(Copyright. A. C. StoClurg Ce.. lia
CHAPTER III
An Arrest
Th SanU Fe trail was far too x
$ae& to be safely traveled alone and
In broad daylight, but Keith consid
er! It better to put sufficient space
'between himself and those whom be
felt confident were still watching his
movements from across the river.
How much they might already suspi
cion bis discoveries he poHsessed no
meano of knowing, yet, conscious of
Hieir own guilt, they might easily feel
safer If he were also put out of the
-ny ITe bad no anticipation of open
attack, but must guard against treach
ery. As he rode, his eyea never left
those far-away sand dunes, although
he perceived no movement, no black;
dot even which he could conceive t
be a possible enemy. Now that he
possessed ample time for thought, the
situation became more puzzling. This
tragedy which he had accidentally
stumbled upon must have had a causa
other than blind chance. It was the
culmination of a plot, with some rea'
on behind more Important than ordl
nary robbery. Apparently the wagons
contained nothing of value, merely the
slothing, provisions, and ordinary
utensils of an emigrant party. Nor
had the victims' pockets been care
fully searched. Only the mules had
Toeen takes by the raiders, and they
would be small booty for such a
rlM.
The . trail, continually skirting the
tkigh bluff and bearing- farther away
from the river, turned sharply Into a
smntsw ravine. There was a asld
raMs rok la the reeky barrier
nor; leading back for eras a hun
dred yards, sad the plains-mas taraed
ate hen that way, dlssnouatlag whn
ut,4 sight among the boulders. He
ul4 rest her until alghl with little
4anwr of discovery. Ke lay down on
the. reeks, pillowing hU fca ea the
ad?, bat his brafa was too actlv
A Bullet Chugged Into the Ground at
His Feet.
to permit sleeping. Finally he drew
the letters from out his pocket, and
begun examining them. They yield
d very little information, those tak
en from the older man having no en
velopes to show to whom they had
been addressed. The single document
found In the pocket of the other was
a memorandum of account at the
Pioneer Store at Topeka, charged to
John Sibley, and marked paid. This
then must have been the younger
man's name, as the letters to the oth
er began occasionally "Dear Will."
They were missives such as a wlfo
might write to a husband long ab
sent, yet upon a mission of deep In
terest to both. Keith could not fully
determine what this mission might be.
as the persons evidently understood
ach other so thoroughly that mere
allusion took the place of detail.
Twice the name Phyllis was mention
ed, and once a "Fred" was also re
ferred to, but In neither Instance
clearly enough to reveal the relation
ship,, although the latter appeared to
be pleaded for. Certain references
caused the belief that these letters bad
been mailed from some small Mis
souri town, but no name was men
tioned. They were Invariably signed
"Mary." The only other paper Keith
discovered was a brief Itinerary of tho
Santa Fe trail extending as far west
as the Raton Mountains, giving tho
usnal camping spots and places where
water was accessible. Hs slipped tho
papers back Into his pocket with a
distinct feeling of disappointment,
and lay back staring up at tbs little
strip of blue sky. The silence was
profound, oven bis horse standing mo
tionless, and finally ho fell asleep.
Tho sun had disappeared, and even
the gray of twilight was fading out of
th sky, when Keith returned again
to consciousness, aroused by bis
horse rolling on the soft turf. Ho
awoke thoroughly refreshed, and
eager to get away on his long night's
ride. A cold lunch, hastily eaten, for
a firs would bavo been dangerous.
