Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-23
SYNOPSIS.


CHAPTER John HAIRLESS, fresh
from college, buys the bankrupt Car
low County Herald, at Plattsvile. Ind.
and starts in to reform things. His
first truraph is to compel Rodney NC
Cune to withdraw from the candidacy
| for congress under pain of exposures.
He Teclaims a drunken college pro-
fessor named Frisbee and takes him on
his staff. Gossip tells Rim of strange
young woman named Sherwood who Is
visiting the daughter of Judge Brscoe.
II-Miss Sherwood deeply interested
In HAIRLESS. She. hears of the White
Caps, at six Crossroads, whom he has
attacked In the Herald They threaten
vengeance, and the editor is shadowed
every night by Plattsville friend, on
guard lII-Harkless gets a vague
hint thru Frisbee that he may have
met Miss Sherwood at Winter Harbor
in his col ege days. He goes at night
to call en- her, followed by William
Todd, his guard. Harkless is fired on
at Judge Briscoe's door. Miss Sher-
wood ruslles out and refuses to retire
until he does. He carries her indoors.
i Visiting on bench in Judge brls-
| GOES garden, HAIRLESS and Helen Sher-
| WOOQ li1k sentiment III t1lC Ga -
but barely break the ice of acquatnt-
ance. HAIRLESS jokes at the White Caps
but thanks Helen for saving his l1fe
With Helen and the Briscoes Hark-
less views the circus parade. de res
cues Hartley Bowlder, another drunk
ard reformed by his efforts. from the
! clutches of two skin gamblers, and
aided by Isph Watts. gambler he mas
driven into honest courses, gets the
pair arrested. He is again assalled by
White Caps. vI-Harkless and Helen
discover that they have met and dancea
1 together years before at Winter Har-
bor She Is the cousin Of Tom Mere
4 dith, Harkless' college chum. AT night
Harkless sets out for Judge Briscoes,
accompanied by his guard. Lige VII
let's the beau of Minnie Briscoe. VII
| Helen warts to stay in Plattsville and
| work on the Herald. Her people are
going abroad, and she is required to
/ leave Briscoes next day and Join them
on the TRIP. Hark1ess betrays his love
for her, then abruptly starts alone TOR
i his Office during a thunderstorm. Helen
! sees ghostly white figures in the fields.
Harlsless can not be found.
"He was the best man we had, boys"
! said Lands as he poured the little
glasses full. WED ort OF sent him to
the legislative halls Of Washington
long ago. He'd Of done us honor there.
But we never thought Of dom any
thing fer him. Jest set round and left
empty thankyes. Drink hearty. gen
| tlemen,'' he finished gloomily II don't
/ grudge no liquor today-except to Lige
/ Willetts"
"He was good man." said young
| William Todd. whose nose was red, not
from the whisky 1--WE about give
up
ITS goin' to seem mighty empty
around here" said Ross Schofield.
whats goin to become o the Herald
and the party in this district? Where's
the man to run either Of 'em now?
Like as not he continued desperately,
it'll go against us in the fall
Dibb Zane choked over his four fin
gers. 1--WE nights well bust up the
dab busted ole town eff he's gone"
II don't know what's come over that
Cynthy Unworthy" said the landlord.
"She's waited table on him last two
years, and her brother Bud works at
the Herald Office She didn't say a
word, only looked and looked and
looked, like a crazy woman; then her
and Bud went off together to hunt in
the woods. They jest tuck hold Of
each others hands like
II reckon there amt many crazier
than them two Bowlders, father and
son." interrupted patron, wiping the
drops from his beard as he set his
| glass on the bar. 'They rid into town
like couple Of wild Indians, the old
man beatin that gray mare o. theisn
| till she was one big walt, and he amt
natcherly no cruel man either. I ex-
pect Lige v7illetts better keep out Of
Hartley's way"
II keep out of no mans way! cried
voice behind him. Turning, they saw
Lige standing on the threshold of the
door that led to the street. In his hand
he held the bride Of the horse he had
ridden across the sidewalk and that
now stood painting, with lowered head
half through the doorway, beside his
master Lige was hatless, splashed
with mud from head to foot; his jaw
was set, his teeth ground together, his
eyes burned under red lids, and his
hair lay tossed and damp on his brow.
II keep out Of no mans way" he re-
peated hoarsely. II heard you, Mr..
Tibbs, but I've got too much to do,
| while you loaf and gas and drink over
Lands bar I've got other business
than keepin out Of Hart Bowlder's
way I'm lDokin' for John HAIRLESS.
He was the best man we had in this
ornery hole, and he was too good for
u.s. and so we've maybe let him get
killed, and maybe I'm to blame. But
I'm goin to find him, and ii he's hurt
I'm goin' to have hand on the rope
that lifts the men that did it If have
to go to Rouen to put it there. After
that I'll answer for my fault, not be
fore"
He threw himself on his horse and
was gone. Soon the room emptied, as
the patrons Of the bar returned to the
search, and only Mr.. Wilkerson and
the landlord remained, the bar being
the professional office, SO to speak, of
both.
At IL o'clock Judge Briscoe dropped