Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-28
lighted room the astonishment Of the
beholderS swelled over bank.

lighted room the establishment Of the
beholders swelled over bank.
There's strange doin's here" said
Peg Leg" gloomily, mot to say srs-
picious. an don't like 'em. l forms
my own deductions"
'Mebbe it's from his sweetheart"
Spike Duffy venturcd, provoking mirth
IN those who knew shorty's terror Of
the fair sex.
I'll bet it's one Of them newfangled
advertisements tellin' how to acquire
bodily strength" added Murphy, who
bore upon his person indelible marks
OF Shorty's vigor, due to an inadver.
tent bibulous remark long past. YES
sir, an he kin outfit anybody on the
mountain"
Inside the store, under the effulgence
Of SCOT enamcled tin lamp Shorty
became aware Of the fact that the let.
ter was OF wonderful cerulean tint.
Moreover, it was square and ungainly
and offered grounds for unlimited con-
lecture. Plainly It was his, however,
for 1t bore his name in large angular
feminine characters.
The sensations of ones first letter
are not feeting, but they do pass final
", so. exhuming from a cavernous
pocket what resembled q brass bound
billy" he pressed spring, and It
clicked into the likeness of a marvel
GUS hunting knife with unfolding hilt
and tapering steel Of bayonet length.
Shorty tolerated upon his person only
ornamentation Of the finest. He sliced
4 long splinter from the table to re-
move clinging traces Of plug and, in
sertng the point gingerly, slit the
epistle after the manner Of skinning a
tender, baby blue rabbit.
A fleeing perfume came to him, and
the blood drummed thickly IN his ears
at the memory Of its owner.
TITS from the little girl" he breath
ed ecstatically. TITS from the little
girl" He spoke Of her diminutively,
although she had stood head and shoul-
ders above him.
Seminary characters bear small re-
semblance to printed speech, nor do
they lend themselves to prompt inter-
probation among the un-Vassared, but
finally the following materialized, and
he absorbed it so completely that ev-
cry word stood out In mental bas re-
lief:
My Dear Friend-Mother and wish to
thank you for the great service you have
rendered us, and we wish you to know
that in saving my brother, Lincoln. from
his wicked associates and the conse-
quences of his folly you have won the
blessings Of two women.
We had to send him away at once, as he
was recognized. He writes from Homo
lulu that he Is safe and has begun his life
all over, SO we are very happy.
In view of all you have done we hest
tate to ask your further help, but there
doesn't seem to be any other way. The
money that came from the Golden Fleece
claim we gave to Lincoln, and now the
second payment 10 overdue. They tell us
that those men have jumped our mine and
won't pay the balance and refuse to get
off. Mother Is awfully worried, too, be-
cause We are very poor-so poor we can't
take the case to law. Please tell US what
to do and receive the removed blessings
Of q mother and the heartfelt thanks of
your sincere friend, a.
M1LLlCcNA SOol1GNS.
Shorty united his silk neckcloth and
carefully wrapped the precious note
within. The bundle he placed inside
his shirt bosom. His large hands made
clumsy work Of 1t, owing to their IN
familiarity with billet doux, but his
mind worked nimbly.
Sol The wilkins outfit had jumped
her ground-thought she didn't have
anybody to look out for her. eh7 That
was the worst Of them tenderfoot pros
were crooked. They
brought their devious eastern methods
out into Gods country and thought
folks would stand their work. He'd
never seen them. but they were chicken
hearted pups-anybody who would
cheat a woman was gutter. He was
for peace. himself, of course; trouble
never did look good to him, but real
man was due to step into this affair.
Not to use violence. No, sir; Just cool.
argument backed up by
equity and a reasonable frmness.
Shorty busted himself with the legal
aspect of the case. Never was there
clearer. The, Wilkinses had failed to
make good; ergo, they had another
jump coming. There remained only
the process-simplicity itself. Reason
made bee line, hurdling certain con-
fusing obstacles in the nature Of stat
utes and commonrlaw precepts, fleeing
directly along the. course Of least re-
sistance. Shorty oiled up his six shoot
ers.
His theory of strategy forbade de-
lay, for scant measure of military
demonstrates the value Of
an attack in the cold gray Of the dawn.
1t is then that the blood moves sloth-
fully and the mind is flaccid from the
apathy Of slumber.
"Gr me your 'gat,'" he said to Hoff-
meister. the Canada bar superintend-
ent, as that gentleman was preparing
for bed.
"Sure: help yourself"
!
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