Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1911-10-19

Colonel Hamilton was as good an
his word. He did not wait for any un.
due physical adornment In an in.
credibly short space of time he came
out sufficiently clad for decency, and
grabbing the young man by the arm
he fairly ran down the corridor to.
ward the elevator The late diners
were astonished as Colonel Bill and
the young cub forced their way
through the crowded hall to the auto
mobile outside The colonel had not
forgotten the munitions of war, and
he carried tin box in his hand which
he had snatched from his table as he
left his bed room
Get us down to the Office in double
quick time" said the cub reporter to
the chauffeur Never mind about
fines. Bust up the machine, If neces.
sary; but get us there! That's the
old mans orders. We haven't got any
time to spare" he yelled, as the big
car started
This way, sir" said the cub re-
porter, plotting him into the elevator
at once. Here you are!" he ex.
claimed after wild sweep upward.
He led him through a couple Of
doors and ushere1 him into a big
brightly lighted room where two men
sat.
Col Bill Hamilton, SIR" said Alb.
bolt breathlessly. He almost felt like
saluting and saying. Come aboard.
sir"
"Thirty-two minutes" said the night
editor. looking at his watch Very
well DONE"
''Mr. Abbott, you may remain here.
If 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 inconsiderable in corner whence
he could hear and see everything.
You must excuse me-" said the ed
itor, for having brought you down
here so summarily at this hour of the
night but affairs of great moment"
You want to know about Gormly?"
I'VE do"
well, what is IT."
Read this" said the editor.
Colonel Bill f1shed pair OF spec
tacles out of his side pocket and de-
liberately perched them astride of his
nose. He read the letter through very
slowly. The night editor was In a
fever Of Impotence. Even the imper-
turbable editor-in-chief was consider
ably more agitated than usual.
The night editor groaned over the
long windedness 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 Hamil.
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 to throw some light on
this matter, and time is of the great
est Importance"
81 see," was the reply. well, 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?"
1.-THE mans wife was run away with
as Gormly, or Fordyce as l knowed
him, says on that night he indicates,
that the woman's husband was left
dyin on the cabin floor"
YES"
ov' In Of nj
cionin' that there might've been some
trouble, after the storm died out, got
up a 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
worn envelope he drew forth worn
piece of paper, on which was written
in pencil that was very much faded,
but still sufficiently legible, brief
message. Colonel Bill unfolded the
paper, yellow with age, and handed 1t
to the editor, who seized 1t, turned to
the light, and read:
81 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. For
when we got there, as said, he warn't
dead, and we managed to revive him
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 a
few words"
What were they?"
HE said that his wife shot him and
run off with Fordyce."
Anything more?"
"Then he died"
"T see," said the editor. "Gormly
took the blame upon himself to shield
the woman"
ut will be Colonel Hamilton's I'M
supported statement against this writ
ten confession, though" interposed the
night editor.
"Well, as it happens" was the re-