The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-12-01
CHAPTER Ii--continued.

With an awkward gesture LlDerty
stretched forth a hand caught braces
and wrung 1t warmly. you're like
like Hamletr' he exclaimed. "Tll do
my best to help you, Hamlet. Let me
be your Horatlo as well as your slave
brace returned the fervent hand
clasp. my Horatiol' he agreed. And
then. solemn again, he added: TITS a
worthy cause, Liberty. It's not alone
my private vengeance, but the wrongs
of a whole community that the ordi-
nary machinery Of justice can never
right. Why, Liberty, dozens OF men
were murdered by those drunken
| flends; little children were trodden
under the hoofs of their horses, and
women Near our house. Liberty, an
old couple live In poverty. At the
time Of Stepho's raid their son and
his young wife lived next door to
them; they were well-to-do and pros
porous. The day of the raid the son
had received ten thousand dollars from
the sale of some lands. When rumor
of the raiders came he hurrledly hid
hood, scrubbed on piece of paper the
location of that treasure and gave 1t
to his wife before he went out with the
other men to fight Next morning he
had been shot: and the young wife
had been carried Off by those devils
her child with her, after the Indian
custom. to keep her from suicide. No
one knows what became Of her. Nor
has that money ever been found Liber-
ty, If I could find StephO. get him in
my power. I believe | could at least
learn what became of that poor yonng
woman--possibly find that paper and
learn where to find the money those
poor people so sorely need; for once.
some years ago mysterious fellow
was caught digging about their yard.
But I've talked enough. Liberty.
Actionl Do you know any more about
La vitte?"
mot much" replied Liberty. 81 be-
lleve he is often seen up the River.
and sometimes down on the coast. He
has his friends, and nearly everybody
else is afraid OF him. So you've
must keep dark till we get our chance.
And you. mustn't show yo;r feelings
In your face. Remember. master.
you're just young man out to see the
world. H'm-here comes Colonel
Josh. Suppose we talk to him. He
was mule-buyer in the war and may
know something about Stepho."
The door was darkened. In came
Joshua Mortimer, the man whom Miss
Lucy had piled with questions con-
corning Drace. He bad lodged in for
a smoke, he said, when ShOttle had
introduced him to his master, and 1t
was evident that 1t was his aim to i'm
press Drace with his military bearing.
He had not been actually in the army, |
but had acquired the title of colonel
from his adventurous work of buying |
mules for the Confederate government |
The Colonel took it" that BRACE was
from the North.
Eyes. but some Of my people were
from the South"
"Ah l congratulate you. sir. have
a match. thank you"
Drace had offered him a light. He |
filed his pipe with tobacco crumbs dug
put of his breeches pocket, and. long
EGGS crossed. sat back to enjoy him.
self.
"Well. sir, Mr.. Drace, the war he's
been ended some years; and If we for
ret an evil as easily as virtue. sir, ii
viii soon be only dim memory.
lad enough Of It."
"But you were not really In the
rmy, Colonel JOSH" the slave spoke
ID.
The Colonel pulled at his pipe,
tretched his neck and appeared TO
sh for something down In his collar.
Liberty, my duty was scouting and
he incidental picking up Of mules. as
he records of the War Department
III be pleased to exhibit. sir"
After few minutes more conversa-
on the Colonel rose. 81 viii now 90
ack to the ballroom" he declared
Imself. Liberty, ] came aboard to-
light with your third cousin, Miss
ucy Sanders" !
"That so? Come down, Marse Drace.
nd I'll introduce you to her"
"T think, sir. that she has retired"
Ie Colonel was quick to interpose,
alIzing that he had though.,sssly sug- {
,sted an invasion OF his own terri 4
ry. v
mot while there is fiddle going" a
ia Shottle. '1,ome on" r
Into virgirs neart flew the hope that a
e slaves cousin might be the bar b
uric girl WITH rne roses; there could .
, no mistuksng ner, after meeting her, a