Mower County transcript., 1904-11-16
Copyright. 1908. BY HARPER a BROTHERS

going faster and faster till he reached
the warehouse. He saw Kenner and
Hanks in the Office but he passed, on
to Georges room in the rear There on
the table lay Buckley's revolver.
Thrusting it into the pocket of his
short coat he hurried out at the side
door and went UP the railroad to the
Johnston House. Going into the Office
he approached the Gesk and asked the
clerk for Governor Tefare. g .s a
"He left on the S o'clock train. this
morning, Mr.. Hillyer,' said the clerk
"He had us call him at ~ % ~'> . :,
Gomez" The old man stared blank
ly.
"Yes. he got off. bat he'll be back
next Sunday. He engaged the best
room in the house and gave orders that
it was not to be used by any one else"
"Gonev' Hillyer turned and started
away amless!v. In the hall leading to
the street he was met by Bascom
Truitt, who stopped him.
Say, old man, what's the matter?
Sick?" Hillyer stared at him. but made
no reply. 'Look " here what ails you
anyway" The old soldier placed his
hand on the merchants shoulder and
turned him into vacant room on the
side of the hall, room used by COM
mercial travellers for displaying their
wares to the village storekeepers.
FIillyer sank into chair and groaned.
Truitt heard some one passing in the
hall and closed the door.
II know sOme'n's wrong he said
"Somc'n's wrong when deacon in the
church an a man O. yore stamp goes
round white as a grave rock with a
A caliber gun in his pocket an his
teeth chatterin' on as warm day as
this is''
IIilyer told him what had happened
to George and his own failure to meet
Telfare. He told it in an unsteady
voice, his lips Quivering as he spoke.
Then, with his head down, he added;
"Bas, you know | split human blood
thirty year ago. I've prayed all them
years to git God to blot out the crime,
an yet, after all that, if I'd "a met
Telflre just now, IL reckon, eff be
hadn't apologized to that pore boy I'd
"a shot i'm dead in his tracks. l was
all upset about it. Oh, my God, Pm
as bad as was away back when I was
young an hot booded!'
Truitt shrugged his shoulders. ''Then
I reckon it's better fer all concerned
that Telfare went off when he did.
Now, look here, old man." Truitt bent
and took the revolver from Hillyer
and put it into his own pocket. "Yo're
entirely untitled to run round with a
loaded gun in yore pocket. You take
my advice an go back to yore store.
I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll study
over this an try to come to some con-
clusion what's best, then I'll come
down an see you. I'm interested in
George Buckley, an don't you let that
slide out O. yOre mind in yOre excite
ment. He's been a friend true an
tried to me an mine, an I'll stand to
i'm or die. Now, you go on to the
warehouse"
b "And when will you be DOWN." asked
the merchant.
"Jest as soon as can see some way
out O the difficulty" said Truitt
evasively. Il tell you, you are too ex,
citable-you go off half cooked. That's
what got you in the trouble that you
say has worried you SO much. Why
even eff you had shot the scalawag just
now, you'd "a done it too quick to've
had any fun watchin' i'm squirm. I'd
ruther see dern coward that's wrong
ed me or mine beg fer life an to see
i'm die We all die-that's common as
pig tracks in wet weather, but only the
dirty, sneakin' towards is afeard of it
You go OH now; we are a-losin' time
I'll come dOWn-Ill come down!
amt no anarchist, gdn' round KILN
big men in office, but that feller's 60
to be tended to, an I'll study u1
some'p':" '------s"~
Wien HHlyer had gone back dowr
the arailroad to the warehouse Truit
sauntered into the hotel Office. "Wha
time does the next train go to Allan
ia? ?'',she asked.
There's another on the Southern IL
ten minutes answered the clerk.