Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-11-02
well. I'm goin'. Good-day, Ez."
"Good-day, Aft"

L
you took that money"
Il didn't interrupted Ezra, doggedly
-'I didn't"
And while, of course, there's lot of
talk going around about Hank suing
you, and some folks are criticising me
for keeping you here till it's cleared up,
l just tell you what I'd do" and Grocer
Bington brought down his fat hand on
the top of sugar barrel. eff had that
money I'd confess, and give it up-but
if didn't, I'd see 'em in H-h-Hanover
first! That's what I'd do!"
"And that's just what I'm going to
do, Mr.. Bington," answered Ezra, a
CLEAN of determination in his eye. Let
me off to-day, and I'll get my defense
ready and begin the fight. It's rainy
and bad, anyhow, and there won't be
much doing. What do you say-can
get off?'
OF course you can, Ezra. I'm just
as anxious as you are to get this thing
settled" agreed the grocer, "and the
sooner it's settled the better!'
It was dusk Of the same rain-whipped
day. The lone shack of Henry SQmers
could scarcely be seen from theemair
road, now inches deep with wet, slippery
clay, but sopped and bedraggled pc
destrian turning in at the gateway made
straight for the hut. A vigorous rapping
brought Hank" to the door, candle in
hand, and cob pipe between his teeth
We'll, Ezra Norton!" cried the ranch.
er. "be you plum crazy? Come right
I'M"
HANK" blurted Norton, 'I-No, }
amt coming in-'Hank,' hear that yor
say got the $50 you lost in town last
week - but, Hank II didn't!
didn't find your money, and AIM
guilty." tremblingly, "but this talk and
suspicion is killing my wife. and it.:
hurting me. AS member of the church
and an honorable citizen, I'd-I'd rath.
er pay you this money than be called
thief! l amt got it now, but I'll get il
and pay you next week when you come
to town-No, won't come in, and I'm
going back now the way l came. just
wanted you to know, that's all"
And before the astonished and half.
convinced Henry could interfere, Ezra
Norton had turned toward the ten miles
Of black and sticky road, and was swal.
lowed by the plutonian darkness.
We'll, l swami" growled Somers, "et
that Teller don't beat mel"
Grocer Bington was reading tbs
morning paper when. three weeks later
Hank" Somers, much excited and evil
IDENTIFY bursting with concealed intelli-
gence, clandestinely slipped through the
rear door of the store and beckoned eau
tiously to Bfngton to follow him into the
alley.
Got all three of 'em this mornin'-
been sick and couldn't git in afore-had
the rheumatic! This un's mailed on
the 7th, this I'm on the 9th, and this un
on the 11th," and Hank" thrust three
letters, one by one into the hands of
Bington.
The groceryman bewildered, wonder
ingly. opened the first letter, written in
cramped and unruly hand, and read:
Deer Sur: My gilty conshuns is
trublin me. Now, Hank Somers, found
yer mony miself atween the kofe kan
an the pickul keg an hearn you air trim
to lay this on Ezri Norton who never
done it. My conshuns wont stand it
and i'm sendin you $50 today and i'm
goin to keep sendin FASH kin.
Yours truely, The Guilty One
IAN the hull $50 is in the three letters, -
whispered Hank" joyously, but" his
face falling perceptibly, I'm mighty
sorry fer layin' this here job up agip
Ezra Norton-an'-an Bington,
amt much on begin pardons, amt
never done much o. that, but you jest
git nice pair O mittens out O. tn stock
and Civ 'em to Ezra with my compli-
ments, an'-oh, yes, want about IS
cents wuth O. Big Hatchet plug-and
then I'm off"
Grocer Bington studied the letters
long and carefully, scrutinizing the
writing and the paper. but at last he
gave it up as beyond his power to fer
ret out the guilty person. In his heart
however. he rejoiced that the stigma
attached to the good name of his clerk
could now be lifted. He would put
the letters in the safe and save the sur
prise until evening, when the village
strategy board" met about the grocery
stove TO settle "pints" of state! He
would then bring out the evidence, and
having rendered it, would hand over the
| mittens to Ezra with nice little speech
and the incident would be closed With
! the clerks complete vindication!
Thrusting the proof Of Norton's in.
nocence into the safe, he slammed shu.
| the ponderous door. AS the mass of
iron and steel settled into its place with
a jar. notebook fell from behind the
safe to the floor!
Bington picked it up absently. He
| did not remember of having such a pad.
Opening the cover carelessly. the
| groceryman gave sudden start.
CHANGING about hurriedly, he reopened
the safe and took from the pigeon-hole
where he had placed them. Henry
Somers' letters! Holding one of the