The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1907-02-08

he ran down several cases of more
or less Importance, but there was
nothing to cause the blood to quicken
in his veins. He was becoming af-
flicted with ennui when he was placed
on case requiring >delicacy, tact,
diplomacy and skill. The first and
last qualities Col. Cheney had; they
were inherent in him. The second
and third, however, were somewhat
under developed. The nature of the
case need not be mentioned here, save
to say it required Cheney to be dis.
guised, and took him south, New
Orleans being his objective point.
Cheney always was gentleman, so
it was no disguise to act the part;
but as his work took him south, he
assumed the part of southern plant
er who was just returning from a
trip north. Dyes made his hair and
mustache jet black; walnut fixed his
complexion to suit; and taken all in
all, Col. Jack Cheney was quite i'm
pressively good looking when he
boarded the New Orleans sleeper at
Memphis. He had come by boat
from St. Louis.
1t was in early summer, and travel
south was not very heavy. Yellow
fever had not been conquered then,
as now, and every so often the
Stegomyia got very busy and a fever
epidemic was the result. Neither
were Pullman sleepers such luxuri-
ant palaces on wheels as in the pres
ent day. There were only four other
people in the car Magenta as the
train left Memphis. Cheney took them
all in, two single ladies and man
and his wife. Cheney's section was
near one end of the car, and that &C.
cupied by the man and his wife at
the other end. The man soon showed
signs of liquor. In the smoking car
he proffered Cheney beautiful flask
with the usual salutation:
Have a drink, stranger
Thanks, no." said Cheney. "Too
warm this evening"
THAT the only reason?' Just a
faint suggestion of a sheer accom-.
panied this.
: THAT'S the only one 1 care to offer
right now" said Cheney, his blue
eyes becoming steely gray.
The stranger was big man, phys
ically. He had long jet black hair,
parted way over on one side, and
his eyes we're the same color. His
expression was not very progresses
ing, and something told Cheney to
keep his eyes on him.
"Wel}, there's no harm done; here's
my card.''
The card read Erred Leigh" and
gave street address in New Orleans.
Cheney thought minute, and then
remembered the address given was in
the gambling district in New Or
leans He also had heard of bad
man" among the gamblers named
Fred Leigh. This was evidently the
man.
Presumably Leigh thought the mere
sight of his name would thoroughly
cow the stranger, and perhaps he
would give him his card in return.
But Cheney did nothing of the kind;
he merely bowed, and CURLY said
"Thanks," then returned to his seat
in the car.
During the evening Leigh imbibed
freely, and several times was engaged
in animated conversation with his
wife. Angry words passed between
them. Cheney kept his eyes and ears
open, but nothing untoward happened
which would warrant his Interior
ence.
The next morning Leigh resumed
his drinking, and by 1890 was ugly
drunk. The conductor and porter did
nothing to keep him quiet; in fact,
they informed Cheney that Leigh was
bad man. They knew him we'll,
and, as the porter expressed it: EFF
any one crossed Mistah Leigh, he
was turrible bad" Cheney had seen
"turrible bad" men a plenty in his
day, and knew that generally there
was a streak of yellow in their make.
up if some one had nerve enough to
bring it out.
Quite number of passengers had
boarded the train since leaving Mem
phis, and about 1926 in the morning
Mr.. Leigh staggered up the isle NUT
tering imprecations under his breath.
He was looking for trouble, and, as is
usually the case, he got it. He dropped
into the seat beside his wife, who was
small and quite pretty. She appeared
afraid of him, but demonstrated with
him in regard to his conduct.
Shut up" he growled, like a cur,
and then without the least provoca,
ton or warning, he struck her On
the cheek with his open hand.
Cheney had learned never to inter
fere In wordy war between man
and woman, but when a blow was
struck, then it as time for action
Like flash he went up the aisle. Leigh
was a larger man than Cheney, but
Cheneys muscles were like bands OF
steel. His life and training were good
and he knew self-defense from A tc
z. He caught Mr.. Leigh by the back
of his coat, jerked him out of the
seat and shook him like terrier does
a rat. With feeling of disgust Che.
new threw Leigh into an unOccuDfed