Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-05-08

out Demmycrat tuTnin' into Repub-
ican or opposite wayY
The remark did not change tho views
Of Bill Stubs or Andy Jones, who
both declared that they were ready to
listen to any other reasonable theory
concerning Strangers abuse than their
own, but when Nudge advanced one
they both attacked it vigorously. He
skunk away. leaving the two men ar
guing with each other.
Then came information that added
volume to the fame of conjecture.
Stranger returned looking happy.
what did l tell you?' said Stuhhs
"Hes met his man and got the drop
on him"
He's lodged the sheriff" Andy
Jones claimed.
At this point a small boy spoke up.
81 seen Stranger go into his cabin
when he came back. The fust thing
he done was to take a piece o. paper
from between two logs and tear it
into little bits"
How you goin' to account for that
Bill Stubbs?" asked Andy Jones.
How you goin' to account for itT'
Since both needed time to make the
incident accord with their pet theories
no explanation was brought forth
But the mystery of the bit Of paper
put a quietus upon most of the theo-
ries held by Strangers fellow citizens
and was the only event that had oc-
CURED during his residence among
them that tended to check the forrla-
ton Of new ones
One day after the distribution OF the
mail the postmaster gave out that q
letter had come for Edward Trues-
dale and Stranger had claimed IT.
AZ watched him when he read It."
added the informant, 'and seen him
scowl and give his revolver a hitch"
Reckon he's gone to meet his man
this time shore" said Bin 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 sheriffs
comm for him"
Huh" retorted Stubs. THAT sher-
IF o. yourn has been comm for Stran-
ger ever since he's been in this yere
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 it was impossible
to tell how, whatever intelligence it
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 &C
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 wildfire, and
the excitement over the mystery burst
into a flame. All agreed that climax
was at hand
The hour for the arrival OF the east
ern coach was o'clock. At It was
reported that Stranger had gone to his
cabin, put on 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 70 die respectable" said
Bill Stubbs-"that is If the other Teller
don't die instead"
Gradually persons began to walk
down the road. batting here and there
where they could get a good view of
Stranger. who was sitting on a stu1lp.