Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-17

CHAPTER John Harkless, fresh
from college, buys the bankrupt Car
| low County Herald, at Plattsville. Ind.
and starts in to reform things. His
first triumph is to compel Rodney Nc
Cune to withdraw from the candidacy
| for congress under pain of exposures
| He reclaints a drunken college pro-
fessor named Frisbee and takes him on
his staff. Gossip tells him of strange
young woman named Sherwood who is
visiting the daughter Of Judge Br,scoe
/ II-Miss Sherwood deeply interested
| in Harkless. She hears of the White
| Caps, at Six Crossroads, whom he has
attacked in the Herald They threaten
vengeance, and the editor is Swallowed
every night by a Plattsville friend. on
guard. H.-Harkless gets vague
I hint thru Frsbee that he may have
| met Miss Sherwood al Winter Harbor
| in his college days. He goes at night
! to call on her, followed by William
| Todd, his guard. Harkless lis fired on
| at Judge Briscoe's door. Miss Sher-
wood rushes out and refuses to retire
| until he does. He carries her indoors.
| Visiting on bench in Judge Bris-
GOES garden, Harkless and Helen Sher-
wood talk sentiment in the moonlight,
but barely break the ice OF acqualnt-
ance. Harkless jokes at the White Caps
but thanks Helen for saving his life.
with Helen and the Briscoes Hark-
less views the circus parade. He res
cues Hartley Bowlder. another drunk
ard reformed by his efforts, from the
clutches of two skin gamblers, and
~ hi ay.h e, llpa
driven into honest courses, gets the
Ipair arrested. He is again assailed by
White Caps. VI-Harkless and Helen
discover that they have met and danced
together years before at Winter Har-
Dor. She is the cousin of Tom Mere
dith, Harkless' college chum. AT night
Harkless sets out for Judge Brlscoes,
accompanied by his guard, Lige WIFI
let's the beau Of Minnie Briscoe.
/ He felt something strike at mis- heart
In the sudden sense Of dearth he had
no establishment that she should be-
tray such agitation over her departure
from pl,tce she had known SO little
and friends who certainly were not
part of her life. He rose to his feet.
and, resting his arm against syca-
more. stool staring away from her ut
nothing. She did not move. There
was lon., silence. He had Weakened
suddenly. The skies had been sap
phire, the sward emerald, Plattville a
Camelot Of romance, city Of enchant-
ment, and now, like a meteor burned
out in breath. the necromancy fell
away and lie gaZed into desolate years.
The thought Of the square, his dusty
office, the bleak length of Main stree
as they would appear tomorrow ga
him faint physical sickness Tod
it had all been touched to beauty.
had felt fit to live and work here
thousand years-a FOOLS dream, Il
the waking was to arid emptiness.
should die now Of hunger and thirst
this Sahara. He hoped the fates won
let 1t be soon, but he knew they woul
not; knew that this was hysteria. TIL
in his endurance he should plod OIL
plod, plod dustily on, through ding.
lonely years.
There was a rumble Of thunder f.
out on the western prairie. A COZ
breath stole through the hot stiffness
and an arm of vapor reached out be
tween the moon and the quiet earth
Darkness fell The man and girl KEEP
silence between them. They migl;
have been two sad guardians of the
black little stream that FLASHED un-
seen at their feet. Now and then re-
Election of faraway lightning family
limned them with a green light. Thun-
der rolled nearer, ominously. The gods
were driving their chariots over the
bridge. The chill breath passed, leav-
ing the ali again to Its hot inertia.
II did not want to CO." she said at
last, with tears just below the surface
of her voice. II wanted to stay here,
but he-they Wouldn't can't
Wanted to stay here?" he said hus-
kily, not turning. "Here? In In
diana?"
EYES,"
In Rouen, you mean?"
.'In Plattville"
I'm Plattville" He turned now, as
founded.
Yes Wouldn't you have taken me
on the Herald?" She rose and came to-
ward him. II could have supported
myself here if you would, and I've
studied how newspapers are made. I
know l could have earned a wage.
could have helped you make it daily"
He searched in vain for trace Of rail
lery in her voice There was none.
She seemed to intend her words to be
taken literally.
Il don't understand" he said. II
don't know what you mean"
II mean that l want to stay here;
that l ought to stay here; that my
conscience tells me ! should but |
can't, and 1t makes me very unhappy.
That was why acted SO badly
Your censcience!' he cried.
ooh, l know what tumble and puz-
lie it must seem to your
II only know one thing-that you are
,oing away tomorrow morning and
hat shall never see you again"
The darkness had grown intense.
They could not see each other, but
van gimnler gave him fleeting. misty .
Jew of her. She stood half turned
rom him, her hand to her cheek in
he uncertain fashion of his great mo-
nent in the afternoon. Her eyes, he {
aw in he flying picture that he
lnI nr,d n