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

broke in, "You got your insurance
money, didn't your"
Yes, / did, but whose fault Is that?
'Twa'n't his, nor any other darned
Come Cutters It don't pay me for
my trouble, nor it don't make me
square with the gang. I centrally git
even some time or mother, and I'll git
square now. When that girl come here
swellin' round and putin on airs,
see my chance, and told her to pay up
or her granddad would be showed into
Ost&ble JAIL That give her the jumps,
tell your
you wrote her letter, didn't you?''
"You bet did! She come round to
see me in hurry. Said she didn't
have no money told her her grand
dad did, and she could git that or go to
work and earn some. I guess she
thought she'd ruther work. Oh, I've
got her and her prayin', house burnin'
granddad where want 'em, and I've
got you, too, Fri Hedge, stickin' your
oar in. Talk to me bout blackmail!
For cents I'd Jail the old man and
you too!'
This was the real Mr.. Saunders. He
usually kept this side of his nature for
home use His wife was well acquaint-
ed with it.
Captain Fri was evidently frighten-
ed. His manner had become almost
apologetic.
"Well," he said, II wouldn't do that
If was you, Web. heard you tell
Elsie last night she WANT payin' you
enough, and / thought
II know what you thought. You
thought you could scare me. You did
not know I had the coat and hat, did
you? Well, what said I stand by.
The girl amt payin' me enough. Four
teen dollars week she gifts, an she's
only been glvin' up ten. I want more.
want
But here Captain Fri interrupted
him.
II guess that'll do,' he said calmly.
you've told me what I wanted to
know. Ten dollars week sence the
middle Of November-'bout $40, rough
fggerin'. Now, then, hand it over"
WHAT"
Hand over that So"
what are you talkin' 'bout?"
The captain rose and, leaning over,
shook his forefinger in Mr.. Saunders
fabby red face.
"You low lived, thievin' rascal" he
said, I'm givin' you a chance you
don't deserve. Either, you'll pay me
that money you've stole from that
girl or I'll walk out of that door, and
when 1 come in again the sheriff IL
be with me. Now, which'll it be-?
Think quick"
Webs triumphant expression was
gone, and rage and malice had taken
its place. He saw now that the captain
had tricked him into telling more than
he ought, but he burst oct again, trip
ping over words in his excitement.
Think" he yelled.-' II don't need to
think. Bring in your sheriff. I'll march
down to your house, and I'll show him
the man that set fire to my buildin'.
What'll you and that snivelin' grand
daughter of his do then? You make off
to think turrible lot of the old prayer
machine cause he's your chum. How'd
you like to see him took up for fire.
bug, hey?"
II amt afraid Of that"
"You amt? You amt! Why not?"
"Cause he's gone where you can't
git at him. He died jest afore I left
the house."
Mr.. Saunders brandished fist fell
heavily on the arm of his chair. His
face turned white in patches and then
famed red again.
"Died!" he gasped.
"Died."
"You-you're Hart"
mo, l amt. John Baxter's dead.
He was chum Of mine-you're right
there-and if I'd known a sneak like
you was after him I'd have been here
long afore this. Why, YOU
The captains voice shook, but he re.
strained himself and went on.
Now, you see where you stand,
don't you? Longs John lived you had
the proof to convict him. I'll own up
to that much. hid the coat; smash
ed the bottle. The hat 1 didn't know
bout. I might have told you at fust
that all THAT didn't amount to any
thing, but 1 thought I'd wait and let
you tell me what more I wanted to
know. John Baxter's gone. poor Teller,
and all your proof amt worth a cent
not one red cent. Understand"
1t was quite evident that MI. Saun-
ders did understand, for his coun-
tenance showed it. But the buster
was not out of him yet.
"All right" he said. Anyhow, the
girls left, and If she don't pay I'll
show her granddad up for what he
was. And I'll show you up too. Yes,
l wilt" he shouted as this possibility