Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-07-22

as any man can be, and live. And that's
the way it goes"
Dick Pettibone was full of anecdote
and "reminiscences and sage reflections
on life, and the half hour which it re-
CURED for the high stopper to trot
them to their destination was whiled
away most agreeably.
Lake Elizabeth was small but
beautiful expanse OF water, simmer
ing like diamond against the green
of the plain. On all sides the banks
reaches of white sand skirting the wa
ter's edge. To the north were two
small groves of cottonwoods standing
knee-deep in dense underground.
Were half an hour ahead of time"
said Pettibone, "and consequently are
first on the ground. Suppose we make
ourselves comfortable among those
cottonwoods, where we can't be seen,
| and await developments"
Thus speaking, he headed his horse
toward the more southerly Of the two
groves. In little time the horse and
buggy had been hidden in the brushy
tangle and the sheriff and Guy had hit
upon point OF vantage from which,
entirely unobserved, they could see
the north shore of the lake in it's full
extent.
| They had no more than settled them
selves comfortably when fall of hoofs
reached their ears and they saw near
the crest OF the sloping shore two
horssmen descending at gallop to-
ward the other grove.
by cracky!" muttered Pettibone.
III there amt old man Glimmer and
Lem Biikins, I'm Feejee! Now, what
the dickens are they here for? feline
that, somebody, and I'll be obliged.
Look at that! They're going into hid
ing in the other grove. Well, I'll be
| dinged!'
Bilkins and Glimmer disappeared in
the brush and among the trees to the
north, and all was outwardly as calm
and serene as before.
/ The next arrivals were Col. Dingle
and Capt. Blue, who drove red
wheeled gig over the rise and down
to sentinel cottonwood that stood
apart The captain and the colonel
were joking and laughing ard one
would have imagined that a duel was s
ordinary matter with them rs Col.
Keever had informed Guy it had once
heen with hir,.
Capt. Blue {.itched the horse TO tree
and as he finished and turned away Col
Keeyer and Sampson drove merrily
upon the scene. The editor of the Biz
ard was smoking cigar and his ex-
IRENE nonchalance was the most nu-
ticeable thing about him.
I Good afternoon, gentlemen" he
called courteously to those already on
the field.
Col Dingle and Capt. Blue nodded
distantly and Col. Keever shrugged his
fat shoulders, ohuckled cynically and
got down from the buggy Cropping
around under the seat he succeeded in
finding and In drawing into sight a
large revolver. Facing about, he
pressed spring, pulled down the bar
rel and gave businesslike glance at
the cartridges In the cylinder. This
done, he snapped the revolver together,
knocked the ashes from his cigar with
the muzzle and staggered over in the
direction of his opponent.
WELL" said Dingle, sharply, sit you
are ready, pace off the distance and
let US get this affair over with"
"We'll first flip quarter for choice
of positions" returned Keever, Civ.
j. ing side glance Mt the sun. "The
last time l figured in an affair of this
knd-was it the last, now, or next to
the last ?-well, anyway, fought with
the gun in my eyes and only pinked
my man. Still"
"Your "reminiscences are very inter
esting." but think we can dispense
with them," cut in Col. Blue, taking
quarter out of his pocket. "Once
for all, Col. Keever, what is it?"
The coin twirled in the air.
"Heads!" cried Keeyer, and won the
toss.
Taking up his position with his bacl
, to the west, he motioned to Sampson
! The printer came at once, leaving TIL
horse unhitched. Although the hors
, was known to be gentle, it was fool
: ish thing for Sampson to leave it i
: this way.
l Sampson, pace of 20 steps wit
E Capt. Blue" commanded Keever. II
) you'd rather make it ten, Dingle, II
: agreeable"
/ "Five!" cried the little Colonel.
r would you like to have me tie
4 handkerchief over one of my eyes? ?
!. asked Col. Keever, with exasperatin
r condescension. II dislike to take an
t advantage of YOU"
, eDon't you be disturbed" flare
s Dingle, holly. "When 1t comes to pi:
r toll practice, my one eye is as good a
, your two eyes any day"
c "Calm yourself, Dingle, or your all
will be bad. Sampson, see that ! &c
II five PAGES, or less"
Five very short PAGES were stumpe
n off by the Captain, who punctuated tt
h distance by driving his wooden leg int
It the sand at both positions.
6 Gall right, Colonel sung out Sam
son, and the principals were soon BAG
d. to back. weapons in hand, awaiting IL
y fall of Capt. Blues cap, which was to
e the signal to turn and fire.
+ From their places of corcealment
e the brush Guy and Pettibone were II
e tening to the conversation and waite
1T ing the sanguinary preparations vii