The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-05-06
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III llloI q SlOul lOuuS Illdu
SS9sd introduced himself to Bar
yS&SJ rett, superintendent of po-
lice; Warren Smith and Horner sheriff
OF Carlow. He spoke in low voice.
~My name is Meredith" he said. MIR.
Harkless was an old and-and-" He
paused for moment. The Plattville
men nodded solemnly. AN old and
dear friend Of mine" he went on, with
some difficulty, and Warren Smith took
him silently by the hand.
"You can come in and see this man,
the Teller, with us if you like, Mr.. Mer-
edith" said the superintendent Your
friend made it very hot for him be-
fore the two of 'em got away with him.
Hes so shot and hacked up his mother
wouldn't know him if she wanted to.
At least that's what they say out here.
We haven't seen him. He's called Jer-
y the Teller, and one of my sergeants
found him in the freight yard. Knew
1t was the Teller, because he was stow
ed away in one of the empty cars that
came from Plattville last night. And
Slattery-thats his running mate, the
one we caught with the coat and hat
owned up that they beat their way on
that freight. Looks like Slattery-let
the Teller do all the fighting. He amt
scratched. We've been at Slattery
pretty hard, but he won't open his
head, and we hope to get something
out of this one. He's delirious, but
they say he'll come to before he dies.
Do you want to go in with us?"
''Yes," said Meredith simply, and
young surgeon presently appeared and
led them down a wide corridor and I'D
q narrow hall, and they entered a
small, quiet ward.
There was pungent smell of chem
tcals in the room. The light was low,
and the dimness was imbued with
thick, confused murmur, incoherent
whisperings that came from cot in
the corner. 1t was the only cot in use
in the ward, and Meredith was con-
scious of a terror that made him dread
to look at it, to go near it. Beside it
q nurse sat silent, and upon it feebly
tossed the racked body of him whom
Barrett had called Jerry the Teller.
The head was a shapeless bundle, so
swathed it was with bandages and
cloths, and what part of the face was
visible was diScolored and pigmented
with drugs. Stretched under the white
sheet the man looked immensely tall
as Horner saw with vague misgiving-
and he lay in an odd, inhuman fash
for fhn1rh hn hn1 hnoy oil hr.nIyor,
to pieces. His attempts to move were
constantly soothed by the nurse, and
he as constantly continued such at
tempts, and one hand, though torn
and bandaged, was not to be restrained
from wandering, restless movement
that Meredith felt to be pathetic. He
had entered the room with flare of
hate for the thug whom he had come
to see die and who had struck down
the old friend whose nearness he had
never known until it was too late. But
at first sight of the broken figure he
felt all luminosity fall away from him.
Only awe remained and a growing
traitorous pity as he watched the long
white fingers of the Teller pick at the
coverlet The man was muttering
rapid fragments of words and sylla-
bles.
Somehow l feel sense of wrong,
Gay" Meredith whispered to the sur
geon, whom he know. Il feel as if |
had done the fellow to death myself,
rs if it were all out of gear. | know
now how Henry felt over the great
Guisard. How tall he looks. That
doesn't seem to me like thugs hand"
The surgeon nodded "Of course if
there's a mistake to be made you can
count on Barrett and his sergeants to
make it. l doubt if this is their man.
When they found him, what clothes
he wore were torn and stained. but
they had been good once, especially
the linen"
Barrett bent over the recumbent fig
ure. See here, Jerry he said. 81 want
to talk to you little. Rouse up, will
you? l want to talk to you as
friend"
The incoherent muttering continued.
"See here, jerry repeated Barrett
more sharply. "Jerry! Rouse up, will
you? We don't want any fooling, un-
derstand that, jerry He dropped his
hand on the mans shoulder and shook
him slightly.
The Teller uttered short, gasping
cry.
LET me-" said Gay and swiftly in
terposed. Bending over the cot, he said
In yIoo pf VOICE. oil ,-i0ht old
man; it's all right. Slattery wants to
know what you did with that man
down at Plattville when you got
through with him. He can't remember,
and he thinks there was money left on
him. Slattery's head was hurt. He
can't remember. He'll go shares with
you when he gets 1t. Slattery's going to
stand by you if he can get the money"
The Teller only tried to move his free
hand to the shoulder Barrett had shak-
en-.
"Slattery wants to know" repeated
the young surgeon. gently moving the
hand back upon the sheet. He'll divvy
up when he gets it. He'll stand by you,
old man."
"Would you please not mind" whis-
pered the Teller faintly-"would you
please not mind if you took care not to
brush against my shoulder again?"
The surgeon drew back, with an ex-
clamation, but the Teller's whisper
gathered strength, and they heard him
murmuring oddly to himself. Mere
dith moved forward, with a startled
gesture. whats that?" he said.
Seems to be trying to sing. or some
thing" said Barrett. bending over to
listen.
The Teller swung his arm heavily
over the side Of the cot, the fingers new
er ceaSing their nainful tWitchinp The