The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1912-01-12

out sufficiently clad for decenc,. anI
grabbing the young man by the arm
he fairly ran down the corridor %
ward the elevator. The late diners
were astonished as Colonel Bit sana
the s young cub !: forced HSheir w.
Through the ca0wded hall 70 the auth
mehile outside. The colonel had no
forgotten the munitions or war, and
he carried a tin box IN his hand which
he had snatched fron his table ~ 10
left his bed room.
+. Get us dawn.to the ONCE in double
quick time said the cub reporter to
the chauffeur, Never mind about
fines. Bust up the machine, If neces-
sary; but get us there! That's tina
old .man.s.order1 We haven't got any
time to spare" he yelled, az the big
car: started..:, ..s,4,
This way, SIR" said the cub, re-
porter. plotting him Into the elevator
at once. Here you are!" he ex.
claimed after avid sweep upward.
He led him through a couple OF
doors and ushered him into a big
brightly lighted room where two men
1 sat. .: ,>t
Col. Bill Hamilton. sir" said Alb
bolt b~reathlessly. He almost felt like
saluting and saying. Come aboard.
sir!"
"Thirty-two minutes" said the night
editor, looking at his watch. Very
we'll done"
Mr.. Abbott, you may remain here.
If o WISH" said the editor to the
cub. 1T will be interesting for %
to hear"
Thank you, SIR" said the delighted
young reporter, making himself small
and inconsiderable in a corner whence
he could hear and see everything.
You mus excuse me- said the ed
itor. for having brought you down
here so summary at this hour of the
night. but affairs of great moment"
You var to know about Gormly? 7"
I'VE do"
We'll, what is IT,"
Read this" said the editor.
Colonel Bill ished a pair of spec
tacles out of his side pocket and de-
lberately perched them astrtde o. his
nose. He read tie letter through very
slowly. The night editor WAS in q
fever OF impotence. Even the imper-
turbable edi~tor-in-chief was consider.
ably more agitated than usual.
The night editor groaned I'VE the
long windedness Of the frontiersmMn.
What's the matter, sonny" asked
Colonel Bill solicitously. Amt sick.
are you?"
mo. no." was the nswer
But go on, please, Colonel Hamfl.
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 is Of the great.
est Importance"
Il see," was the reply. We'll, then,
all that's written in that papers trus
enough; but he amt told all the
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 l knowed
him, says on that night he indicates,
that the woman's husband was loft
dyin' on the cabin floor"
Yes"
Mex mornin', some of US, suspi-
trouble, after the storm died out, got
up a 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 ne drew forth a worn
piece of paper. on which was written
in pencil that was very much faded
but still sufficiently legible, n brief
message. Colonel Bill unfolded the
paper, yellow with age, and handed 1t
to the editor, who seized it, turned to
the light, and read:
Il 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,"
mo. 1t DON'T" was the reply. For
when we got there, as l said, he warn't
dead, and we managed to revive him
with a good drink OF liquor, which
I Pete B~reeden--that was his name
always would respond to-" he inter.
polated. And he managed to say .
few words"
What were they?"
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.
ten confession, though interposed the
night editor.
well. as 1t happens" was tie re
Fly, the statement amt unsurport,
ed"
What more?' asked the editor.