before he discovered
their approach.
He was soon able to distinguish Pet
tibone, and Pinney, and Leffingwe1l,
but the remaining three were unknown
to him. Drawing rein, he quietly wait
ed.
"Thunder!" shouted the sheriff; "it's
Herbert"
The next moment Guy was surround
ed by six angry and baffled men.
well, gentlemen, said Guy, his eyes
twinkling, "did you find the court
house?"
"You be blamed!" returned Petit
bone, sourly. How did you get out?"
THAT doesn't matter, Pettibone.
I'm out, and that's enough. AS you
gentlemen appear to be in anything but
an agreeable frame of mind, kindly
ride out OF my way and let me pass on"
"Not much!" cried Pinney. you've
escaped and you've got to go back with
u.s."
THAT'S the ticket" said Leffingwell,
g,ancing sharply at the horse Guy was
riding.
The three others, whom Guy did not
know, were equally az positive that he
should go back to Concord. Pettibone
knitted his brows over the problem
but said nothing. His horse stood
directly in front of Guys and as he re-
fected he snapped his quirt absently
against his boot leg.
Hear me minute, gentlemen"
said Guy. 81 don't wantto have clash
and I'm sure everything will be pleas
ant between US if you'll only be reason
able. Yesterday was given my choice
either of leaving town or being locked
up. I didn't care to leave town then,
but I'm willing to do so now. Why do
you want to stop me?"
Yesterday we had the courthouse"
blurted out Leffingwell, land to-day
the other people have got it. That
makes all the difference in the world.
You've assisted the other people and
suppose you want to go over there and
| help them celebrate. 7, for one, am in
favor of taking you back to Concord
and treating youas you deserve"
$50 am l." seconded Pinney.
The rest were of the same mind,
even the sheriff Joined with the 9TH
ers.
AS Pettibone voiced the agreement
with his companions, he flashed Guy
meaning glance and the quirt few
awkwardly from his hand. Dis
mounting, the sheriff led his horse
aside and bent to pick up his whip.
This made a breach in the Gordon
that surrounded the young man and
left the road, for the moment, clear
before him. In trice he inter
preted Petitioners look and dug his
heels into his horses sides. The ami
NAL sprung away like shaft from
bow.
"stop!" roared Pinney, but he
might as well have ordered the wind
to cease blowing.
stop or I'll shoot!" shouted LET
fingwell, drawing a revolver from
his pocket and sighting it quickly.
Still Guy did not halt and Petit
bone knocked the iveryman's arm
downward before he could fire.
"None of that, Leffingwell!" cried
the sheriff. "Chase after him, that's
the thing to do"
Thereupon the six of them had re.
course to their spurs and quirts.
The horses of the pursuers had
seen hard service that morning and
were at a disadvantage. Guys
mount, on the contrary, was COM
paratively fresh, and he could see,
by the hasty glance which he occa-
sionally threw over his shoulder, that
he was slowly increasing the distance
that separated him from those be-
hind.