Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-19

editor: looking at his watch. "vsry
well DONE"
MI. Abbott. you may remain here.
II you WISH" said the editor to the
cub. 1T will be interesting for you
to hear"
Thank you. SIR" said the delighted
young reporter. making himself small
AND inconslderable in a corner whence
he could hear and see everything.
You must excuse me-" said the ed.
itor, "for having brought you down
mere 90 summarily at this hour Of the
night, nj affairs OF great moment"
You want to know about Gormlyr'
I'VE do"
We'll. what IL ~"
Read this" said the editor.
Colonel Bill fished q pair Of spec.
tacles out Of his side pocket and de.
hberately perched them astride Of his
nose. He read the letter through very
slowly. The night editor vas in q
fever OF impotence. Even the imper.
turbable editor.in-chief was consider
ably more agitated than usual.
The night editor groaned over the
long w%indedness Of the frontiersman.
Whats the matter. sonny?" asked
Colonel Bill solicitously. "Ain't sick.
are your"
mo. no" was the answer.
But go on, please. Colonel Hamii.
ton" said the editor; land will you be
as explicit as possible. We are hold.
ing up the paper in the hope that you
may be able t. throw some light on
this matter. and time Is of the great
est Importance"
II see," was the reply. We'll then.
all that's written in that papers true
enough: but he amt told all the
truth"
Would you mind telling us what
has been suppressed or left out?"
THE mans wife was III away with
as Gormly. or Fordyce as I knowed
him. says on that night he indicates.
that the woman's husband was left
dyin' on the cabin floor"
YES"
Mex -mornin', some Of US, suspi.
cionin' that there might've been some
trouble, after the storm died out, got
up q crowd and went over to the
mans shack. We found him there"
"Dead?" asked the editor.
mot yet. but mighty nigh gone"
Colonel Bill drew from his pocket a
key and unlocked the tin box. From
a worn envelope he drew forth q worn
piece Of paper. on which was written
In pencil that was very much faded
but still sufficiently legible, a briel
message. Colonel Bill unfolded the
paper. yellow with age. and handed II
to the editor. who seized 1t. turned tc
the light, and read:
II killed him, but 1t was in self de
fense.-Fordyce."
That's the first bit Of evidence
he said.
The editor nodded. THAT settles
It,"
mo, 1t DON'T was the reply. "Fol
when we got there, as l said. he warn
dead, and we managed to revive hin
with a good drink Of liquor. which
Pete Breeden-that was his name
always would respond to-" he inter
polated. And he managed to say
few words"
What were they?"
He said that his wife shot him AM
run of with Fordyce."
Anything more?"
Then he died."
81 see," said the editor. "Gorml,
took the blame upon himself to shiel'
the woman"
ut will be Colonel Hamilton's ur
supported statement against this writ
ten confession, though" interposed tn
night editor.
We'll. as It happens" was the r.
ply, the statement amt unsupport
ed"
What more?" asked the editor.
, This"
Colonel Bill from the same tin DO
flshed out another object wrapped !
a niece of paper. He unrolled tn
! paper and exhibited q fiattened leade'
I bullet.
This come from a thirty-two cal
5 Der revolver. Doc Johnson. who wa
the only medical shark we had
them days, he performed an autops,
2 or somethin' like that, on the body q
Breeder. and he got this from 1t. N
n man in the territory ever carried
thirty-two. Forty.ave's the usus
weapon for a gent out there. and thi
come from the woman's gun. Id ofte
seen her use 1t, and she could shoe
most as straight ii a man could. thu
woman"
d ITO BE coNTINUEDo