The Red Cloud chief., 1911-10-26

Colonel Hamilton was 40 good a.
his word. He did not wait for any uu.
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 tho elevator. The late diners
were astonished as Colonel Bill and
tho 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 q tin box In his hand which
he had snatched from his table a. he
left his bed room.
Get us down to the ONCE In double
quick time." said the cub reporter to
the chauffeur. Never mind about
fines. Bust UP the machine, II neces.
sary; but get us there! That's the
old mans orders. We haven't got any
time to spare" he yelled, az 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 q wild sweep upward.
He led him through q couple Of
doors and ushered him into q big
brightly lighted room where two men
sat.
"Col. Bill Hamilton, sir" said Ab.
bott breathlessly. He almost felt like
saluting and saying. "Come aboard.
siri"
"Thirty.two minutes" said the night
editor. looking at his watch. VERY
we'll DONE"
''Mr. 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 inconsiderabls in Q corner whence
he could hear and see everything.
You must excuse me-" said the cd.
itor. for having brought you down
here 30 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 nshed q 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 impatience. 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 60 on, please. Colonel Hamil.
ton." said the editor: "and 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 10 Of the great.
est Importance"
Il see," was the reply. ''Well. then,
all that's written in that papers true
enough: but he amt told all tho
truth"
would you mind telling us what
has been suppressed or left out?"
THE mans wife was run 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 hoor."
"Yes."
Mex mornin'. sone Of us, suspi.
cionin' that there might've been some
trouble, after the storm died out, got
up crowd and went over to the
mans shack. We found him there"
"Dead?" asked the editor.
"Not yet, but mighty nigh gone"
Colonel Bill drew from his pocket .
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 brief
message. Colonel Bill unfolded the
paper. yellow with age. and handed It
to the editor, who seized 1t. turned to
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."
"No, II DON'T" was the reply. "For
when we got there. a. I 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 Q
few words"
what we're theyr
"He said that his wife shot him and
run OF with Fordyce."
Anything more?"
"Then he died."
II see." said the editor. "Gormly
took the blame upon himself to shield
the woman"
1T will be Colonel Hamilton's un.
supported statement against this writ.
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