Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-11-30
CHAPTER xvIl-continucd.
Good exclaimed the editor

Good" exclaimed the editor
That amt all, said Colonel Bill
triumphandy. Il got here a signed
paper witnessed before Justice of the
Peace Jennings, the only one we had,
and signed by me and several other
men, which swears they heerd Bree-
den say his wife killed him and that
they seen this thirty-two bullet took
out Of his breast, the autopsy bein
public like the fun'ral And it's made
out in due form"
IT'S quite satisfactory" said the
editor. glancing at It and passing it
over to Shaw.
SO you see we feilers kind o
thought Fordyce done a mans part in
takin' the blame on hisself, and l al
ways kept these things. I thought
they might turn up handy sometime"
You did we'll"
And that amt all either said Col
Bill Hamilton.
What more have your"
Wen, I've seen the woman. She's
alive yet"
Naturally she must have been or
they couldn't have got this story from
her, was the answer.
Course. Wen. the end of the
story's this: Them people plunged
south in that blizzard We looked for
EN- in the spring; but never expected
to find their remains, cause it was
more'n human flesh could stand. such
a storm as that, and we naturally
s'pOsed they'd both died and got ct up
by the wolves when they was partly
thawed out But the other night |
was takin' trip through the tender
loin-for observation purposes" said
Colonel Bill as the ghost of a smile
Hickered on the face Of the night ed
itor-"and 1 seen this woman and had
an interview with her. She's plumb
scared to death. The chief of police
who got this stun from her s fright
ened her out of her boots. But I. bein'
an old friend of hers, managed to
calm her down, and l got her to give
me her story. She's always been sor-
~ that she served Fordyce the way
She done
II don't know how it is. but some
how / got at the good side of her.
You see these women are going
straight to hell perhaps although I
amt got no inside information as to
that-but however low they sit and
however bad they are. there's always
a soft spot in 'em somewhere. They're
women still And ] guess / must've
touched the soft spot in her. somehow
or other; for She told me the truth.
At any rate she confessed the whole
thing to me. and she said furthermore
than when them TWO was goin' south
fin the storm, her horse fell down and
died, and that Fordyce got off his
horse and she mounted it. and he
walked hisself hangin' to the saddle
strap, and she said that seem that
the remainin' bronco was givin' out
too. she showed Fordyce down and sal
lOped away and left him. And I got
her signature to paper confessin' #. -
Again Colonel Blu had recourse to
the tin box.
Here it is. Now if them don't
make a complete case for my old
friend, don't know what else to do. =
Where's the woman?' asked the
editor, after he had examined the last
paper that Colonel Bill had submitted.
Wen, you won't md her" said the
old miner slowly. shes pulled up
stakes ana hit the trail. I helped her.
and l don't mind sayin' that I said
I'd see her through this thing. / don't
believe she could be caught where
she's gone. I don't bIieve thereu be
any pursuit made after her: but if she
is, she's got to be Ist go. Pete Rree.
den was dog if ever there was one.
and he deserved al he got. That's
all. I guess. Gosh! I'm dry,"
MIR Abbott" said the editor. will
you procure such refreshments as
Colonel Hamilton 4. accustomed ro
take under such circumstances?
You know the dope, boy. want