Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-11-04

SIOFe uOOr.
"Fire!" he shouted again. Its
blazin'! It's burnin'! It's wipin' the
plague spot from the earth. I hear
you, Lord! I'm old, but hear you,
and your servants ready. Where will
1t be tomorrer? Gone! Burnt up! And
the ways of the wicked shan't prevail"
They forced him back on the pillow,
but he fought them fiercely for mo-
ment or two. After they thought they
had quieted him he broke out again,
talking rapidly and clearly.
II hear the call, Lord" he said. "I'
thank thee for shown it to me in your
book. And they burnt all their cities
wherein they dwelt, and all their good
" castles, with fire. With fire! With
frew
"Ssh-h. There, there, John! Don't
talk So" entreated the captain.
Where's the kerosene?" continued
the old man. "And the matches? Now
softly, softly. The shavin's. It's dark,
Here, in the corner. All, ha! All, hal
And all their goodly castles with fireH
Now, Web Saunders, you wicked man!
Now! Burn! I've done it, Lord! I've
done it1
"Hush!" almost shouted the agonized
Captain Fri. flush, John! Be stillv'
There. there, Cap'n Baxter" said
Mrs. Snow soothingly. laying her hand
on the sick mans forehead. Somehow
the touch seemed to quiet him. His
eyes lost their fire and he muttered
absently that he was tired. Then the
eyes closed and he lay still, breathing
heavily.
Land of love" exclaimed the cap
: tain, THAT was awful. Hadn't bet
ter go for the doctor?'
II don't think so, unless he gifts
worse. He had jest such a turn, as I
told you, last night"
did he talk like he did jest now?'
"Jest the same"
"'Bout the same things?"
EYES"
The captain gasped. "Then you
knew" he said.
That he set the billiard room afire?
Yes. I've always rather suspicioned
that he did, and last night, of course,
made me sure Of it,
We'll, we'll! You haven't said moth
In bout it to anybody"
"0f course not
mo; course you haven't. You must
excuse me-I'm kind of upset, guess.
Dear, dear! Did you think I knew il? 2"
II sort Of guessed that you did,"
swell, did. I've known it ever
sence that night he was found. He
had his coat on when I found him,
and twas all burnt, and there was an
empty kerosene bottle in his pocket.
! hid the coat and threw the bottle
away and turned him so he was facin'
toward the saloon stead of from it.
And lied when told the doctor that
he was jest as he fell. There, the muir
der's out! Now, what do you think of
me-"
"Think? think you did exactly
right"
"You do?"
II sartinly do"
well, snum! I've been over that
thing time and time again, and I've
felt like was sort Of a frebug myself
sometimes. I've heard folks layin' it
to fust one and then the other and cal
latin that Web did it himself to git
the insurance, and all the time I've
known who really did do it and haven't
said anything. jest couldn't. You
see, John and mes been brothers al
most. But didn't s'pose anybody else
would see it the same way"
"Cap'n Fri, do you spose blame
you for tryin' to keep your best friend
out OF trouble that he got into by bein'
--well-out Of his head. Why, land Of
mercy! He amt no more to be held
responsible than baby. You did
what I'd have done If I'd been in your
place, and respect you for it."
The captains voice shook as he an
swered:
"Marthy Snow" he said, you're the
kind of woman that I'd like to have
had for sister,"
1t was perhaps half hour later
when Captain Fri started for the
scnoolhouse to bring Elsie home. John
Snow said she was not afraid to re-
main alone with him. The thaw had
turned to light rain and the captain
carried an umbrella 1t was dark by
s,;s time and when he came in sight
Of the schoolhouse he saw light in
the window.
One of the scholars-a by no means
brilliant one, whose principal educa-
tional achievement was the frequency
with which he succeeded in being
kept after schoop-was seated on the
fence, doing his best to white it to
pieces with new jackknife.
Hello, sonny" said the captain.
Miss Preston gone yit?"
mo, she amt" replied the boy, con-
tinuing to whittle. "Shes up there.
Mr.. Saunders is there too"
Saunders? Web Saunders?"
"Yup. / see him go in there a little
while ago."
Captain Fri started toward the