Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1911-11-23

scowl ana give his revolver q h1tch.'
Reckon he's gone to meet his man
this time shore" said Bill Stubs.
II thort you said he'd killed his man
when he went away. You bet some un
has given him a tip that the sheriff's
comm for him."
Huh" retorted Stubs. THAT sher-
if o. yourn has been comm for Stran-
ger ever since he's been In this we're
town"
sos your man that Strangers look
in for"
A month passed, and the excitement
over the mystery was subsiding when
Stranger received another letter. This
time the postmaster reported that the
recipient had left the room before open
ing his letter, so that 1t was impossible
contained, It affected him. Great dis
satisfaction greeted this announce
ment, and a plan for putting In a wo-
man postmaster that had failed was
revived. However, nothing could be
done to acquire information in the
present instance, and the necessity
might not arise again. On this ac-
count the movement lost force and was
finally dropped.
A few days after the arrival OF
Strangers last letter a boy rode into
town with a telegram for him which
had been received at the nearest sta
ton, twelve miles away. The news Of
this message spread like wildfre, and
the excitement over the mystery burst
into a flame. All agreed that n climax
was at hand.
The hour for the arrival of the east
ern coach was 6 o'clock. At 3 1t was
reported that Stranger had gone to his
cabin, put or a boiled shirt and had
taken up a position half a mile down
the road. where he was waiting evil
IDENTIFY for the coach.
He's going to die respectable" said
Bill Stubbs-"that is IL the other Teller
don't die instead"
Gradually persons began to walk
down the road, hating here and there
where they could get a good view Of
Stranger, who was sitting on a stump.
The believers in the Stubs theory en-
sconced themselves behind trees In or
der to escape stray bullets. The Jones
p%artisans laughed at them. Jones had
told them that the sheriff was coming,
and Stranger had decided to give him
self up. He had gone out to prevent
his fellow townsmen from witnessing
the ignominy of his arrest and the
clapping on Of handouts.
Stranger sat with his back to the
gathering audience, not knowing Of
their presence. He took out his watch
and looked for the time Of day. Then
he pulled a revolver from his hip and
examined 1t, cooking and unlocking it
and revolving the chambers.
This act sent several of the doubling
Thomases among the Jones faction be-
hind trees and confirmed the Stubs
ftes in their opinion.
A %creaking sound was heard In the
distance, and the coach turned a bend
in the road. Stranger jumped down
from his seat and strobe with long
steps toward 1t. Some among the au-
dience averred that he was swinging
his revolver while he walked; others
were equally sure he had put 1t back
in his holster. As he approached the
coach the driver, who recognized him,
drew rein and stopped. Then the door
flew open and a boy about five years
old made a jump that landed him In
Strangers arms. The child was fol-
lowed by a woman who, standing in
the open door, put forth her arms,
they were clasped around Strangers
neck, and he lifted her TO the ground.
The rest Of the picture was the man
alternately kissing the and the
boy.
Stranger was recalled to his sur.
~roundings by a shout up the road and,
turning. saw his fellow citizens ranged
in a semicircle between him and the
town. He stared at them In wonder
for a moment, then put the woman
and the boy back into the coach, got In
himself. and the vehicle proceeded on
its way. When 1t reached the crowd
Enoch Nudge advanced. the driver
stopped the horses. and Mr.. Nudge ad-
dressed Stranger:
1.-THE feelins' of your Teller citizens
Is much relieved. Some thort y was
waitin' to kill a man and others thort
y was wanted for crime. The WON.
an and the kid beside y p'ints to an
other solution Anyway. we're glad
the mystery Is solved and the woman
and the kid are welcome among US. We
only hope y're married respectable"
To which Mr.. T%ruesdale replied:
II married the lady beside me six
years ago. but my poverty and the In
reference Of her family have separat-
ed us until now When I came among
you l expected to find my wife here.
Then ! struck a bonanza In my mine.
I went away to perfect my claim and
get capital to work II, leaving a letter
for my wife in case she should come
In my absence, Then I got a letter
stating that her mother was I'll and
the coming must be deferred Lastly,
the telegram announced her arrival to.
day. And here we NIL are Intending