Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-04-28

FERROUS affair."" replied Warde.
Mysterious? What are you giving
me? Why, it's as plain as the
nose on mans face. The colonel
heard all the testimony, and he says
he can see no hope for Wright"
is the colonel satisfied of Wripht's
guilt"
Not doubt of it,"
I'm sorry to hear that. Does he
intend going into the prosecution?"
think not. 1t is scarcely intricate
enough for him. His forte is digging
truth out OF well, not picking it up
on the ground. Besides, since the
facts have come out SO strong against
Wright, he does not feel like having
anything to do with it. He's always
been a great friend to the family,
you know; and he dislikes the idea
OF prosecuting the son for the MUIR
der OF the father, who was his
friend"
Eyes; I see."
Between you and me, 1 believe
Wright's family were blamed glad to
get rid OF him, and the colonel knows
it."
What makes you think SOP"
"Why, I'll tell you. Old Wright was
rs hard piece of cobblestone as you
ever saw. He treated his wife as
if she had been his niger, and he
never had a pleasant word for any
body 1T home. He kicked his son out,
you know, and there's his daughter,
Miriam, perfectly scrumptious girl,
that he didn't take any more notice
OF than if she had been a mummy.
The only decent thing he ever did
was to get himself killed, and he
couldn't help that"
What did he ever do to you,
Frank?"
Nothing at all; but didn't know
him? He used to drive up to this
Office every day, never looking to
the right or left, or speaking to
soul. All day long it was cotton re-
ports, sampling cotton, thinking cot
ton, and, for all know, eating cotton.
Every now and then he'd go off to
one of his plantations and spend
few days cussin' out his manager and
niggers. In fact, he was perfect hog
If there ever was one"
At this point Col. Franklin came
in hurriedly and took Warde into
his private Office. "What can do
for you today" he said, throwing
off his cloak and dropping rather
YEARLY into chair.
II wish to learn your views on the
testimony brought out this morning"
my dear boy" said the lawyer COM
panionably, II don't want to be
quoted, you understand; but it was
simply awful. 1t looked like the in
terposition of Providence. have
been SO Mortified at the revelations
this morning that have about de-
termined to withdraw from the case.
could not very well prosecute for
murder the son of the man who was
my lifelong friend"
do you know, colonel, L don't be-
lieve the young fellow did it," said
Warde.
I'm the face Of that evidence this
morning?"
'In spite of it; and 1 am going to
discover the truth"
Col. Franklin looked seriously at
Warde as if to see whether he were
in jest or earnest. but detecting moth
ing humorous in the young mans face
said: ut looks to me like wild
goose chase, but 1 hope that you will
be able to establish Herbert Wright's
innocence. 1t is shocking case as
t it stands"
II have just been up to see him"
what does he say?"
"Claims to be innocent. He has
some clew or other which I expect
later on to add to those I already
have, and with these threads I hope
to get at the truth"
"Did he tell you what it WASP"
asked the lawyer with evident Curl
osity.
mo sir; had hoped to get it from
him, but he declined to tell me just
yet. He intimated that what he had
to say would be of such a startling
character as to be considered at first
absurd. Before I could induce him
to change his mind and tell me his
secret his wife came in and I left
them together
''It is the old story" said the col
onel, smiling sadly. .The poor fellow
is cornered, and he has not yet
thought out what to say, and is put
ting up this bluff to gain time. A
shrewd lawyer will probably take him
in hand by tomorrow and tell him to
shut HIS mouth. When a man is in
nocent of a crime, it can never hurt
him OF prejudice his case for him to
speak the truth. would advise you
not to let Wright play upon you"
"But If he is seeking to establish
case on some one else he might
place that person on his guard if he
were to tell what he knows, and so
injure his own chance. Besides, I am
satisfied that whatever clew Wright
has is only partial one and that it
will have to be joined with others
to amount to anything like proof
Possibly. If can be of any assist
ance shall be glad to put my serv-
ices at your disposal" said Franklin.
"But I am against being led away by
every wild theory that Wright may
advance. A desperate man will stop
short of nothing"