The Irish standard., 1902-04-05

THE IRISH ST.
bert" Guy passed over and stood
beside him. Behold my confidence
in the outcome" added the Colonel,
with a sweep of his arm.
What Guy saw was a ten-by-fifteen
building in process of construction.
At least a dozen men were working
upon it and even novice like Guy
could see that they were very much
in each others way.
"a lot of carpenters for small
house like that" commented the
young man.
81 should say so," chuckled the
! Colonel. "Those men were brought
in from Jimtown and they're voters,
every mothers son of them. I've got
others building roads and repairing
bridges" He closed one of his murlly
little eyes, slowly and slyly. They'll
vote as tell them to. Mr.. Herbert,
and there'l be enough of them to
kill Harmony too dead to skin" He
threw up the window. "Hello, there,
Jordan!" he called to man who was
working languidly with Il saw. "You
| fellows are getting along altogether
too fast, Take a lay-otf this after
noon" Instantly all work ceased,
! tools were left where last used and
the 10 worllmen hurried away in a
body. The Colonel closed the win
dow and beamed upon Guy compla-
Gently. "'Thats the courthouse
they're building," he added.
"Rathcr a small courthouse, isn't
ito"
ooh, it will grow, it will! grow"
"Where does the money come
from?" inquired Guy, anxiously.
Don't worry about the money, nay
boy. l sold batch of lots to ten
derfoot few weeks ago, and it's
his money that's doing all this"
"It doesn't seem just right to rush
voters in in that way, Col. Keever."
"Anythings right that's successful
up in this territory. This is my lit
tie plan and of course Harmony isn't
laying back on it's oars and waiting
for me to grab the persimmons.
Vlandingllam and his lieutenants,
Dingle, Harp, Blue and Boomer, are
going to do something. but ust what
remains to be seen. They have
town meeting over at Harmony to-
night to discuss ways and means for
getting ahead of mel" The Colonel's
smile faded into look of trouble.
'I'd give hundred dollars" said he,
to know what kind of a scheme they
hatch up at that meeting. They'll
have lynN-eyed men on watch, how
ever, to make sure that no Concord
fellows get in"
The Colonel turned and wandered
reflectively about the Office. Guy sat
down again and watched him
thoughtfuly. Finally the Colonel
halted, thrust his thumbs into the
arm holes of his vest and declared:
"IIerbcrt, you're the mani"
"rhc man for what?"
"To run over to Harmony and take
in that meeting. You're stranger in
this section, and they won't know you
from Adam. Be careful, though, and
don't give yourself away. Feeling is
running high and both sides are ex-
ceeding,y bitter. If you were to be
found out you'd have a rough experi-
ence. Ever carry a revolver"
NO.
"Then get one. I haven't anything
but the office gun and can't spare that"
"Col. Keever," said Guy, reddening,
'I'm not going to make spy out Of
myself"
"Tush! tush! You're not doing any,
thing dishonorable. I'd cut my tongue
out before I'd counsel any thing of that
kind. You're high minded young
mani can see that at glance and I
admire you for it. But those fellows
on the other side of the county are
blackguards, every one of them. They
are laying their plans to steal the coun-
ty seat away from you and all you are
to do is to discover what their plans
are, if possible, so we may balk them
in their nefarious attempt. My boy,
YOU have some thing like 1900 lots in
this town. That means fortune for
you if we can keep the county seat.
five lose the county seat your lots will
be worth just what they'll bring for
farming purposes, and no more. Nor
is that the worst of it. Let Harmony
win in this election and every man.
woman and child now living in Concord
will pull up stakes and move over to the
other town."
"They wouldn't leave their homes
and their places of business, would
they?" queried Guy aghast.
Not much they wouldn't leave 'em
they'd take 'em along. You could
put whee.s under the national capito,
and move it along hundred miles over
these prairies without Earring out a
brick or a chunk of mortar. My word
for it, Mr.. Herbert, let Harmony win
and there won't he so much as a hem
coop left to mark the site of the pres
ent town of Concord"
"Ill GO said Guy.
81 thought you would" returned the
Colonel. approvingly. "There's a
freight down at G:30. Take that"
Copy. C-o-p-y!" baw!ed voice
through Il hole in the partition.
The Colonel made dive for the pa
per weight and the red-headed printer
vanished in flash.
I'll have to grind out some stuff for
that rascal, or he'll drive me crazy!"