Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-10-14
Continued from last week.
CHAPTER XII.
Jailed.

Jailed.
Gainesville nestleS close between
the points of two outlying foothills,
and it is a delightfully."- lazy and old
fashioned town. For the most part 1t
is made up of gabled old brick houses,
which have pretty settings of green
lawn, roses, hOneysuckles and trees.
Even In the small business district,
the streets are lined with trees. They
have electric lights there, and water
mains, common school and a high
school, courthouse, a Jail and
theater
1t was little after nghtfau when
Dale and the other two men rode
through the shaded streets. Dale noted
that the people they met under the
swinging lights spoke cordially and
with marked courtesy to his cOmpan-
ions. 1t was very evident that the Of
fiCer and Major Bradley were In high
standing in their home town.
Sheriff Tom Flowers drew in before
a hitching-rack that stood in front OF
the courthouse, a great old wooden
building with Il clock in its tower.
wen dismount here" said he.
They did, The major took the rein
Of Dale'S horse.
I'll see that the animal is we'll
cared for, sir" he said to Dale. and
as soon as | have seen to oul horses,
I'll be with you. | wish to talk mat
tiers over with you. Suppose l bring
supper for us both, eh?"
Dale thanked Bradley, and turned
away with the officer. They walked a
short block and entered low, square
building Of brick and stone of which
the windows were small and high and
barred with iron. Dale knew that it
was the Gainesville Jail, and his heart
sank IN spite Of him. Just as death
by violence had been entirely new to
him, so also was this entirely new to
him.
Flowers took ring of heavy keys
from the hand of the jailer, and led
the way down a whitewashed corridor.
1t was not yet bedtime and the other
prisoners were still up; some Of them
trying TO mend their clothing, still
others were doing nothing. A few OF
them called out boldly and bade the
new prisoner welcOme-and each OF
these received a gruR order from the
sheriff to keep quiet. Dale paid no at
tention whatever TO his WOuld-be
fOrmentOrS.
At an iron door at the end of the
corridor, the officer halted and faced
about
'If there could be such a thing as
a comfortable cell here" he said in
low and kindly tones, tits this one"
He went on earnestly: ''Now l want
YOU to believe me when tell you that
1t is with real regret that | put you
behind a door Of iron. But if | didn't
do it, somebody else would do it; and
it's possible that ! can be little more
decent about it than another officer
would be-"
81 realize all that, y'kn0w," replied
Dale, land I'm very much obliged to
you, sheriff"
Flowers unlocked the door, and Bill
Dale walked in. Flowers locked the
door and went away.
Dale began to inspect his quarters.
TO all appearances, they were at least
clean. There was a narrow bed COW
cred With a pair of gray blankets,
stool and soapbox, and nothing more
The light in the corridor behind him
made snaky black lines of bar-shadows
on the brick partition walls and the
outer wall of stone. Dale shuddered
In spite of himself. He put up one
hand and turned on a small light,
which dssipated the uncanny shad-
o"S--ar1 showed him line from
Dances Inferno" that to him seemed
Very miserable; some former occupant
of that cell had written it with char
coal on the whtewashed outer wall.
Then Dale sat YEARLY down on the
mar oW bed, leaned his head upon his
hands, and began to think.
He had always wanted difficulties
to overcome, barriers to surmount, a
WORK TO do, 4 fight to fight for him
self In full measure he had found
them every one. He did not doubt his
ability 20 overcome the difficulties. sur
mount the barriers, do his work we'll
and tight his fight as a good man
fights and Whit it were not for the
charge Of having shot and killed Black
Adam Ball 1t seemed to him now
that that must end all that was worth
white for him. For that was more
than q difficulty, more than a barrier.
lie firmly believed that it had been
lis bullet that had finished the earthly
existence OF the giant hilman. True,
4 had been an accident. But how was
he to convince jury that it had been
Hn accident? Would the jury take his
word for 1t? The jury would not, OF
course
The mysterious third shot, that had
come from little distaEce-but he
r.~et1