THJ3 NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE 11 1 enwinl ous By Opie Read IUuttrted by R. H. Livingstone Copyright, The Btll GyDdle.L, Inc. 8YNOP8IS QIArTKll I-TIi lime Is the lato 'C0 or curly '70s nnd tha Beetle a steamboat on tho MlRBir.NippI river. All tho typos Of tho period ur.o present and tho llont Ing palace Is dlHUiitfulshed by merriment, dancing- and gallantry. There aro tho customary drlnklnic and tcambllne also. VlrplI Draco, a young northern man, In ' on lila way xouth on a inlnnlon of revenue. , Ho meetH an eccentric charactor In tho person of one Liberty BhottW, who Is constantly tempting tho RoddcM of ; chance. Thoy form a singular compact. I CnAJ'TISK lI.-Lrmo t'ets bin mtml off hlii mlKnlon by entering Into deck sports In which ho exhlbltH an unusual uthlatlc prowoSH. IJbcrty Hhottle I again un lucky at cardiTiand attempts u llnanclal negotiation Willi Drace. Tile lattcr.sec Inc an opportunity to use Shottle, con tides to htm that his mission Is to And a certain ex-guerrilla, BLcpho la Vltte, who had murdered Draco's father. It Is ula determination announced to his now ; chum, to hang La Vltte an high as 1 Haman. Drace has become enamored of a mysterious beauty aboard tho boat CHAITJSil III. Tho Bteumcr reaches New Orleans, at that tlmo In the somo- ; what turbulent throes of carpotbag gov- ; ernment. Hhottle becomes possessed of 1 two tickets for tho French ball, a great ; society event, nnd proposes that Drace accompany him to the urrnir. Tho young men nttond and Drace unexpectedly meets tho girl who had fired his heart uboard the steamer. Sho Is accompanied by one Boyce, whoso proprietary Interest Indi cates thnt ho In her fiance Through stratugum SuotU 1 rnn that the name of tile girt is Nadlno la Vltto and that her companion of tho evening Is tho man who Is seeking to marry her. CHAlTKIt IV, Continued. "We arc on the right side, anyway," Shottle cried. "Give mo a gun give me something." Some one gave him an old carbine, nnd another gave Draco n cavalry sa ber. The man from tho North grasped It, feeling that he was to tight the scoundrels that cast discred it and reproach upon his native state. - At this tlmo of man's madness na ture could not restrain tho Introduc tion of her own grim humor. Dogs gathered In tho open spneo between tho bands of advancing rioters, nnd fought, howling, tho victims of wounds without cause. Not many shots were fired. The authorities mado n criminal of tho citizen who carried a gun or concealed It In his house. It was a hand-to-bnnd strife, tho breaking of heads, tho cut ting of thronts. A big, red-shlrtcd ne gro with razor gleaming In tho smoky Ugbt made a grab at Drucc, who had Just room enough to leaf) back nud strike with his saber; but tho agilo negro dodged, the blow was caught by a brick wall and the bhulo was broken off at the handle. Hut with the hilt, n boxing glovo of steel, Draco knocked tho negro down and then passed over his body, striking right and left, push ing onward to the front, where tho Jagged ranks saw-toothed ono Into tho Other. The stnigglo now wus to suvo tho hanging man, who, without fall enough to break his neck, was strung up to strangle. Draco was the first man to light IiIh way to him. llo dropped bis steel boxing glove, grabbed out bis knife-, leaped up, caught hold of tho limb of the tree with one hand nnd cut the man down. Catching up bin weapon, bo was about to mix In the fight again when tho sharp, scream of n woman caught and held him for 11 moment. llo. glanced hurriedly about; at various windows were lights nnd silhouetted figures of onlookers. Hut us If drawn by some lodestono Instinct his oyes went to a second-story , window Just beyond the trco; and there, In tho strong light of a lamp Just behind her, ho saw again the face of tho bnrbarlc rose maid, Nndlne lu Vltte. Instantly be whirled and strove to fight his way to n gate which he saw in the wall before tho horise. Hut now came a new cry and a scrnmblo for snfety. A troop of United States env ulry cuine sweeping tho thoroughfare from curb to curb, their drawn sabers flashing, tho aroused anger of Undo Sam rebuking a riot. Not to run was to bo trampled to death, but Draco stood an tnstnnt to look about for Shottle. Ho could not find him, how ever, and ho had to seek his own safe ty, for the cavalry were near, spread Ing out upon tho stdowalk. With divers others, ho stood not upon the order of his going but run back down tho street nnd then hurried down a sldo street out of the path of the troopers. Thoro die waited until tho tumult had substdcd-lporhaps an hour, Then ho mado his way back to the scene f tho riot. Tho house at