Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-07-18

troubled look shot athwart his
freckled face.
whats that?" he mumbled.
Guy repeated his words and Samp-
son cast an apprehensivc glance be-
hind him.
"What are you trying to get at,
any hows" he demanded, putting on
o bold front.
IN tell you in moment. But
for combination of unusual cir
cumstances that came to my aid,
you'd have got mo into peck of
trouble Monday night. have the
note you wrote to Vlandingham.
You made a mistake when you used
the back OF an old sheet of copy. I
have identified that copy with a
printed leader in the Blizzard and
the circumstantial evidence against
you is complete"
The red faded ont Of SIMPSONS
lace and left 1t q sick1y white. His
frightened glanccs focused upon the
sheriff for an instant, and then re-
turned to Guy.
X know" went on Guy, "that you
assisted Col. Dingle to get out Of
that doeet In the hotel and think
that you are also the confederate
WHO helped Barney to make his es-
cape
Sampson mofstcned his dry lips
with his tongue.
I'm not saying a word about any
thing" he observed, finally. what
are yon going to do about 1t 2"
Il am merely going to advise you
10 stop the tratncking with the enemy.
IT promise not to turn you over to
Psttibona and tell the Concord people
what you have done, will you be q
good citizen after this?'
Sure was the printers prompt
neply. He was greatly relieved and
showed 1t. 'I'll do more than that and
give you this letter right now instead
OF sneaking into the hotel and slip
ping Il ander the door of your room
~ WAS going to do, aftcr went to
the post office" Sampson took 8
square, pink envelope from the breast
Of his coat and handed It to Guy.
"Vlandingham's hired mon brought
that over to me at IL o'clock last night.
He said he couldn't deliver 1t himself.
as the sheriff was sleeping with one
eye open in front of your room door
and he wantod me to slip it into your
hands," y
Guy looked at the superscription OF
the missive. The photography was
graceful and distinctly feminine. Of
course he did not know who the letter
was from, but he could imagine, and
his eyes frightened and his face
flushed.
sits a good thing you're going to
keep still about me-" grinned Samp-
son. I'm not the only fellow who has
established communication with the
enemy"
He went away chuckling, while Guy
dropped the note quickly into his
breast pocket and waited for the sher-
if to rejoin him.
"Didn't he give you something9''
queried Pettibone, as they walked on.
Nothing of much Importance" an
swered Guy.
The sheriff was thoughtful for q
space and then asked abruptly;
.Did you ever see duel, Mr.. Her
bert?.
what kind Of duel?"
sOne OF the old-fashioned blood-and-
thunder kind. Guess you know about
as much how they did it as do. It's
in defiance OF the law and suppose
I'll have to go out and linger around
even if don't do anything. You can
have your choice between being
locked up while am gone. or going
| with me-
"1'll go with yon, Pettibone."
That's sensible. We may have a
little fun incidentally. Read that
The sheriff fished folded paper out
OF his pocket and Guy opened the
sheet and read as follows:
Concord, June 16, 'S5-Mr Richard Petit
bono. Sheriff of Goodwill county. Concord
! D. r.-Dear Sir; One who cherishes the
| law as the dearest of our country's insti-
tutions, and who has become aware OF q
| terrible crime about to be committed, comes
| 10 you with these presents. asserting that
| challenge and acceptance to figth duel
| R6VS pdEeSQ petWeSH l3tWO VI Inc most
! worthy people Of Goodwill county. Chal-
| le1ge was iasued from the editorial Of
| nce OF the Norther and accepted in the
4 eanctum OF the Blizzsrd-this, be 1t stated
! n direct violation of paragraph s9S, chap.
ter g. penal code of this territory. This
1 affair Of honor unless thwarted by exer-
Use of your authority, will take place al
Sour o'clock In the afternoon of Wednes.
| day, 5uRe u, on the north shore of Lake
i Elizabeth.
| III you have a decent regard for the
4 peace and well-being Of this community
let me supplicate you forthwith to tax,
such steps as may seem advisable for avert.
Ing an impending catastrophe. Proceed II
1 the scene of this intended crime and resor'
to force, II necessary. In overturning the
sanguinary plans of the duelists.
PRO BONO PUBLICO."
'This states plainly enough that
the two Colonies nre the principals IL
the affair."" said Guy. "The fact o,
this proposed duel is no news to me
however, as + already had knowledge
of it from Col. keever himself. Who
y this PRO Bono Publico,' wonder?'
you wonder, eh?" returned Petit
bone, with another of his winks
"Don't you know that there is onl,
one man in this town who could, OF
would, write letter of that kind?"
"Who is that?"
"Hold that letter close to your nose
and get a good Whit of it,