The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1908-01-15

one had at last found this unwearied
and doggedly persistent young fellow
in the way. In the way, he was a
menace. a danger. He must be re-
moved from out the way He could
not be bought from it--he should be
warned from it, So now his home
his work room and his rest ROOM the
first by many hours daily the more in
use, with all its furnishings of bache-
lor plainness and utility, that yet had
held curious charm for some men,
friends and cronies like Langford-
was burning that he might be warned.
Could any one say. Jesse Black has
done this thing Would he not bring
down proof of guilt by retaliation
he We're anticipating an unfavorabe
verdict. So men reasoned. And even
then they did not arise to stamp out
the evil that had endured and Rugged
itself and spit out corruption in the
cattle country. That was reserved for
another.
They talked of a match thrown
down at the courthouse by tramp.
likely-when it was past midnight.
when the fire broke out with the wind
piercing gale. and when no vagrant
but had long since left such cold COM
fort and had slept these many weeks
in SUMMER climes. Some argued that
have been left open and the stove
blown down by the wind tearing
through, or the stove door might have
blown open and remains of the fire
been blown out, or the pipe might
have fallen down. But it was a little
odd that the same people said Dick
Gordon's Office likely caught fire from
flying sparks. Dicks office was two
blocks to westward of the courthouse
and it would have been a brave spark
anda lively one that could have made
headway against that Northwestern.
CHAPTER XIX.
The Escape.
The little county seat awolle in the
morning to strange sight. The
storm had not abated The wind was
still blowing at blizzard rate off the
northwest hills, and fine, icy snow was
swlling so thickly through the cold
air that vision was obStructed Build
ing We're distinguishable only as shad-
ows showing family through a heavy
white veil. The thermometer had gone
many degrees below the zero mark. 1t
was steadily growing colder The old
er inhabitants said it would surely
break the record the coming night
An immense fire had been built in
the sitting-room. Thither Mary and
Louise repaired. Here they were
Joined by Dale. I4angford and Gordon.
You should be, out at the ranch
looking after Your poor cattle, MIR.
Langford," said Mary. smilingly She
could be light-hearted now-since lit
tie secret had been whispered to her
last night at tea party where no
tea had been drunk Langford had
gravitated toward her as naturally
as steel to magnet. He shrugged his
big shoulders and laughed a little.
The Scribe will do everything that
can be done. Honest, now, did you
think this trial could be pulled off
without me?"
But there can be no trial to-day"
why not?'
Did dream the courthouse burned
last night"
III you did, we are all dreamers
alike"
Then how can you hold court?"
We have gone back to the time
when church and state were one and
inseparable. and court convenes at 10
o'clock sharp in the meeting house"
he said
Louise was looking white and mis-
cradle.
You are not contemplating running
away. are you?' asked Gordon This
is unusual weather-really"
She looked at him with pitiful
smile
Il should like to he strong and
brave and enduring and capable-lile
Mary. You don't believe it. do YOU?
It's tlue. though. But | can't. I'm
weak and homesick and cold. | ought
not to have come. | am not the kind.
You said it, YOU know. ! am going
home Just as soon as this court is
over. mean it,
There WAS 10 installing that Cor
don be we'd his head. His face was
white 1t had come sooner than he
had thought.
All the records of the work yester-
day had been burned. There was Moth
ing to do but begin at the beginning
again. 1t was dscouraging. uninter-
esting. But it had to be done. Dale
refused positively to adjourn. The
iurymen We're all here So the little
frame church was bargained for If
the fire-bugs had thought to postpone
events-to gain time-by last nights
work, they would find themselves very
greatly mistaken. The church was
long and narrow like country school
house, and rather roomy considering
the size of the town. Ii had precise
windows like "A country school
house-four on the west side, through
which the fine snow was drifting, four