Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-06-17
CHAPTER IT.
IN THE HOSTILE CAMP.


Guy had four hours aAd a half MT his
disposal before the freight train left
Concord, and he made up his mind that
he would put in the time looking over
the town. Before descending the de-
crepit stairs leading from the Blizzard
Office, he fingered at the top to scan
the three points OF the compass that
lay open to him. AS the building occu-
pied by the newspaper was well a the
foot of the main thoroughfare. nearly
the whole of Concord lay under the
young mans eye.
Certainly no eulogies were to be
wasted upon that collection of houses
and stores. The principal street had
roads debouching to left and right
Buildings were not huddled together:
on the contrary. they were far apart,
with stretches of virgin prairie be-
tween them. 1t had been the policy of
the Townsite company to donate lot
in each block in the residence portion
to any one who would build a house
upon it. For this reason, nearly every
dwelling had block to itself.
Main street began at the Northern
Pacific depot and ran south for half a
mile beyond the Blizzard building, the
latter closing up the ragged file of
store structures. just south of the
depot was huge, barn-like hotel. The
hotel, be it observed, always formed
the nucleus of the "boom" town
Across from the hotel was the Office of
real estate agent; south of that, on
the same side, was a building erected
by the Townsite company for bank;
then there was a drug store and then
Mr.. Benjamin Glimmers Emporium
and then livery stable, the latter al
most opposite the Blizzard building
Between the latter and the hotel was
the new courthouse
AS Guy gave further attention to
the courthouse he saw something
which had before escaped him, namely,
weather vane. This vane was cut
into the profile of mans head, hand
before the face, thumb to the nose and
digits outspread. The head looked
steadily and insolently westward and
refused to move with the northwest
wind. Guys anger arose at the sight.
He had no idea what such vane might
mean, but he would tolerate nothing
of that kind in his town. That vane
was to come down In very short time,
even If he had to remove it himself.
Descending the stairs he went over
to the Emporium and introduced him
self to the proprietor. Mr.. Glimmer
Gle sc
ion and looked at the world through
iron-framed spectacles. He was glad
to meet Guy and presented him to sew
eral citizens; among others, Elisha
McQuilkin, the postmaster, Lemuel
Bilkins, youth of harmless aspect,
whose abnormally long and spider-like
legs were the standing joke of the
town; Christopher Waffle, justice of
the peace and proprietor of thresh-
ing outfit, and Bill Comfort, who oper-
ated Judge Waffle's engine. CONVEX
sation with these gentlemen revealed
such a depth of animosity and bitter
ness over the county-seat question
that Guy was surprised.
1.-THE Harmony folks have threat
ened to come down on us like Assyri-
ans on the fold and run Off with the
county records" observed Mr. Glim-
mer, his thin lips COMPRISING and his
eyes cleaning through his glasses
We'll fool 'em if they try it on, l can
tell you. I've only to pull this rope"
Tho laid his hand on rope that dan
gled through hole in the ceiling
in nd n hall ha ,-ty,
warning and bring every citizen to the
new courthouse"
"And every citizen will bring a gun"
snapped Waffle.
"And use it if necessary" Numbered
McQuilkin.
Coming from the fairly peaceable
confines of Chicago this warlike Ian
guage filled Guy with considerable APP
prehension. 1t likewise gave him re-
alizing sense of the danger of the mis-
sion he was about to undertake. If the
Harmony people were aroused in
similar degree, to be discovered TAX
ing notes at their town meeting would
mean-Guy refrained from following
out this train of thought. He did not
care to anticipate the disaster which
would probably befall him in case of
discovery. Truth to tell. this work
was being entered upon against the
counsel of his honor. In love and war.
however all means are supposed to be
fair and he was endeavoring to apply
that principle to the present case.
Nevertheless he was troubled
The G. 20 o'clock freiuht had n few
cases of merchandise for Concord and
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