The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1915-03-24
CONTINUED from last weekly
CHAPTER XLVil.
The Last Warning.


I'm the chill, violet-shadowed dusk
of that clear evening, chap-fallen
motor car crept sluggishly into the
little mountain town of Mesquite at
the heels of two mutinous mules, drlv.
en- by a chauffeur who steered with
one hand while the other f1ourished
a cracking whip-lash over the backs
of it's sole motive power.
It's one passenger, cripple as help
less as the car itself, huddled in a
corner of the rear seat, saluted Mes
quite with snarl. Though he was in
sore need of such rude comforts as
the town stood prepared to afford him,
his demeanor toward it was that of
one who suffers an indignity rather
than begs accommodation.
And now, as the car crawled to
pause before the Mountain house
Mosquitoes one caravanserai-and
Mesquite itself, to the last 1ea-bitten
hound, gathered round to view this
wonder, Mr.. Trine's Indignation and
chagrin distilled words of poisonous
import.
Far from resenting this, Mesquite,
pipe in mouth, hands in pockets, adj
mired and applauded, and rather re-
sented the change that befell when
two other strangers (whose earlier ap-
pearance in town had helped make
that one day memorable beyond all
others in Mosquitoes history charged
out of the Mountain house and inter-
rupted the elder devil with cries of
greeting and jubila@on.
The leader of these answered to the
name of Marrophat; his companion
was a person named Jimmy. Mes
quite acquired this information
through paying close attention to the
with the cripple. More than this, how
ever, it learned little. Something
seemed to have been accomplished by
the two, something that was highly
gratifying to Seneca Urine: for he was
chuckling almost mirthfully when
lifted from the car and carried into
the hotel.
What passed between the trio after
they disappeared behind that bed
chamber door Mesquite could by no
means guess. But that celebration
of some sort was in progress was evil
denced by the frequency with which
Marrophat and Jimmy called on the
bar for more liquid refreshment.
And toward midnight one belated
Mesquite paused in the street outside
the Mountain house for one last curl
Gus stare at the lighted windows Of
Mr. Trine's quarters.
He saw, clearly silhouetted agains
the glowing oblong of the window, the
Mephistophelean profile of Seneca
Urine, distorted with a grimace of the
cruelest joy that ever heart of MAJ
conceived. He saw Marrophat ap
proach his master with drunken
swagger and a speech which, though
indistinguishable to the unseen au
ditor, unquestionably afforded both o
the other men ample excuse for &c
static glee. Toward it's conclusion
Mr.. Marrophat apparently capped tn
peak of jubilation by fumbling in hi
coat pocket and bringing forth some
thing which strongly resembled a sir
gle playing card.
Now when he had contrived t
master his mirth, the cripple made
gesture which eloquently abolishe
this card, a gesture which said quit
plainly: Cali that is finished. Tn
thing has served its purpose! I
hell with it,"
Whereupon, with smart jerk of h
wrist, Mr. Marrophat sent the car
spinning and sailing out through tn
open window to lose itself in the nigh
The watcher didn't see, it fall, an
though he spent an unconsclonab
time searching for it in the deep du