Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-11-09

l
| it's clear she didn't. have me IN
mind when they cut this hole.
! ''Well, Price, / guess alive can 40
| is to 20 back to Stown and see II can
get into my ia bin I've got an old saw
there. If Lean find It'll lean come
again tomorrow night and cut away
one of the logs, or the, cleats OF the
door, sgs.: .s$ss
In heavens name, do that tonight,
Solomon implored the Judge. "Why
trccrastinate? 2"
price, there's pack of dogs In this
neighborhood and we must have full
night to move In or they'll pull us
down before we've gone ten miles"
The Judge groaned.
You're right, Solomon; I'd forgot.
ten the dogs" and he groaned again.
| Mahaffy closed and fastened the
shutter, then he and Hannibal
stole across the clearing and entered
the woods. The Judge flung off his
| clothes and went to bed, determined
to sleep away as many hours as possis
| hle. He was only aroused by the ar
rival CT his breakfast, which the sher-
4 If brought about O'Clock.
swell, If I was in your boots |
! couldn't sleep like you remarked the
Off cial admjringly. "But reckon, sir,
this amt the first time the peniten-
tiary has stared you in the face"
I "Then you reckon wrong" said the
Judge sententiously as he hauled on
his trousers. a.Es. 1
+ "No-ycu needn't hurry none. I'll
! get them dishes when fetch your
dinner" he added, as he took his
leave. rs,.
I A little later the blacksmith appear
ed and fitted three iron bars to the
window.
81 reckon that'll hold, you. old fel.
ler,' he observed pleasantly
| He was disposed to linger, since he
, was interested in the mechanical
means employed in the makings OF
, counterfeit money and thirsted for
! knowledge at first hand. Also, he had
in his possession a one dollar bill
which had come to him In the way of
trade and which local experts had de-
! clared to be spurious production.
He passed It in between the bars and
i demanded the judges opinion of it as
! though he were the first authority In
the land. But he went no wiser than
! he came. ~
It was nearing the noon hour when
the judges solitude was again invad-
ed. He first heard the distant muir.
muir of voices on the read and passed
an uneasy and restless ten minutes,
with his eye to crack In the door.
He was soothed and reassured, how
+ ever, when at last he caught sight OF
the cheriff.
well, Judge, got company for
you cried the sheriff cheerfully, as
he threw open the door. "A boss
theft" s. s, 49, @".r 'as@'. i
y He pushed into the building a man
| hatess and coatless, with pair OF
pale vilainous eyes and tobacco
stained chin. The judge viewed the
newcomer with disfavor.s AS for the
4 horse thief, he gave his companion in
misery ,coldy critical stare, seated
himself on the STOOL and with quite
o. fierce air devoted all his energy to
mastication. He neither altered his
position nor changed mis- expression
until he and the Judge were alone,
then, catching the judges eye. he
made what seemed casual movement
with his hand, the -three fingers rails
ed; but 10 the Judge this clearly was
without significance, and the horse
i thief manifested no further interest
where he was concerned. He did not
| even condescend to answer the one
or two civil remarks the Judge adj
dressed to him.
AS the long afternoon wore itself
away, the Judge lived through the
many stages CT doubt and uncertainty,
for suppose anything had happened to
Mahaffy! When the sheriff came with
his supper he asked him if he had
seen or heard Of his friend.
Judge. ! reckon mes lopin' on yet.
| never seen man of his years run
as well as he done--it was inspirin'
how he got ever the ground!' answer
ed the sheriff. Then he attempted
conversation with the horse thief, but
was savagely cursed for, his pains.
We'll. don't envy your company
none, sir" he remarked as he took
leave Of the Judge.
Standing before the window, the
/ Judge watched the last vestige of light
fade from the sky and the stars APP
pear. Would Mahaffy come? The
suspense was intolerable. 1t was pos
! sibly o'clock. He could not rea-
sonably expect Mahaffy until nine or
half past; to come earlier would be
too great risk. Suddenly out of the
silence sounded a long drawn whistle.
Three times 1t was repeated. The
horse thief .leaped to his feet. v.
"Neighbor, that means mel he
! cried.
The moon was rising now, and by it's
Hight the Judge saw number of horse
men appear on the edge Of the woods.
They entered the clearing, picking
their way among the stumps without
haste or confusion. When quite close
five Of the band dismounted; the rest
continued on about the Jail or cantered
off toward the road. BY this time the
| judges teeth were chattcring and he
was dripping cold sweat at every pore.
He prayed earnestly that they might
hang the horse thief and spare him.
The dismounted men took up a stick.
of timber that had been cut for the
Jail and not used ~
Look out inside, there!'' cried q
voice, and the log was dashed against
| the door: 0nce-twice-it rose and fell
on the clapboards, and under those
mighty thuds grew up wide gap
through which the moonlight stream