The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-08-14

when l didn't show up She was over
her Jealous fit, I suppose. If l had
come home in good shape or in any
thing like it, we would have made up
then and there. But my condition stop
ped all that. wasn't so drunk but
that saw her face change when she
let me in. She was disgusted.
'In the morning I was sick and fe-
verish. I was more than Disguised
with myself. I was in despair. So
when she told me that she had writ
ten home again and was going back
was going to leave me, l didn't see
that it was only bluff. didn't see
that she was really only waiting to for
give me, If I gave her chance.
started downtown, wondering when
she would leave, and If there was any,
thing I could do to make her change
her mind.
IF I had gone straight to work
everything might have come around
all right even then. But l didn't.
had that what's-the-use feeling. And
stopped in at the Palmer House bar
- get something to sort Of pull me to-
gether.
"While was there who should come
up to the bar and order a drink but
Prent McMakin."
"Yes," says Colonel Tom, as near
excited as he ever got.
"Yes," says Armstrong, nobody
else. l thought that he intended to
do me some misunderstood me, you
know, for taking his bride to be away
from him or some fool thing like that.
But as we turned toward each other
I saw he had no intention Of that
sort"
Hadn't he? says Colonel Tom,
mighty interested.
mo-" says the doctor, looking at
Colonel Tom very puzzled. did you
think he had?"
"Yes, I did," says the colonel. right
thoughtful.
ION the contrary" says Armstrong.
I'VE had a drink together. And he
congratulated me. Made me quite a
little speech in fact, one Of the flow
cry kind, you know, Tom, and said
that he bore me no rancor and all
that"
1.-The deuce he did" says Colonel
Tom very low, like he was talking to
himself. And then what?"
"Then," says the doctor, "then-let
me see It's all long time ago, you
know, and McMakin's part in the
whole thing isn't really important"
I'm not so sure it isn't important"
says the colonel. but go on"
''Then," says Armstrong, I'VE had
another drink together-in fact, lot
Of them. We got awfully friendly.
And like fool told him Of my
quarrel with Lucy"
Like fool" says Colonel Tom,
nodding his head. "Go on"
There isn't much more to TELL
says the doctor, Except that I made
a worse idiot of myself yet and left
NcMakin about 2 o'clock in the after:
noon, as near as can recollect Some.
where about 10 O'Clock that night
went home. Lucy was gone.
haven't seen her since"
"Dave," says Colonel Tom, did Nc.
Maxim happen to mention to you that
day just why he was in Chicago?"
II suppose So" says the doctor. II
don't know. Maybe not That was
long ago. Why?"
Because" says Colonel Tom. very
grim and quiet because your first
thought as to his intention when he
met you in the bar was my idea also.
l thought he went to Chicago to settle
with you. You see, I got to Chicago
that same afternoons"
1.-THE same%dayT'
Eyes. We were to have come to-
gether. But I missed the train, and
he got there day ahead Of me. He
was waiting at the hotel for me to
Join him, and then we were going to
look you up together. He found you
first, and never did find you"
But don't exactly understand"
says the doctor. you say he had the
idea of shooting me-
IT don't understand everything my.
SELF" says Colonel Tom. But l do
understand that Prent McMakin must
have played some sort of two faced
game. He never said a word to me
about having seen you.
Listen" he goes on. when you
and Lucy ran away it nearly killed our
grandfather. In fact, it finally did
kill him. When we got Lucy's letter
that told you were in Chicago went
up to bring her back home. We didn't
know what we were going to do. Nc
Maxim and l, but we were both agreed
that you needed killing. And he swore
that he would marry Lucy anyhow.
even''-
Marry her!" sings out the doctor.
but we. were married"
Dave" Colonel Tom says very slow
and steady, you keep saying you We're
married But it's strange. It's right
strange about that marriage"
But, Tom," says the doctor, that
letter she wrote you from Chicago
must
do you know what Lucy wrote?"