MMEl
&fiAlZ Or THE PLAINS
rty PAMDALL PAOTISH-
""Author Or"Mv Ladv Gf THc doum
when Wildcpmeso Was Kma tTctrc
lujuATRArions By DsAaawMci.vtu.-
ana no ssnoiea up ana was ott. trot
ting out of the narrow ravine and into
the broad trail, which could be fol
lowed without difficulty under the dull
gleam of the stars. Horse and rider
were soon at their best, the animal
swinging unurged Into the long, easy
lope of prairie travel, the fresh air
fanning the man's face as he leaned
forward. Once they halted to drink
from a narrow stream, and then push
ed on, hour after hour, through the
deserted night. Keith had little fear
of Indian raiders in that darkness,
and every stride of his horse brought
him closer to the settlements and
further removed from danger. Yet
eyes and ears were alert to every
shadow and sound. Once, It must
have been after midnight, be drew his
pony sharply back Into a rock shadow
at the noise of something approach
ing from the east. The stage to Santa
Fe rattled past, the four mules trot
ting swiftly, a squad of troopers rid
ing hard behind. It was merely a
lumping Bhadow sweeping swiftly
past; be could perceive the dim out
lines of driver and guard, the soldiers
swaying In their saddles, heard the
pounding of hoofs, the creak of axles,
and then the apparition disappeared
Into the black void. He had not call
ed out what was the use? Those peo
ple would never pause to hunt down
prairie outlaws, and their guard was
sufficient to prevent attack. They so
knowledge bat one dutry to get th
mall through on time.
Th dust of their passing still In tho
air, Keith rode on, tho noise dying
sway In his rear. As tho hours pass
ed, his hone wearied and had to b
purred Into tho swifter stride, but
the man seemed tireless. - The sun was
an hottr high who they climbed th
long hill, and loped Into Carson City.
The cantonment was to tho right, but
Keith, having no report to make, rode
directly ahead down th one long
street to s livery corral, leaving his
boro there, and sought tho nearest
restaurant.
Exhausted by a night of high play
and deep drinking, tho border town
was sleeping off its debauch, saloons
and gambling dens silent, the streets
almost deserted. To Keith, whose for
mer acquaintance with the place had
been entirely after nightfall, the view
of It now was almost a shock the
miserable shacks, tho gaudy saloon
fronts, the littered streets, the dingy,
un painted hotel, the dirty flap of can
vas, the unoccupied road, the dull
prairie sweeping away to the horizon,
all composed a hideous picture be
neath the sun glare. He could scarce
ly find a man to attend his horse, and
at the restaurant a drowsy Chinaman
had to be shaken awake, and fright
ened into serving him.
He sat down
to the miserable meal oppressed with
disgust never before had his life
seemed so mean, useless, utterly with
out excuse.
Ho possessed tho appetite of the
open, of the normal man In perfect
physical health, and he ate heartily,
his eyes wandering out of the open
window down the long, dismal street.
A drunken man lay In front of tho
"Red Light" saloon sleeping undls
turbed; two cur dogs were snarling at
each other Just beyond over a bone;
a movers' wagon was slowly coming
In across the open through a cloud of
yellow dust. That was all within the
radius of vision. For the first time In
years the East called him the old
life of cleanliness and respectability.
He swore to himself as he tossed tho
Chinaman pay for his breakfast, and
strode out onto tho steps. Two men
were coming up tho street together
from the opposite direction one lean,
dark-skinned, with black goatee, the
other heavily set with closely trim
med gray beard. Keith knew the lat
ter, and waited, leaning against tho
door, on hand on his hip.
"Hullo, Bob," ho said genially;
"they must have routed you out pret
ty early today."
"They shore did. Jack," was the re
sponse. Ho came up tho steps some
what heavily, his compsnlon stopping
below. "Th boys raise boll all night,
n' then oomo ter mo tor straighten
It out tn tho mawnln. When did yo
Kit la?"
"An hour ago; had to wake tho
'chink' up to get any chuck. Town
looks dead."
"Taint over lively at this ttmo
day," permitting bis bin ayes to wan
der np th silent street, hat Instantly
bringing them back to Keith's faco,
"but I reckon Itll wake up later oa."
H stood squarely on both feet, and
on hand rested on tne butt or a re
volver. Keith noticed this, wonder
ing vagdely.
"I reckon yer know, Jack, as how I
glnorally git what I goes after." said
tho slow, drawling voice, "an that I
draw bout as quick as sny o' tho
boys. They tell no yo'r s gun-fighter,
but It wont do ye no good ter
make a play yere, fer on o' us Is sur
to git yer do yer sabo?"
