Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-02-27
ase Light
In the
Clearing
4 Tsls Of the North
CountFy In the Time
81 Silss Wright

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0oooaaA0AooAa9AooA oe0o4oA00eseeooO
tosSysisAA ~. lsvhg Dsshslis''
The truth AaG sashsd upon mo out
cf the words Of tAls simple man. On
Ill then I had heard emily one side Of
the case. II I were to be the servant
Of Justice. - Mr.. Wright had advised.
what was % dof These tenants had
been Grimshavsd and wsrs being
Grimshawed out Of the Just fruits Of
their toll BY the feudal chief whose
remote ancestor had been q kings "a.
vorits. For half Q moment I watched
the wavering needle Of my compass
and then:
III what you say 70 true I think you
ore right" r said
IT don't agree with you," said young
Latour.. "Ths PATRONS have . clear
title to this land. II the tenants don't
want to pay the rents they ought to
get out and make way for others"
"Look here. young man. my, name Il
Josiah Curtis" said the stranger. RI
live in the flrst house On the right
hand side O. the road. You may tell
the Judge that I won't pay rent no
nlore-not as long - I livs-and I
won't ut ont, either"
"Mr. LAtouf, yoa and Purvis may 20
on slowly-Tl ovsEtaks you soon." I
said.
They went "a and leftms alons With
Curtis. He was getting excited and I
wished to allay his fearA
Don't let him try to serve no Writs
or thereli be hell to pay in this val
ley" said Curtis.
'.In that case Shall not try to serve
the writs. don't want to stir up the
neighborhood. but I want to know the
facts. I shall Try % ses other tenants
and report what they say. It may lead
to settlement"
We went on together 10 the top Of
the hill near which We had been stand
ing. Far ahead Isaw q cloud Of dust
but no signs Of Latour and Purvis.
They must have spurred their horses
into q run. The fear came to me that
Latour would Try b serve the writs n
spite Of me. They wsre in his pocket
What q fool I had been not to call foe
them. NJ companion saw tho look Of
concern IN ny facs.
II DON'T ilke that young Teller" said
Curtis. He's fn fer trouble"
He ran toward his house, which was
only a few rods beyond q, while I
started on In pursuit Of the two men
at top speed. Before my horse had
taken . dozen Jumps I heard . horn
blowing behind me and it, echo In the
hills. Within Q half Q moment dozen
horns were sounding In the valleys
around me. What . contrast to the
quiet in which we had been riding was
this pandemonium which had broken
loose in the countryside. 4 little ahead
could see men running out Of the
fields. Ny horse had begun to lather.
for the sun was hot Ny companions
were far ahead. L could not see the
dust Of their heels now. I gave up Try
ing to catch them and checked the
speed of my horse and went on at .
walk. The horns wers stu sounding.
Some Of them seemed to DO miles
away. About twenty rods ahead ] saw
three riders In strange costumes come
out 81 . dooryard and take ths-road
at q wild 0allop In pursuit OF Latour
end Purvis. They had not discovered
me. kept % calm % ! could In the
midst Of this excitement
I passed the house from which the
three riders had just turned into the
road. A number Of woman and an OLD
man and three or four children stood
on the porch. They looked at mo In
silence az was passing and then be-
gan to hiss and jesr. It gave me .
feeling ] have never known since that
day. logged along over the brow OF
the hill when. ut . white. frame house.
1 saw the center toward which all the
men Of the countryside were coming.
Suddenly I heard the hoof.beats OF
horse behind me. I stopped, ana
looking over my shoulder saw rider
approaching me in the costume Of an
Indian chief. A red mask covered his
face. A crest Of eagle feathers circled
the edge of his cap. Without word
he rode on at my side. l knew not
then that he was the man Josiah Cur
tis--nor could I at any time have
sworn that 1t was he.
A crowd had assembled around the
house ahead. I could see string OF
horsemen coming toward 1t from the
other side. ! wondered what was go
ing to happen to me. What shouting
and jeering In the crowded dooryard
I could see tho smoke Of fire. We
reached the gate. Men in Indian masks
and costumes gathered around US.
"Orderi sh-sh-sh, !" was the loud COM
mand Of the man beside me In whom
. recognized-or thought that I did-the
voice Of Josiah Curtis. "What has
Z happened7"
Zone o. them tried to serve 4 writ
I an we have tarrsd an feathered him.
Just then heard the voice Of Pur-
Wis shouting back in the crowd this
impassioned plea:
Bart, for Gods sake. come here"
l turned to Curtis and said:
III the gentleman tried to serve the