Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-07-23

"In one family they wouldn't keel
me-
The other drowned his words will
believing laugh.
You won't be the only ono at Castle
Sulliyanm cried he. 1--WE don't mind
what you've done. bless you, so long
as you don't try it on again up there
II you do"-and he terked grea,
close cropped head in the direction Of
the barrack triangles, while bloated
lower lip stuck out like tongue be.
tween his short fair beard and mus.
tache. There never yet was the laa
that bested Nat Sullivan" he added
with another of his oaths, "and YOU
don't look the fool to try 1t on. So be
ready in an hour sharp. or you look
out.'
us he Nat Sullivan?' said Tom to
the officers as the stout young man
staggered of.
"Ay. ay." said they; that's the cele-
brated Mr.. Nat"
"CelebratedT
They're all that, you'll find, are the
Sullivans Of Castle Sullivan. You wait
and see. shan't say nothing to sci
you agen 'em, but I wish you joy Of
each other, don't you, Bill?'
BIZ laughed, and Tom troubled them
with no more questions.
Mi. Nat did not come In an hour, He
came in three, swaying in his saddle,
but still managing to lead pack horse
and horse for Tom. His blue eyes
were now half closed. and Tom under.
stood him to curse the sun and to NUT.
ter something about fresh touch that
morning. They rode of. however, and
We're near the outskirts of Sydney
when Mr.. Nat rolled quietly out of his
saddle and lay insensible In the mid.
dle Of Brickfeld hill.
Tom was at his side in an instant
No bones were broken. He was sim.
ply fast asleep. Tom shook him uu
and managed to get him to the nearest
inn, where he again fell asleep, anathe-
matizing the sun, and SO never stirred
for hours.
And the convict servant stood over
the grunting carcass of his free mas
ter, and now he maryeled at the sys-
TEN which sought to accomplish the
amelioration of the felon by trusting
him in such hands rs these. The thing
had not even the excuse of an irregu.
larity. There was brand new gov
eminent document sticking out of q
pocket Of the loud check coat within g
few inches of the bloated face, and
Tom guessed rightly that 1t referred to
himself. Then there had been more
preliminarles than he had thought, but
that only made matters worse. since
what was scandal in Itself was i'm.
measurably more scandalous as part
and parcel Of system.
Evening came. and Mr.. Nat still lay
snoring, with his swollen lips wide
apart. Tom had not left him yet be.
ing partly occupied with his own
thoughts and partly taken up with the
various sounds Of the Inn. Some OF
these sounds were sinister, as when
stealthy steps came along the passage
and an unseen hand tried the bedroom
door, which Tom had locked He did
not care to leave the room, not know
ing what the other might have in his
pockets, but at last he did so after
turning the key behind him and put.
ting 1t In his pocket.
He went first to the stables. where he
was surprised to find the horses sad
died and brldled in their stalls. He
had unsaddled them himself after en-
gaging the room for Mr.. Nat. There
was nobody about, however. to afford
nm explanation, and 1t occurred to Tom
that the sooner they did get away the
better. So he left the horses rs they
were, but looked into the taproom ON
his way upstairs. when all he heard
and saw confirmed his Impression not
only Of that particular inn. but Of the
widespread corruption of the convict
town. A cattle stealer was drinking
with constable and openly Boosting
before the latter of bis exploits. As
Tom listened, however. he heard some
thing else that interested him more. 1t
was the sound Of hoofs In the yard
behind the inn. He darted out and
met man riding his masters horse
and coolly leading the other two.
What are you doing with those
horsesY''
Whats that to your Hands of OF
I'll brain yer
They're my masters. Come out OF
that saddle. Ali You would. would
your
And Tom. receiving the loaded whip
on his forearm. sprang at the riders
neck and brought him heavily to
earth among dozen hoofs. Then he
caught and tethered all three animals
and returned to his man as the latter
was sitting up and rubbing his eyes
In the moonlight. He was n little
horsy bowlegs, and Tom dragged hin,
all the way into the taproom in the
fitting posture only relinquishing him
ut the constable's feet,
Here's something for your he cried.
Caught him in the act of riding OF
with my masters horsesv'
why, It's my 'ostler!" roared the
landlord.
II was only fetching Of 'em round to
the door, cos thought they was
goin'" whined bowlegs.
Its you that I'll get run In, Tn,
thinking" remarked the constable So
verely to Tom.
Fetching them round!' cried the lat
ter. ''Then why didn't you say so
and what made you strike at me when
I said they were my masters horses;
oh, | see the kind of place I'm int
And he rushed upstairs to the room