New Ulm review., 1913-01-01


4strict attorneys. With q sense q ~
!isf be filed away his notes on the
Sheehan case In cabinet marked
FINISHED business Then be threw
himself into chair and began to take
stock.
Sheehan's eyes haunted him. John
was a normal young man, and he was
capable Of knowing the Joy Of task
well done But not this sort of task!
He could find no elation In triumph
won at the cost Of direct personal mis-
cry to others. There was Slayton, for
example, a handsome, pleasant young
man who looked the criminal not at
all. He had not had the courage to
stand trial. and he had broken bail and
ded, leaving sick wife. She and the
child born since the fathers fight now
lay together in grave. Slayton had
not dared to return. Perhaps he did
not even know Of the double tragedy.
In his dreams John often saw Slayton's
hunted face as 1t must now appear.
He became conscious that his head
was aching. that he was tired all over.
every nerve in his body throbbing. For
more than six months, ever since his
election. he had been working inces-
sanity. feverishly toward this day. The
release from strain allowed his NAL
treated, protesting body to be heard.
He got up and left the Office. as though
fleeing from the problem.
He laid roundabout course away
from Main street out into the country.
He tramped determinedly along the
pike. filing his lungs with the tonic
air. 1t had been good growing sea-
son. His way took him between
fields of clean young corn and barley
and oats and occasional cool, green
wood lots.
A farmer. driving pair Of heavy
farm horses doing duty at the tongue
Of squeaEy spring wagon. ratified up
behind him.
"Howdy. John! Want lift"
"Howdy, Ri! No. thank you. Just
taking q little exercise and soaking in
all this.'
Cranshawe reined in his team. John
stopped.
Little mite too smart fer 'em today.
weren't ye?"
'"They had been 50 bold. they made
It easier"
Cranshawe nodded. BE smarter next
time. reckon-'f we give 'em a chanct
# we give 'em a chanct," he repeated
refiectively. "Us farmers, we're feelin'
purity good about these trials. Feel
like we didn't make any mistake last
fall"
"Murchell says you forget" John
smiled back.
"Be'n at We Already. has hep Gran
shave asked shrewdly. Hell be at
ye harder. before ye're through. Ye
got 'em scared. Mebby we'll fergit an
then mebby we won't. But l guess
that's our lookout. not yours. So fur's
ye're concerned. all We got to do is go
ahead an try to finish up the job we've
started. r we don't do our part.
guess we won't have nobody to blame
but ourselves"
- ''The question is. am big enough
for the job:''
mo. that amt the question" Gran
shave contradicted quickly. BE
cause that can't be answered till we've
tried. The question is. are We goin' to
be scared out by job because it's big.
or are ye goin' to keep up what we've
started? r We don't, there amt any
body else to do it. An we'll soon be
back where we started"
John nodded slowly. Cranshawe did
not pursue the point.
Il see Steve Hampden's back" he
remarked casually. THAT girl o. his
was at the trial. Came in late an had
to stand by the door where I was
standin'. She was with some young
city feller. Seen her at the rally last
fall too. She seems" he grinned quiz
dcally. Ito take considerable intrust in
ye. So longv'
Soon he was out Of sight around a
turn in the road.
John swung rapidly along for an hour
until the sweat oozed from every pore
Df his body. Then he threw himself
under tree by the roadside.
He pondered his problem. Yet he
knew that 1t was answered. not by Ri
homely wisdom. but by
The inscrutable purpose of the force
which had impelled him into the fight. |
BE could not withdraw from the task
% which he had been set. Whittier?
vas question that he needed not to
answer. so long as a straight piece of
Dad lay ahead. He thought sadly of
lis fathers displeasure. And he
hought Of Katherine. whom, it ap-
'eared. the winter had not taught to
orget him. He had not learned to for
,et. Work could dull. 1t could not
Wholly stifle. the longing for her. And
ct he had not been unhappy. He
new that he could not say no to that