Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-05-27
quaintaace. Mr.. James Cobb

this OF us as you are we'll aware,
and let me tell you that of all per-
sons you should be the last to ac-
cuse me of skulking about the Indian
camp. You who stole up to the
house of Mr.. Armstrong at night and
hidden like sneaking coward behind
the lilac bush on the lawn, there
awaited an opportunity to carry off
this young lady which was frustrated
only by the screams of Tiny Spitz,
who was so shocked at the sight of
your evil face peering through the
leaves of the bush, that she was over
come by the vision and tainted
away; you. Niger Godfrey who,
with your contemplate associate Jim
Cobb lurked about the picnic grounds
at The Pines, until with safety to
your own black skin, you could seize
upon the person of a helpless girl
who had never even heard of you
before, to hold her for ransom from
her grief-stricken parents; you!" con-
tinued the irate boy-''you charge
me with skulking; God forgive you,
and turn you from your evil ways"
To attempt description Of the i'm
preston made by the words Of Jesse
upon the half-breed would be of no
avail, therefore we leave it to the
Imagination of the reader; suffice it
to say that the words had no sooner
fallen from his lips than his enemy
sprang upon him with the ferocity of
tiger and bore him to the earth and
with his powerful hands fastened in
deadly clutch upon his throat, the
career of Jesse Badleigh would surely
have come to an end then and there,
had it not been that at the very mo-
ment when he fell under the on
slaught of Godfrey a well-known,
manly, stalwart figure, sprang from
behind a huge tree where it had been
concealed for some time, and hasten
ing to the rescue, seized the assailant
of Jesse, AID by mighty effort hurl-
ed him away from his victim, while
Frances was screaming with all her
might, making the woods resound
with her cries.
The Niger" sprang to his feet
and drawing knife from his belt
darted at his assailant with the agil-
ity of a wildcat and the venom of
snake; but the Reverend Henry Ell
sham Grayling, for he it was, happen
ed to be one of those athletic preach
ers who, at that period and for many
years prior thereto, were often COM
PEELED to supplement the gospel of
peace with the administration of a
militant gospel, when their meetings
were broken in upon by the rowdy
element which would congregate from
distance to the place of meeting
with the sole purpose of brewing
trouble for the preachers, and dis
turbing the worshippers. Also it will
be remembered that Godfrey himself
placed high estimate upon the ply
steal powers of the preacher, as he
had intimated on former occasion
! to young Mr.. Cobb when that mis-
guided youth had expressed desire
to operate upon the person of the
reverend gentleman, because of the
latter's evident rartiality for Jesse
Badleigh. Under less trying co1di-
! tons Niger Godfrey would have
thought twice before measuring him.
self with the stalwart preacher, but
he was fevered by the sudden on
slaught of his assailant and blinded
by passion, therefore without hest
tation he hurled himself knife in
hand upon his enemy, only to be met
by a singing blow upon the chin that
felled him to the earth in complete
collapse, where he lay oblivious of all
surrounding objects, apparently.
Meanwhile Jesse secured possession
! of the guns and the knife which had
fallen from the hand of the pros
trate Godfrey, while a third person
attracted by the screams of Frances
was rapidly making his way in their
direction and very soon they were
all gladdened by the apr earance Of
the hunter, Frank Inness.
Now" said the minister, "as soon
as our dusky friend here returns to
consciousness it might be we'll for
US to turn our faces toward DEBORAH
for doubtless your friend James Cobb
will soon be on your trail, and per-
haps by making them promises of
large reward induce Cut-Nose and
other disaffected Indians, if there be
any, to come with him; therefore to
avoid any unnecessary conflict l think
We had better be moving as soon
as possible
Niger Godfrey who had returned
from the land of dreams much sooner
than was expected had slyly kept
that fact to himself the willy half
breed was feigning Inconsistencies
with such success as to completely