"Oet me?" Keith's votco and tao
. . . mrm .iunmuuini) dui not a
muscle of his body moved. "What do
you maa. Bob ar yo follows after
mor
"Bare tbtng; got (tt warrant hero,"
and he tapped tho breast of hi shirt
with his left hand.
The color mounted Into the cheeks
of the other, his Hps grew t snd
white, sad his gray eyee darkened.
"Let tt all out. Marshal." he said
sternly, "you've got me roped and
tied. Now what's the charge?"
Neither man moved, but the one be
low swung about so as to face them,
one hand thrust out of sight beneath
the tall of his long coat.
"Make him throw up his hands.
Bob," he said sharply
"Oh, I reckon thar ain't goln' ter
be no trouble," returned the marshal
genially, yet with no relaxation of at
tentlon. "Keith knows me. an' ex
pects s fair deal. Still, maybe I bet
ter ask yer to unhitch yer belt. Jack."
A moment Keith seemed to hesitate,
plainly puzzled by the situation and
endeavoring to see some way of es
cape; then his lips smiled, and he
silently unhooked the belt, banding it
over
"Are You Goln' to Raise s Row,
Corns Along Quietly?" 1
"Sure, I know you're square, flicks
ho said, coolly. "And now I've unllm
bered, kindly Inform mo what this Is
all about."
"I reckon yor don't know."
"No more than an unborn bob. I
have been hero but an hour."
"That's It: If yer had been longer
thar , wouldn't bo n trouble. . Yo'r
wanted for klllin' s couple o' men out
at Cimmaron Crossln' early yesterday
mornin'.". .....
Keith stared at bin too completely
astounded for the Instant to oven
speak. Then ho gasped.
"For God's sake. Hicks, do you be
lieve thatr
"I'm damned If I know," returned
the marshal, doubtfully. "Don't seem
like ye'd do it, but the evidence Is
straight 'nough, an' thar ain't nothln'
fer me ter do but take ye In. I alnt
no Jedge an' Jury."
"No, but you ought to have ordinary
sense, an' you've known me for three
years."
sure i nave, Jack, but if yee ve
gone wrong, you wont be the first
good man I've seen do It. Anyhow, the
evidence Is dead agln you, an' I'd ar
rest my own grand-dad if they give
me a warrant agln him."
"What evidence Is there?"
"Five men swear they saw yo haul-
i In' the bodies about, and lootln' the
pockets."
Then Keith understood, his heart
beating rapidly, his teeth clenched to
keep back an outburst of passion. So
that was their game, was It? some
act of his had awakened the cowardly
suspicions of those watching blra
across thej-lver. They were afraid
that he knew them as white men.
And they had found a way to safely
muzzle him. They must have ridden
' nar(l over those sand dunes to have
reached Carson City and sworn out
this warrant. It was a good trick,
likely enough to hang him, If the fel
lows only stuck to their story. All
this flashed through his brain, vet
j somehow he could not clearly compre-
hend the full meaning, his mind con
fused and dazed by this sudden real
lzatlon of danger. His eyes wandered
from the steady gaze of the marshal,
who had half drawn his gun foarlng
resistance, to the man at the bottom
of the steps. Suddenly It dawned
upon him where be had seen that
dark-skinned face, with the black goa
tee, before at the faro table of tho
"Red Light." He gripped his hands
together, Instantly connecting that
sneering, slnlstsr faco with the plot
"Who swore out that warrant?"
"I did. If you nsod to know," a sar
castic smllo revealing a gleam of
whits teeth, "on tho affidavit of others,
friends of mlns."
"Why are your
Tm mostly called "Black Bart'"
That was it; ho had th nan now
"Black Bart" Ho straightened up
so s-alckly, his eyes biasing, that
tho marshal Jerked his gun clesr.
m - m
D-io oire, jacx.- snoruy, "aro yer
goln' to rata a row, or com along
quiet r
As though th words had aroused
him from a bad dream, Keith turned
to front the stern, bearded face.
"There'll be no row, Bob," h said,
quietly. Til go with you,"
(To Be Continued.)
