Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-02

just what he had done. He had dis
tributed his men we'll through the
hills, and they were now posted as
pickets on points favorable for OBJ
servation. They had found along the
stream four widely scattered stills, and
these were being watched. Paul drew
small map, showing the homes of
the most active members Of the APP
pleweight gang, and Ardmore indicat-
ed all these points as nearly as pos
s1ble on the county map he had
brought with him.
Here's Raccoon Creek, and my
own land runs right there-just above
there, isn't it Paul? always remem-
Der the creek, because like the name
SO much"
You are right, Mr.. Ardmore. The
best timber you have lies along there.
and your land crosses the North Caro-
lima boundary into South Carolina
about here. There's Mingo county,
South Carolina, you see."
We'll that dashes moi" exclaimed
fist. Il never knew one state from an
other, but you must be right"
I'm positive of 1t, Mr.. Ardmore.
One Of my men has been living there
on the creek to protect your timber.
Some Of those outlaws have been cut
ting off our wood"
1T seems to me remember the
place. There's log house hanging on
the creek. You took me to it once,
but 1T never entered my head that the
state line was so close"
1t runs right through the house!
And some one, years ago, blazed the
tree along there, so it is very easy
to tell when you step from one state
to another. My man left there recently
refusing to stay any longer Those APP
Ardmore, striking the table with his
pleweight people thought he was spy,
and posted a notice on his door warn
ing him to leave, so I shifted him to
the other end of the estate"
Did you see the sheriff at Kill
dare?"
II haven't seen him. When asked
for him yesterday l found he had left
town and gone to Greensboro to see
his sick uncle"
Ardmore laughed and slapped his
knee.
'Who takes care of the dungeon
while he's away?"
mere are III pIlSOlSiS III lHC AL
dare Jail. The sheriffs afraid to keep
any; and he's like the rest of the peo-
pie around here. They all live in ter
ror of Appleweight."
"Appleweight is powerful charac-
ter in these parts" said Cooke, pour
ing the coffee he had been making,
and handing tin cupful to Ardmore.
He's tolerable well off. and could
make money honestly if he didn't OPP
crate stills, rob country stores, mix up
in politics, and steal horses when he
and his friends need them
81 guess he has never molested us
any, has he, Paul?" asked Ardmore,
not little ashamed of his ignorance
| of his own business.
"a few of our COWS stray away
sometimes and never come back. And
for two years we have lost the corn
out of the crib away over here near
the deer park
They've got the juice out of it be-
fore this" remarked Cooks.
THAT would be nice for me,
wouldn't it," said Ardmore, grinning
TO be arrested for running still on
my place
I'VE don't want to lose our right to
the track, and we must get out of this
before the whole community comes to
| take look at u.s." said Cooke, swing
| ing out of the caboose
Ardmore talked frankly to the for
ester, having constant recourse to the
map, and Paul sketched roughly new
chart, marking roads and paths so far
as he knew them and indicating clear
ly where the Ardsley boundaries ex-
tended. Then Ardmore took a blue
pencil and dref straight line.
when we get Appleweight we want
to hurry him from Dilwell county,
North Carolina, into Mingo county,
South Carolina We will go to the
county town there, and put him in
jail If the sheriff of Mingo county is
weakened, we will lock Appleweight
nor of South Carolina that the joke is
on him."
I'VE will catch the man." said Paul
gravely, "but we may have to kill
| him"
Dead or alive, he's got to. be
caught, said Ardmore, and the big
| forester stared at his employer little
oddly; for this lord proprietor had not
been known to his employees and ten
ants as serious character, but rather
as an INDECENT person who, when he
visited his estate in the hills, locked
himself up unaccountably in his libra
ry and rarely had the energy to stir
up the game in his broad preserves.
Certainly, sir; dead or alive" Paul
repeated.
Cooke came out of the station and
/ signaled the engineer to go ahead.
We'll pull down here about five
miles to an old spur where the com
pany used to load wood. There's a
little valley there where we can be
hidden all we please, SO far as the
main line is concerned and it might
not be bad idea to establish head
quarters there We have the tools fo1
cutting in on the telegraph, and We
can be as independent as we please
/ told the agent we were carrying
company powder for blasting jof
down tha line and he SuSDectS moth