Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-10-08

+ g
Tom hurled himself upon the thief.
there was groan, then movement
behind him, and as he wheeled round
the man in the mask sat up.
"Ha" said Tom. $50 it was you who
followed my master from the bank
and tried to break into his desk last
night! You've succeeded bit too late.
My masters got his money in his
| pocket-and he isn't here!'
Il amt after is money said harsh
high voice.
What then? ?"
What you've got in your hand"
"This! cried Tom. s'Who are you1,
Names Wyeth. I'm lag, same as
you"
Let me see your face"
Again that grin below the mask ere
1t was whipped Off, and Toms eyes lit
upon horrible face horribly disfgur-
ed. 1t was perfectly fat. Disease had
RACED the nose to below the level Of
the sunken cheeks, and the beady eyes
seemed more prominent by contrast as
they glittered upon Toms visible alb
horrence. In an instant, however, the
adherence changed to recognition, and
a great light blinded Tom.
my God' he gasped. 1.-THE man
that did itv'
"Did whatY'
| What I'm here for-the murder of
Captain Blaydes! 1t was you who
killed him! 1t was you! I saw you
close to the spot that night! Never
shall forget you-and this is the re
ceipt gave him took 1t Just now
from your hand!''
| can where do yer. think I took it
froln?''
THE dead mans pocket"
That there deski'
At last Tom said: "Tell me! Tell mep'
And his voice was very weak. He
was leanin' heavily on the chimney
piece, and now his elbow hid the time.
Wyeth removed a hand from the
back OF his head, looked at the blood
upon 1t and grI1nly showed it to Tom.
eYou've been rough with me, you
ave, when you should ha- taken me
to your art, but will tell you, COS 1
amt that much to lose, an it may
mean my ticket If you stand by me
like true man. Say you'll do that an
I'll tell you every blessed thing!"
II will stand by you through thick
and thin,' said Tom.
The other eyed him for several sec
onds,
II do believe you WILL" said he. .Its
q bargain between true man and true
man. Well, then, that night"
"Stop!'' said Tom. Eve will have
another pair Of ears" He went to
the door and called loudly for Peggy.
No answer. His voice reverberated
through an empty house. He had seen
the Fawcetts start for Sydney an hour
ago (even now he did not realize Why,
but Peggy had willfully deserted,
go ON said he, tWhat about that
night? / met you not 300 yards from
the stile where the body was found,
and you were going that way!'
81 was" said Wyeth, IAN when I
come near what dye think heard? a
couple of swells having a row. In 'alf
a shake 1t come to blows, an count.
ed five before there was bit of a
thud, and the one who'd been calling
out My Gawd, my Gawd! e shut up.
but the other went on saying You
deyilr-through lis teeth--jes' like that
Until come up. keeps quiet and
sees one swell take a lot O papers out
4 er the other sWell's pocket, when In I
\ steps. You should ha seen the one as
was pocketin' the papers! Up he
4 jumps, with a thick stick dripping at
the end, and before you can say jack
Robinson e as me on the conk, an.
1 that's the end O me!''
! did you ever see him again?"
TOMS voice rang strange with horror
and WEAKNESS. He did not want his
freedom. He was sick of the life that
Daintree had given him back, of the
1 world to which Daintree had restored
him. His benefaetcr.. The man filed
his mind IN that first light only land
in this last!
Yes. 1 see him at your trial." said
Wyeth, "but I'm coming to that. Mean
while I'm only silly, and what do find
). when leone to? A dead man, a bloody
stick an me lyin alongside! Nice,
/ wasn't It? The moon was on i'm, an
he made me feel nice, can tell yer
But soon see 1t wasn't robbery. There
was that there diamond pin. / boned
It. an there was some loose. silver in
hts pockets, an that come in andy too.
| I took to my 'eels an did slant the
way come, an never see that swell
no more till your trial, / thought %
might be there, an y was. So the first
4 day / lied In wait for i'm, but the
Charles knoo me, an got frightened
an went an lost im. The next night
| ! lost i'm again-an accident 'anpeAed
-an come out ere. I dessag III tho
ship arter you. An yesterday see is
lordship eomia' outer the Moo South
Wales bank as bold as br;lrse. He
never seed me till you got afloat, an
| that's what upset you ALL AFTER that
Il dogged I'm, but dursn't say a word