I). E. Hall went to Council
J Huffs this afternoon to spend
Sunday there. He is superintend
ent of the construction company
putting up the federal building
here.
FOR SALE One Ross hand hay
cutter, almost new; cuts hay in
quarter-inch lengths. See Dun
bar at the Riley hotel.
OR!
i :
or
BRITISH CITIES
ARMED GAMPS
Railroads Trying to Move Trains
Under Protection of Troops.
TRAFFIC BADLY DEMORALIZED.
Many Thousand Men Remain at Work
but They Are Unable to Handle
the Business Riots Reported in
Four Cities.
i
v
Progress of Labor War.
Scores of thousands of railway
men in the Uuited Kingdom are
on strike.
The movement threatens to
J cripple 23,000 miles of steam rail
ways.
Neither managers or employes
seem disposed to deviate from
.)- their ultimatums.
Passenger traffic in London
and other centers is demoralized; J
freight traffic throughout the
kingdom 19 hampered.
Liverpool's steamship service Is
at a standstill.
Sporadic rioting occurred In
various English cities and in J
Wales.
Troops everywhere are ready to
anell disturbances.
Parliament remains in session
because of the strike.
Scarcity of food Is causing
The railways employ 500,00' 4
men whose average weekly wagel
Is less than tS.
. .
London, Aug. 19. The fight be
twt-en the railroad companies and the
striking union employes is on in dead
earnest. Thousands have obeyed the
strike order and other thousands havs
continued at work. The companies
are operating their principal trains
under modified schedules.
The government and the board o(
trade are continuing their efforts to
ward peace, but the old deadlock be
teweu the unions and the managers
appears to have reasserted Itself,
The managers had a prolonged
meeting with members of the board
of trade, but as far as it is learned
the railroad companies declined to
budge from their stand of making no
further concession beyond submitting
the dispute to the royal commission
suggested by the government.
The cities of England are arme
cumps. The stations, workshops
signal 'posts, tunnels anil bridges are
guarded by soldiers. Clerks bav
been pressed Into service to aid the
nonstrlkers In moving the trains.
Despite the efforts of the companies
freight traffic Is demoralized and the
EUortase of food supplies threatens
a famine at some points.
There has been rioting ut Dinning
ham, Derby, Sheffield and at Llanelly,
Wales.
The government views the Indus
trial war ns so grave that Parliament
flid not adjoin n as has been expected,
but will continue prepared to udopt
any emergency legislation the moment
U is necessary.
The trains In Ijomlon were moving
occasionally, but hud scarcely any ef
fert In reducing the muss of would-be
fnvelers. Thousand Jiving outside
were unable to get home. The strike
committee has decided to pay the
strikers $2.50 a week.
NEW ALTITUDE MARK
Abator Brindley Soars 11,700
Feet
in Air at Chicago.
Chicago, Auk. 1!. Oscar A. lliind
ley Homed higher in the air Hum any
aeion lane ever has been and Bet a
new world's record of 11,78) feet.
I'll ill p O. Puruielee followed him, puss
ing the former American record and
renrhed 10.S37 feet before lie was
forced to descend.
James Ward and Karle Ovington,
dvlnif at comparatively low levels,
both had narrow escapes from death
The nroneller of Ward's machine
broke Into a hundred pieces as he Hew
before the grand stand and pieces of
wood tore the canvas, but the avlutor
held tight and brought his machine
wohblinK to the ground. Ovington
with his engine stopped, not quite
able to reach shore, found a landing
place In five feet of water, from which
he escaped with no other Injury than
a ducking.
PRISONER OF HATE RELEASED
Woman Serves Twenty-Nine Days to
Save Money for Willow Plume.
St Louis. Aug. 19. After being
voluntary prisoner of hate In the Clay
ton jail for twenty-nine days rather
than pay $1 One and $28.95 costs for
nulling another woman's hair. Mrs
Ethel Marlk was released.
"I'll get that willow plume In time
to wear it Sunday," Mrs. Marlk said
to the other women prisoners as she
bade them good by.
