Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-05-13
THE RECOGNITION
OF JESSE BADL[IGh
BY h. II. GREEN

After reading the letter, Mr.. and
Mrs. Armstrong stood gazing at each
other for some time in absolute ST.
| lence.
What do you think of it mother?"
"Oh, my husband! can the money
be had at once so that our darling
child may come back to us?"
my dear, / am afraid not, you
see, this letter calls for gold and
gold to any considerable amount is
absolutely impossible in this section
of the country at the present time !;
besides, how do we know that the
person who wrote this letter is not a
fraud, he furnishes no evidence that
he has our girl in his keeping, we
have nothing more than the word of
a person unknown to us, who signs
| himself, N. G.. ] will advise with our
| friends at the store tonight and if
possible fix upon some plan for the
immediate return of Frances
That night in the presence of Pet
RE, Pettus, Inness and Jesse, Mr..
Armstrong read the letter which
caused the utmost amazement.
+, I'm up stump!" said Pettus,
Il can't git it through my head who
could ha 'rit such letter as that,
why the man as did that must ha'
/ bin to college! did you notice how
he put in them eyetalyun words?"
Il confess it's altogether beyond
me; as Joe says-the man that
wrote that letter must have more
than a common education" said
Petrie. But who can N. G. be?"
Maybe he didn't want to sign his
real name, fear he'd git ketched, so
he puts down what's the nearest
thing to it: N. G. which the same
it means, no good" suggested Pet
tuS.
What do you think of it Jesse?
enquired Mr.. Armstrong, you have
been thinking of little else since this
great trouble came upon u.s."
Il am very much in the dark, sir !;
of course it occupies my thought to
the exclusion of everything else, SO
much so that would gladly give my
life to have Frances safely back
again; and now that we know why
she was carried off we will soon
know positively who it is that has
/, done this cruel thing; one thing
seems to be pretty clearly establish
ed; she must have been taken in g
northerly direction
Il reckon maybe kin throw some
light on the subject morn appears
to be known at present, leastways
as to the name of one of the skunks
that's in the dirty bizness," sale
Frank, AN maybe | got some notion
about tother un; you ricollict Jesse!
when / left you fer a spell after
them shots was fired at US, / carfull!
moved off in the direction they came
from and pretty soon / made out
who it was that had done the shoot
in, for right ahead ONE half hid in
the underbrush was Jim Cobb
What? Jim Cobb" exclaimed the
others.
Sure! / called to him to throw uI
his hands but the snake slid off be-
hind tree and got away before
could get at him again
why Frank! you never said any
thing to me about seeing Jim Cobb!
said Jesse, really hurt at this appar
ent want of confidence.
mo, Jess, / knowed if / had you't
wanted to follow him while l knew
it was his pardner as had Frances
with him an / didn't want to be lee
off from the trail. An now gents
from this on, my business is with
John Armstrong an Jesse till Fran
ces is safe at home again." And the
faithful fellow meant just what he
said.
Il cannot pretend to thank you
enough, Frank for your kind inter
est in my trouble, can only say thai
/ appreciate it more than / can tel
you; you say you might have some
idea as to who Cobb's accomplice is
1t must have been he that wrote this
letter." said Mr. Armstrong.
Morn likely it was an If | don't
miss my guess, it's the same critteI
as scared the Spitz gal into fits, the
night of the party at your house;
seen him with Jim Cobb the day be.
fore out nigh the brewery, an
know they've been together good
deal lately: / don't egsacly know
what name he goes by but I'm goin
to find out all right, an ! amt agoin
to leave no grass grow under my feet
till I've done it neither, you bet"
:, But, Frank! the man that fright
ened Tiny Spitz was colored they
said, negro, or very dark Indian,
said Mr.. Armstrong.
,l.aN l.