the window of which ha thought he had glimpsed tho face of Nadlao la Vltto was now dark. But In spite of tho curious glances of sun ttry loiterers, Draco took a careful sur vey of It and of tho three oak trees In front oven felt their bark to fa miliarize himself with then). At tho corner he sought tho naino of tho street, on, the lamp, but tho glass had been broken, leaving only a red ue i ! ynd the fragments and 'V BuJno matter ho would know whore to turn, ( would know the houso whon abreast of It. I Now Draco haBtoned toward tho St. ( Chnrles. Tho streets woro qulot. But ; n wagon rnttlod hy, and he saw that It wns filled with wounded men. Ho thought of Shottle and his spirit was oppressed with sorrow. Shottle's es cape must have been Impossible, nnd tomorrow they would take his body, throw It Into some oozy hole and cover It with mud. In the lobby of the St. Charles men stood In groups, talking of the fall In the price of cotton. The riot, which to Urace had meant so much, was not even known, so nccustomed was th town to scenos of violence. Drnce asked the clerk If Shottle had coma In. No; his key was In the box. Then Draco thought that surely Liberty must be dend or wounded, hauled nwny to suffer. He went forth again, to the department of police, to tho cnvnlry barracks, but nothing could he learn. Thon In his room he sat sorrowing over his friend and yet thrilled with a selfish happiness, for ho had found the barbaric rosemnld. Ho went to bed, tossed, slept, drenmed In n mingling of distress and glndncss, and awoke, Shottle was standing In the room. "Thank tho Lord I" cried Drace, nnd sprang out of bed. "That's what I say, friend Virgil. But you will please address me ns Colonel Shottle. I am n free man. Here I" He held forth an envelope; opening It, Drace took out n hundred-dollar banknote. "What does this mean, Lib?" "I nm Colonel Shottle, sir, nnd not Lib." "I beg your pardon, Colonel ; but whnt does this mean?" Shottle sat down and crossed his long legs. He took out a cigar and lighted It. "Virgil, I fought ns long us I thought It wns of advantage. The old carbine I had wouldn't sh ot, nnd I want to tell you that mauling darky bends with a pleco of Iron is hard work. I looked about for you but couldn't find you, and knowing that you knew how to toko enro of yourself, I began to sniff for a way to got out, found a hole In u wall, ducked through and scooted. That wns all natural enough. Anybody could bnvo done that. But now comes tho Inspirational part. I got around Into Itoynl street and mot a steamboat cnptnln who asked mo to have u drink, nnd I needed It, for I had been hard at work. "So I went In with him. And then up I hops to n gambling house with tho money you'd paid mo for Intro ducing you to Nadlno la Vltte. Tho poker tables were full, so I nipped In modestly nt tho faro-bank. That's not n very swift game, but sometimes It Is ns sure as buying houses nnd lots, If you've got the patience. I Invested cnutlously till about daylight, cashed In exactly two hundred, and bore I am as refreshed as a horse grazing on' clover." "Colonel, I congratulate you!" said Draco. " The two breakfasted together, and thon Draco set out to find ngnln tho house ut the scene of the riot the houso at tho window of which ho hnd seen the face of Nadlno la Vltte. At length he found himself In the side street where ho had taken refuge the I night before, and turning out of this ho came to the tree from' the limb of which he had cut down tho hnlf strangled victim of the mob. Thero op posite wns tho house and thero was tho window at which he "had seen Nn dlno's face; but across the window, bonrtls had been nailed1 Tho other windows, too, nnd the doors, woro nailed up; tho placo was deserted. Could that faco at the window havo been only n crcaturo of his Imagina tion? An old negro In nondescript livery came down tho walk from n houso a few doors away. He might havo been footman to a harlequin. But when Draco spoke to him, the dignified change In his countenance appeared to alter oven tho nspect of his nttlro; and now ho might havo been usher to n governor. This quick chango had been brought about by bis Intuitive discovery that Draco was a man of consequence. "Do you know anything about tho people who lived across tho street?" Draco asked. "Wall, no sub; da wus po' folks, sab." "Then you don't know where they wont." "No sab. My 'ploymont Is tor look nfter folks oh or higher 'dltlon, Bah. An den ter preach on Sunday." "Ob, you aro n prenchor." "Called, sah, wld or blast from de , trumpet." I "Does your church ever need money?" In n moment ho lost his dignity. "Look yeah, boss, whut's er nigger church