Throughout her term of Imprison
ment, which separated her from her
husband and her two small, children
she was suhtalned by the thought of
'that willow plume." When the judge
gave her the alternative of going to
Jail or paying the fine, she said
"I'll go to Jail and save the money
for a willow plume."
Sh would not let her mother or
ber husband pay th fine.
LORD CHARLES BERESFORD.
Noted Englishman Who,
With Wife, Has Arrive 1
For Visit In America.
Photo by Aium'Uui f ru AMdolf-Ue.
LORD BERESFORD ARRIVES
Noted Englishman Comes to America
With Wife for Visit.
New York, Aug. 19. Lord Charles
Beresford snd I,ady Beresford have
arrived here on the White Star liner
Olympic for a visit to America.
MERRITT'S FUNERAL
HELD AT RED OAK
Services Conducted Over Re
flint ol lieutenant's Body.
i
Red Oak, la., Aug. 19. Seven thou
sand people participated in an impres
sive memorial service in honor of the
memory of Lieutenant Darwin R. Mer
rltt who lost his life on the battl
ihlp Maine, Feb. 16, 1898, and whose
remains were recovered from th
wreck on Aug. S.
The body has been here since Mon
day, lying In state at the armory of
company M. Services were held In
the Chautauquu park, the principal
address being delivered by Judge 11.
K. Deemer of the Iowa supreme court.
Governor B. P. Carroll, who with
bis entire military staff was in attend
ance, delivered a short address also,
us did Judne Walter I. Smith of Coun
cil Bluffs, and Uov. 10. A. Moulton of
Des Moines.
Kull mllkury and Masonic honors
were bestowed, and in spue of tne
oppressive weuthor and a Btorin,
which began during the meeting, the
crowd showed its respect to the dead
man's memory by remaining until the
close. The military service at the
grave was performed during an elec
trical and wind storm, but over 1,000
people stood with bared heads.
Lieutenant Mcrritt's father, Ilev. W.
W. Merrltt, a pioneer of this county,
resides here. Darwin was born in
Red Oak, and appointed to the naval
academy from this district In 1891.
Four years later he graduated at the
head of his class, and at the time of
the blowing up of the Maine was ua
assistant engineer on the ship.
COUNTY OFFICERS MEET
Supervisors, Auditors, Treasurers and
Poor Farm Stewards Talk Shop.
Mason City, la., Aug. 19. Clear
Ijike entertained the state association
of supervisors, auditors, treasurers
and poor farm stewurds.
The supervisors met at the White
I'ler and discussed "Bridges." It was
the exceedingly practical the associa
tion wanted and got It right from tho
Held. Fivomtnuto uddrcsses were
made by Messrs. Dunlay of Kalona,
Meyer of Calmar, llolden of Scranton,
Mally of Berwick, Jamison of Dows,
Swanson of Hartley, McDuff of Cedar
Rapids, Verden of Waterloo, Darkman
of Des Moines, McQulllen ot Cascade,
Hauko of Clinton, Thompson of Mar
rengo, Cleveland of OBkaloosa, Fisher
of Des Moines and Saunders of Mon
tezuma.
The county treasurers met at Hoi
vorson's opera house, where tho re-
nort of the lerlslatlve committee was
received. C. C. Hunt, secretary of tho
association, made the set address of
the occasion.
Te county auditors found their
meeting place nt the city hall. Col.
J. H. McConlogue, former Democratic
candidate for governor, and at pres
ent a member of the Iowa tax com
mission, made an address on "Taxa
tion." The poor farm stewards went fish
ing. Tornado In South Dakota.
Pierre, S. D., Aug. 19. A telephone
message from Wendte, twenty mllos
west of here, tells of a tornado which
scattered the buildings on the Holm,
rntsch, Decker, Montoe and Elba
farms, some of them being large two
story structures.
i
SUMNER BEFORE
PAROLE BOAilQ
Tells o! Investigation ol Health
Conditions at Fort Mate
START PROBE IN SEPTEMBER,
Oes Moines Street Car Men and Of
ficials Report Progress In Negotia
tions Grain improvement Day at
Iowa Stats Fair.
