Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-12-24

30 they rode out there before mid.
night. / am telling you the truth,
really. They left hours ago" It was
the first sign she had made, and they
recognized her to man.
There were uncertain mutterings be-
low till a new man raised his voice.
Both Roy and Helen recognized Dex.,
try.
Boys. we've overplayed. I've don't
want these e-McNamarn,s our,
meat. Old bald face up yonder has to
do what he's told, and I'm ag'in this
twenty to one midnight work. I'm
goin' home" There were some whis-
perings. then the original spokesman
called for Judge Stillman. The old
man tottered to the window, a palsied,
terror stricken object. The girl was
glad he could not he seen from below.
1--WE won't hurt you this time, Judge,
but you've gone far enough. Wen.
give you another chance; then, II you
don't make good, we'll stretch you to
lamp post. Take this as warming"
II s-shall do my d-d-duty," said the
Judge.
The men disappeared into the dark
ness and when they had gone Clients
ter closed the window, pulled down the
shades and lighted lamp. He knew
by how narrow margin a tragedy
had been averted. If he had fred on
these men, his shot would have kindled
feud which would have consumed
every vestige OF the court crowd and
himself among them. He would have.
fallen under false banner, and his
life would not have reached to the
next sunset. Perhaps 1t was forfeit
now. He could not tell. The vigiiantes
would probably look upon his part, as
traitorous. and Mt the very least he
had cut himself OF from their support,
the only support the northland offered
him. Henceforth he was renegade,
a pariah, hated alike by both factions.
He purposely avoided sight Of Stillman
and turned his back when the judge
extended his hand with expressions of
gratitude. His work was done, and he
wished to leave this house. Helen fol-
lowed him down to the door and as he
opened It laid her hand upon his sleeve.
Words are feeble things, and can.
never make amends for oil you've done
for us"
For usv' cried Roy, with break In
his voice. do you think sacrificed
my honor. betrayed my friends, killed
my last hope, ostracized myself, for
'us? This is the last time I'll trouble
you, perhaps the last time I'll see you.
No matter what else you've done, how.
ever, you've taught me lesson, and I
thank you for II. have found myself
at last. I'm not an Eskimo any longer.
I'm a man!'
you've always been that" she said.
Il don't understand as much about this
affair as l want to, and 1t seems to me
that no one will explain 1t. I'm very
stupid, guess. But won't you come
back tomorrow and tell 1t to me?"
no" he said roughly. You're not
Of my people. Mcnamara and his are
no friends Of mine, and I'm no friend
Of theirs" He was half down the
steps before she said softly:
'Good night, and God bless you
friend"
She returned to the Judge, who was
In a pitiable state, and for, long time
she labored to soothe him as though
he were a. child. She undertook to
question him about the things which
lay uppermost in her mind and which
this night had half revealed, but he
became fretful and irritated at the
mention of mines and mining. She sat
beside his bed till he dozed of, puz-
cling to discover what lay behind the
hints she had heard till her brain and
body matched in absolute WEAKNESS.
The reflex of the days excitement sap
ped her strensth tssx ~sssss~a...,v,,,1. rolu
creep to her own couch. where she
rolled and sighed, too tired to sleep
at once. She awoke finally, with one
last nervous flicker, before complete
oblivion took her. "A sentence was on
her mind-it almost seemed as though
she had spoken 1t aloud:
"The handsomest woman in the
north-bnt Glenister ran away"