fur cf It ain't tor need monoy? Co'so It need money. But whnt yon gwlno do erbout It? "Yassub," ho snld, when Drnco hnd warmed him with n greenback, "I reckon dey dono moved, away. There was or kind of rumpus Inst night. And I reckon they-nll thought It wasn't no placo fob dwn no mo' ; dey let' mighty sudden-like, uhly dls ra'awnln'." And that was all Draco could learn 5 no ono In "tho vicinity would admit that they know them or their destina tion. Disliking to 'call too much at tention to himself, Drace walked away heavy-henrted. For a long tlmo 'ho wondered, Jhj streets. Ho cajne. to the iCv0o, nnd the Pronrh nmrkot. He Wcnt Into tho old St. Louis cemetery, nnd looked upon the novel sight of bodies sepulclrerod In n wall . with doors like n furnace. These compart- ments, he learned, were rented by tho month to the poor; and a short tenan try It wns for many n son and daugh ter of penury answering Eternity's call, for when the grim agent failed to collect the pittance promised by Sorrow, the shrouded renter was evict edan old Spanish custom, Drace was told. Recalled by those grim surroundings to the purpose that hnd brought him to the South, Draco now determined to give himself wholly to IiIh quest for Stepho In Vltte. He returned to the hotel, and found Shottle nervous In a cloud of smoke. The floor wns cov ered with burned matches and the stubs of cigars. "Lib. I'm crushed," announced Drace. "So am I. But bow does It happen thnt the dust-cart drove over you too?" "Nadlne Is gone. The place Is nailed up." "That's tough, all right. Hut what are you going to do nbout It? Are you going to come to your puritanic senses and give the whole thing up, or do you expect " "I expect to fulfill my sacred mis sion. I must find Stepho In Vltte." Shottle got up und shook hands with his friend. Ho swore that he would 1 make the search tho nlm of bis life. "Suppose you hire mo by tho day," he suggested. "A man does better work ' by the day. Ho always has fresh stim ulus every tlmo the sun rises." "Very well ten dollars u day." "That's liberal, Virgil, nnd I'll take it And let's get Old Josh to help U8. 1 ne Is more or less acquainted with , Stephq's habits." ! CHAPTER V An hour later Drace and Sho. .lc re-j turned to their hotel nfter a cere-1 monlous visit with Colonel Josh. Tho 1 Colonel know of Stepho, hnd Indeed , met) him once, and ho promised to ranko discreet Inquiries that should without fall disclose the Creole's whereabouts. Hardly had Drnco reached his room, however, before, a visitor was shown in a visitor who Introduced himself ' ns an ngent of the New Orleans po llco department nnd who had n most 1 distressing communication to make: ! It was known thnt Mr. Draco and his friend hnd taken part In n recent riot. Mr. Drnco wafl ono of tho lead ers, had severely wounded more than ono man, nnd without cause, being from the North, Just arrived, nnd hav ing no possible Interest In tho city. However, he wns to be treated with more of lenity than would rhyme with his crime, for Instead of punishment ho was only to bo bnnlshed, nlong with his friend. A steamboat, tho Bum blebee, bound northward, would leave next morning. Tho, chief of police would ffrievo If Mr. Druce and his friend fulled to register among the passengers. With scarcely twelve hours loft In which to find Stepho 'la Vltto, Drace paced tho streets In an agony of anx toty, making a hundred plans to find Stepho or to outwit the Now Orleans ofllclals und prolong his stay, but all In vuln. Colonel Josh did not appear, but he seemed to have embarked upon tho quest, for when tho distracted Drnco called nt his quarters about midnight tho old fellow was still absent. Dawn brought Draco back again, for all his other endeavors had been unsuccess ful, and but two hours remained before the Bumblebee's departure. Routed out of bed, the Colonel kept Drace waiting a full half hour before ho put In an appearance. Then, how ever, he offered u faint ray of hope. Ho lmd discovered that a certain Frenchman, a wine denier, living at an address ho produced scrawled on paper, wns reported to be an lntlmnto of Stepho. Possibly from him Mr. Draco might Draco hurriedly explained the de creo which had banished him ; then he "presented" tho Colonel with a check on account, asked him to convey his rospects to Miss Lucy nnd took his dopurture. On his way to tho Frenchman's ho stopped nt tho hotel, whero ho found Shottlo strapping up their baggage and a pollco ofllclal paying an Informal but suggestlvo call. An hour's grace remained. Draco paid his score nt tho desk, sent his bnggngo to tho boat nnd thon, summoning n cab, drove off with Shottlo to tho house of