Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1919-10-09
A Silent Hero
DEEEsTEllEBALcoM
oopyr,sht. 1919. sr western N.wsp.psr us,ss.

Copyright. 1919. br Western Nswspapss uasos.,
The rctund, suave proprietor Of the
Argyle house at Alton reversed the
hotel register as the morning train
Brought in solitary guest. He was
q young man and he would have been
q puzzle to most observers. His nose
bore deep dent and was fractured
at the center. and the rest Of the face
WIS marked here and there with scars.
He was brcnzed as though from ex-
ccssive exposure, one hand he moved
in slow, laborious way, as though
1t was hurt or stiff from some re-
cent injury. There was half drug
giEg limp to one limb.
The now guest rested two worn va
Uses on the desk and wrote his name,
Bentley Wood" in clear, forclble APP
pearing letters. At that Jabez Hall,
the hotel keeper, reached toward tho
letter case and drew thence sealed
envelope. 'That Is for you, I reckon"
he yaid. "waiting for yon since day
before yesterday. Any particular door
you favor7'
The newcomer ran his eye rapidly
over written page, looked consider
ably discqmposed, and said: "1f you
had asked me that before I read this
letter, would have said your best
As 1t is-your cheapest. I expected
to have my employer meet me here
tomorrow. find he isn't due for q
week. am very short Of money un.
til he does come, Will you trust me.
awaiting that? There Is my baggage.
and 1t Is quite valuable"
Jabez Hall directed probing glance
at the young man. Something in the
frank, clear way in which he spoke
conveyed favorable impression.
"Sure I WILL" he answered simply.
'Thank you," nodded Bentley Wood,
who comprehended that the big-heart-
cd boniface had noted that he was In
no condition for climbing stairs. Then
he consulted memorandum book and
asked, SIS there family named Els
ner in the town."
ooh, yes" came the ready reply.
''You mean Judge Elsner's family, for
they are the only one Of that name
hereabouts. The Judge Is dead, but
his widow and Miss Elsner are at the
old home. She Is sister to Lieut..
Mark Elsner, who was killed at Cha
teau Thierry, overseas. They live at
the end Of this street, last house, ard
a large one. You can't miss It. Dan,
take the gentleman's luggage up to
room twenty-one."
The guest strolled about the lobby
for time, then about the public
square, and II he was interested IN
the Elsner family he did not call upon
them that day. After he had returned
to the hotel the porter, Dan, approach.
cd his employer with a curious e1.
preston upon his his dusky, grinning
face. ~.
"Boss," he said, II happened to take
a pitcher Of water up to twenty-one,
and that new customer had one Of his
suit cases unpacked. Bless you, II I
ever saw such contraptions beforel
There were knives, and bayonets. and
helmets, and bombshells, and q LOT Of
war medals"
HIN" responded Jabez thought
fully.
That phase Of the situation was also
q puzzle, and then an irritant to Duke
Burson. The latter had been regu-
lar but unwelcome caller upon Wanda
Elsner before news Of the death Of
her brother had reached her. Since
then she and her mother had practi.
cally closed the house Of mourning
against visitors. Burson trained with
loud and reckless group. the mSs.
ferrous stranger troubled him, nett,ed
him. It aroused his jealousy to dis.
cover a possible rival.
In his shallow way Burson perpe.
trated a mean revenge. He had an
artist friend, and one morning Alton
nwoke to find the bulletin board near
the post office disfgured with an *.
aggerated traveaty ridiculing Bentley
Wood. It depicred figure with a de.
formed nose, shortened arm and q
twisted foot. Everybody recognized
The caricature, but few smiled at II
except Burson and his gloating frieuhs
A week later the town woke up Ia
decided sensation. There was new
arrival at the Argyll house, Sena,ol
:ohn Humphreys and the local PAL er
announced that, under the auspices Of
notable literary bureau, he wot Id
deliver a lecture on the war abroad
And Duke Burson, passing the old
bulletin board the next morning, stood
spellb0und and shamed. The carit.a-
tare Of Bentley Wood had been co.
teeded. Beside It was two SHEET
r,lncard hearing photograph Of Bent.
i, isy Wood, and announcing that he, q
hero OF Chateau Thierry. would tell
lis story~of valor and suffering and ~.
libit relics Of that world noted bat.
lie crisis.
And then a romance percolatsd
through persistent local gossip. Ra,t.
lev Wood had been the close comru.ie
If Lieutenant Elsner abroad. He had