Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-12-09

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"Well?' prompted Murrell, with a
sullen frown.
Suppose they get shut of that no
ton of theirs that the lady's done
drowned herself, suppose they take to
watching the river? Or suppose the
whole damn bottom drops out of this
deal? What then? Why, I'll tell you
what then--the lady, good looking as
she Is, knows enough to make west
Tennessee mighty Unhealthy for some
Of us. II say suppose it's q flash in the
pan and you have to crowd the dis
lance in between you and this part Of
the world, you cant tell me you'll have
any use for her then" Slosson paused
impressively. sand here'sssMr. Ware
feeling bad, feeling like hell" he re-
sumed. "Him and me don't want to
be left in no trap with you gone God
only knows where. nt
"I'll send man to take charge OF
the keel boat. cans risk any more
OF your bungling, joe"
That's all right. but you don't an
swer my questions" persisted slosson
with admirable tenacity Of purpose.
What is your question, Joe?"
"A lot can happen between this and
midnight-''
IF thingh 60 wrong with US there'll
be a blaze at the head OF the bayou;
dOoa fha$ catiofv WI, 2D r,s.. a.s ."t .r
And what them" n.
Murrell hesitated.
What about the girl?" insisted Slos-
son, dragging him back to the point at
issue between them. "As q man I
wouldn't lift my hand ag'in no good
looking woman except like I said-in
kindness, but she can't be turned loose,
she knows too much What's the word,
Captain-you say it," he urged. He
made a gesture of appeal to Ware.
'LOok for the light; better still, look
for the man I'll send" And with this
Murrell would have turned away, but
SlossOn detained him.
Who'll he be-"
Some fellow who knows the river"
"And II it's the light ?" asked the
tavern-keeper In hoarse undertone.
Again he looked toward Ware, who,
dry-lipped and ashen, was regarding
him steadfastly. Glance met glance,
for brief instant they looked deep
into each others eyes and then the
hand Slosson had rested on Murrell's
shoulder dropped at his side.
CHAPTER XVIII.
The judges and Mr. Mahaffy's cele-
bration of the formers rehabilitated
credit had occupied the shank of the
evening, the small hours of the night,
and that part of the succeeding day
which the southwest described as soon
lin the morning; and as the stone jug,
in which were garnered the spoils Of
the highly confidential but entirely mis-
leading conversation which the Judge
had held with Mr.. Pegloe after his re-
turn from Belle Plain, lost in weight,
it might have been observed that he
and Mr.. Mahaffy seemed to gain in that
nice sense OF equity which, should
form the basis OF all human relations.
The Judge watched Mr.. Mahaffy, and
Mr.. Mahaffy watched the Judge, each
trustfully placing the regulation of
his private conduct in the hands Of his
friend, as the one most likely to be az
fected by the rectitude Of his acts.
Probably SO extensive a consumption
OF Mr.. Pegloe's corn whisky had never
been accomplished with greater high
mindedness. They honorably split the
last glass, the Judge scorning to set
up any technical claim to 1t as his ex-
elusive property; then he stared at
Mahafy, while Mahaffy, dark-visaged
and forbidding, stared back at, him.
The Judge sighed deeply. He took
up the jug and inverted. 1t. A stray
drop or 80 fell languidly into his glass.
"Try squeezing it, Price" said Ma
haffy.
The Judge shook the jug, It gave
forth an empty sound, and he sighed
again; he attempted to peer into It,
closing one watcry eye as he tilted It
toward the light.
II wonder no Yankee has ever
thought to invent jug with q glass
bottom" he observed. ..ll IS.
what for?" asked Mahaffy.
.You astonish me- Solomon" ex.
claimed the Judge. Coming as you
do from that section which invented
the wooden nutmeg, and an eight-day
clock that has been known to run as
much as four or five hours at stretch.
l am aware the Yankees are an ingeni.
Gus people; wonder none of 'em ever
thought of a jug with a glass bottom,
SO that when body holds it up to the
light he can see at a glance whether
it is empty or not. Do you reckon
Pegloe has sufficient confidence to fiji
the jug again for us?"
But Mahaffy's expression indicated
no great confidence in Mr. Pegloe's
confidence:
Credit" began the Judge, lis pro-
verbally, shy; still it may sometimes
be increased, like the muscles Of the
body and the mental faculties, by judi-
cious use. I've always regarded Peg
1oe as cheap mind. / hope I have
done him an injustice" He put on his
hat, and tucking the jug under his arm,
went from the house.
Ten or fifteen minutes elapsed. Ma.
haffy considered this good sign. it
didn't take long to say no, he reflected.
Another ten or fifteen elapsed. Ma