Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-03-19

dark with that pistol in hand L was
feared you'd pink me fore I could
make myself known, and SO I had to
take it from We. Hope you'll excuse
me for that. Ye might have killed
me by mistake, and then an expla-
good. See?"
Eyes, see," growled the other, to
whom the subject was evidently an
unpleasant one, and ranked, since it
showed how easy it would be to dis
arm him another time.
"We1l, and what 80 you wan't?" he
asked, afer a moments pause.
"Why did you come and seek me
out?"
81 thought that you might have
some work on hand for me to do"
Then. with a keen look, 81 must saw.
Will--that you have ged-there
are some things bout we / can't make
out"
"Changed? Course I've changed;
who wouldn't in all these years.
Well, [ don't know but have work
for you to do
The other drew his chair up nearer
to the table and moved his thin lips
together as if he was smacking
them over a prospective treat.
''What is it, cleanin' chimneys ?'
with knowing wink.
'I'm done with all such things"
''Get out-what sort of story is
that? Turned Methody, have We, an
you one of the best in the business?
Mind taking the bishops gold snuff
box at a weddin'-Oh, say, that was
rich" and he broke out into noisy
laughter.
'There-there. 7 wish you wouldn't
make SO much noise," grumbled Hen
bricks. I came here to keep out of
peoples way, and while don't mind
your finding me out"
The stranger drew a long whistle,
and then nodded sagely.
''I see. Wanted, Ell? Well, natur-
ally, you must lay low for while.
Now, what was the job you would
put me on to? You always was
master hand for laying out work. If
I had your brains I'd do nothing else,
and it's much safer
81 wish you wouldn't talk SO much,
and listen to me-" said Job testify.
what jabbler lou are!"
''I'm sbut up-so go ahead" said
the other, subsiding.
Job became thoughtful, and they
were not pleasant thoughts, to judge
from his frowning forehead and the
fierce look that came into his eyes.
His big hands resting on the arm of
the chair opened and closed now and
then convulsively, but presently he
grew calmer.
cit was before your day that this
happened, maybe, or, at least you
were but a lad, Jebbs. The Della
mater Iron Works, over on the North
river side, was robbed-the foreman
happened to be kil1ed-a man named
Martin Frale was accused-found
guilty and sentenced-to 20 years"
He paused and drew a long breath.
''I've heard the story. I was not
in business at the time" said the
other. 'sBut what of it? They say
Frale is dead!"
"Frale never had anything to do
with the murder. He was starving
almost at the time. There was
man-an enemy of his--whO that
night wined him and dined him, and
when he was fuddled led him into the
trouble" and when Job was saying
this his eyes wore a far-away look as
if his thoughts were wandering back
in the past.
Jebbs eyed him keenly and blurted
out: 4
s'Say, old man, what of this job you
was talkin' bout? What's all this
here ancient history to do with it?"
Hendricks reused himself as if
returning from the past to the pres
ent and nodded his head.
"Maybe I was wandering" then
with great earnestness: This is
what [ want to know-who wrote
those words-and where can the
writer be found?" and SO saying he
laid on the table before his shabby
guest the torn envelope he had foun"
that day when he went to visit James
Ellison.
Jebbs picked it up and held the pa
per where the light of the candle
would fall full upon it, while his COM
panion watched him with anxious
eyes.
''Come, if you know, out with it,
he said at length, impatiently. "I'm
told that you have great head for
handwriting-the keenest of ALL"
The other poured over the paper
and then let it fall.
ST know who wrote that!" he said
slowly.
''He is iving-you could find him
or show me where he could be
found?" asked Hendricks, anxious
and eager.
"I'm not so sure of that" said
Jebbs, with a provoking grin.