Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-05-08

exercise the right of franchise unin-
fiuenced? If ordered away they might
flock to Harmony in body, and if per-
mitted to vote as they pleased they
might be subsidized by agents of
Vlandingham. The matter was deli
cate one and to be handled with ex-
IRENE caution. The temptation to look
out for himself al all costs was pow
erful one, and had not Miss Betty her
self said that it was right for him to
do all he could to keep the county seat
at Concord? Taking everything into
considera ton, Guy thought it would be
we'll to lay back on his oars, watch the
opposition and see what happened.
He had number of thoughts con-
corning Miss Betty entirely apart from
the political question, and in the fair
er fields where they were to esteem
each other as friends. These were
headstrong fancies and so wildly tint
ed with the hues of youth that they
were more properly dreams and not to
be chronicled.
Arrived at Concord, Guy left the
horse at the livery barn and made his
way along the dark and deserted street
to the Lisbon house.
This hotel was under the proprietor
ship of Portuguese. Being unable
to pronounce his name, the people of
Concord rose up and bestowed upon
him the patronymic of Smith" Re-
tanning his multitude of Christian
names, his full title thus became Pedro
Fernandez Jose Manuel Smith. This
was, of course, altogether too long for
pioneer community, and when Pedro
Fernandez was not plain Smith he was
Pedro, or "Cinch"-which was prac-
tically the same.
Almost any day Pedro might be seen
sitting in front of his establishment,
wearing his white apron and square
white cap, his legs crossed, elbows on
his knee, complacently swinging his
suspended foot and putting at corn
cob pipe. 1t was thus that Guy found
the proprietor when he came out from
breakfast on the morning after his
ride from Harmony.
The early train from the west had
just stopped at the station as Guy
took chair on the porch and lighted
a cigar.
"Quite an excitement when the
trains come in," observed Pedro.
$50 it seems returned Guy, looking
at the little throng which had gath
cred on the platform and part of which
was visible around the ends of the sta
ton building. He saw Mr.. Glimmer
and Lemuel Bilkins, among others, and
gave especial attention to a slender
youth whose fiery hair curled fringing
ly about the edges of his old cap. This
latter individual was throwing can
vas bag into the open door of the mail
car.
THAT'S Sampson" ventured Pedro,
noting the direction of Guys gaze;
"works for the Colonel, and is just
throwing on the east-bound bundle of
this weeks Blizzard. Here's a copy
Of it, if you'd like to run it over. It's
a mighty warm number-county seat
war is gettin' interestin'."
Pedro pulled the paper out from I'M
der his apron and Guy examined it
lazily. There was a red-hot leader, III
the ColonePs scorching style, picking
the county commissioners to tatters
and then holding these remnants up
to public contumely. The intrinsic
value of the article did not interest
Guy quite SO much as something else.
bingham had handed him at the town
meeting the night before-N. Bile
was treasuring that scrap simply and
solely because of Miss Betty's penciled
message to her father at the bottom of
it. Turning the note over, he perused
the writing on the back, as he had done
once before that morning.
The chirography was a blotted
scrawl and the ink was purple in
color. Guy remembered that the ink
which the Colonel had Jared out of
it's stand on the preceding afternoon
was not all. The writing on the back
Of that note was the counterpart of a
fraction of the leader, word for word,
comma for comma and exclamation
point for exclamation point. Had Guy
piece of the copy" in his hands?
Was here a clew to the identity of the
"broom man" mentioned by Barney?
"Jee-mi-nee!" broke from Pedro
Smith, as he got up from his chair.
Here come three passengers from
the west. We don't get many from
that direction"
Guy thrust the note back into his
pocket and looked towards the sta
ton. The train had gone and the GU
rious citizens were headed back to-
wards the business section of the
town. Lemuel was carrying the mail
sacks for Mr. McQuilkin, task which
he performed proudly and regularly
for the mere glory of it; Sampson, a
little time at his disposal now that
the weeks issue was out of the way,
had lighted a cigarette and was saun-
tering leisurely; NJ. Glimmer had
been expecting his wife's sister from
Bismarck, and it cannot be said that
he wore very disappointed look be-
cause she had failed to arrive. Waffle