Dea Moines, Aug. 19 Secretary
Sumner of the state board of health,
wbo recently conducted an investlgar
tiou Into health conditions in tho Fort
Mudison penitentiary, appeared br
lore the stut parole board.
While the purpose of Secretary
Sumner's conference with the board
is not known definitely, It is under
stood that hs gave the board a gear
eral Idea of the report he Intends t
make to the governor. It la generally
believed that this report will be a
criticism of the health conditions 1
the penitentiary.
Secretary Sumner and President
Eiker of the health board conducted,
the Investigation at the Instanc ot
Governor Carroll.
The commission appointed by At
torney General Cosson to probe and
Investigate the charges made against
Warden Sanders and the state penl
tentlnry at Fort Madison, will prob
ably hold Its first hearing at th
state house tho first week in Septem
ber.
Move Toward Settlement.
Though no new contract was signed
at the conference of street car me
and traction system officials, repr
sontatlves of both sides declared that
"some progress" was made In nego
tiations looking toward a final setl
ment of the present rontroversy. An
other conference will be held.
It appears that the principal sec
tions of the proposed, agreement
which the union men have submlttM
to the rompsny were discussed at tha
meeting, though none was agreed t.
Union men, It Is understood, see sons
progress mad In the negotiations h
cause of the disposition, shown, by .
enmr-pn" officials to meet the uolo
half way.
Grain Day at Stats Fair.
Commercial' clubs of th stat 01
Iowa have been asked to assist la.
making a success of grain Improve-
ment day at the state fair on Thurs
day, Aug. 31. Gels Botsford, sec
retary of th Commercial club, hat
received a letter from Bert Ball,
secretary of the crop improvement
committee, of the National Cousv
til of Grain Exchanges, asking th lo
cal boosters to Join the movement for
better crops In Iowa. It Is the pur
pose of the rampnlgn to obtain
larger yield of better grain In Iowa,
The national council wishes to re
store Iowa to Its former promlnenc
as a wheat growing state.
BANDITS NEAR MONDAMIN
Two Men Steal Team snd Buggy
From Barn at Modal.
Logan, lu., Aug. 19. A team and
buggy were stolen from the bam ot
Frank Matthews, near Modale, at mid
night by two men supposed to b
members of the band who shot Mar
hlml Butcher at Missouri Vulloy.
Sheriff Rock, who Is at Council
Bluffs, and Mayor Warner of Missouri
Vulley were at once notified and a
lurge posse was sent north In a spe
cial cur on the Sioux City road and
In ten automobiles. The stolen team
was found near tho furm of John
l'ratt, near Mondamln and about
three miles from the Missouri river. It
hud been drive n about nine miles.
Officers lu Monona and Woodbuhy
counties, Iowa, and Washington and
Burt counties, Nebraska, have been
uolllied and the bottoms on both side
of the river will be searched thor
oughly. SUIT FILED AGAINST MAYOR
Marshalltown Attempts to Mak In
gledue Settle Court Case Costs.
Marshalltown, la., Aug. 19. Charg
ing thut ho is Indebted to the munici
pality for $1,311.90, and refuses to pay
It, the city of Marshalltown filed suit
for that amount against former Mayor
O. L. Ingledue. The money In ques
tion represents the amount of the four
warrants held by the former mayor,
Issued him by the city council to pay
the expenses incurred by him and
three of his police officers, for their
attorneys' hire in the federal court
rase In which Mayor Ingledue and his
officers wore charged with Interfering
with a federal officer In the dlscharg
I of his duty.
The city maintains that tho city
was under no onngauon 10 pay ior
tho mayor's and policemen b attor
neys' costs.
Equal Number Boys and Girls.
Jefferson, Ih--. Aug. 19. County
Superintendent Oblinger In making
out his report which he muBt forward
to State Superintendent Deyoe, finds
that there are 4.720 children In the
county of the school age. That Is
nothing strange, but when ho dis
covered tli 'it the number of boys and
the number of girls were exactly th
same there was surprise depicted on
every part of his counteuance. Two
thousand three hundred and sixty
boys and the same number of girls. ,
J