tho French man. It proved to be a mean abode, both wineshop and dwelling. Draco knocked engcrly. A small man, his mustache dyed, came to tho door, blinking. "I beg your pardon, sir, but I am a friend of Mr. la Vltto, and" "Pardon, monsieur, but you do not look like him, zo friend." "But I urn. And I camo with word that will bo of advantngo to him. The pollco nro nfter him " "Aw, he know rat Monsieur would trouble himself for nothing. Good morning." "Just a momont, pleaso. You have no need to look on rao with suspicion. I am his friend and " "If you his friend," Interrupted the man, "you know ho gone to Europe, on steamer to Franco." Draco was about to abandon tho man In despair whon Shottle, who hnd been staring nt a case of wlno which stood by tho door ticketed nnd scaled for shipment, suddenly Interrupted. "Ah," he cried, "can this be the ! aw w wtwwrt, 111. uii icU. fntnntlM Plmtnim Ynnom?" And limiul. J - - ------ ......... , . m. ... tioil lng past the Frenchman, he leaned ov er us If to examine the bottle. With a cry, the wine merchant shoved him rudely uwuy. "Znt Is ze private stock," he snarled. "Ho Is not for snle. I am not yet open for business, sirs. Oood morning." Shottle grasped Drnce's arm and drew him uway. A cart had halted outside, and ns they entered their cab they saw the carter shouldering th case of wine and bearing toward his vehicle. As they turned the corner, a decp throaled blast from the Bumblebee sounded a warning. Shottle turned upon the disappointed Drace with 11 gleeful countennnce. "Master," he said, "111 thnnk you for thnt money again. I've found him." "Found him!" exclaimed Drace. "How?" "That case of wine was uddressed to Stepho la Vltte at Farnum's Landing, Mississippi. That wine Is going to Stepho on the Bumblebee. And so are we!" An hour later Drace sat with Shot tie on the deck of the Bumblebee, watching the ever-chnnglng panorama of the Mississippi and musing upon tho sudden shifting of his quest. "Liberty," usked Drace presently, "how far up Is this Farnum's Lnndlng? Do you recall it?" "Yes," said Liberty. "I know this river. Farnum's Landing Is by gol ly I" he exclaimed, breaking off, "Far num's Landing Is the next stop below Bethpage's Landing! And Gen eral Bethpage Is my uncle! We'll go there." "But," Drace said dubiously, "he's not my uncle, and I'm afraid It would bo Intruding soraewhnt on his hospi tality to" "Nothing of the sort," averred Lib erty. "Any friend of mine would be doubly welcome. You can't know much about tho General. Taming, now, but he used to be the most re markable character, In a quiet way, nlong the river. And when I tell you about him, Virgil, you'll laugh. Before tho war he was professor at Newsome, a little college up In the scrub-onk country. Ho entered the army as a colonel and enme out as a brigadier." "I don't see anything to laugh ut In that." "No, but wait. He had considerable money, and at times used to come down to New Orleans to enjoy him-, self. On one occasion be lost all his money at roulette." "Still nothing to laugh at." "No? All the property he had with him wns a bodyservnnt, n Guinea ne gro named Dip. So what does he do? He says to the proprietor of the gam bling bouse: 'I wish to play this ne gro, sir.' 'All right; I'll take off tho limit und let you piny him. How much is ho worth?' snys the gambler. 'I don't wnnt to piny his value In money, but him, I tell you,' says tho General. 'Say tho word, nnd I'll bet him on one of these numbers.' Ho had been los ing every bet, und the proprietor know that It would bo safe. So he says: 'All right, go ahead.' (To Bo Continued.) I. I). IlltOWNFIELD, Farm and Livo Stock AUCTIONEER. Tolophono or wire for dates at my Expense HBRSIIEY, NEBRASKA. Beolor, Crosby & Baaklno, Atty. NOTICE TO CREDITORS Eatato No. 1902 ot Martha Koestor, docoasod In tho County Court of Lin coln County, Nobraska. Tho Stato ot Nobraska, ss: Creditors of Bald estato Mill tako notlco that tho tlmo llmltod for presentation and filing ot claims against Bald Estate is January 10, 1923, and for settlo mont ot said Estato Is Soptombor 7, 1923; that I will Bit at tho county court room in said County on October 10th, 1922, nt 10 o'clock a. m. nnd on Jan. uay 10th, y923 at 10 o'clock a. ni to rocolvo, oxamlnd, hoar, allow, or adjus nil claims and objoctlona duly fllod. Dated Soptombor 7th, 1922. WM. II. C. "WOODHURST, Seal County Judge. Win. E. Shumnn,. Atty. NOTICE TO CREDITORS. In tho County Court of Lincoln County, Nebraska. ; In tho Matter of the Estate ot Roso M. Knox, Docoasod. j Notlco Is horoby given to any and all persons having claims and demands j against tho estate ot tho said Roso M. 1 ICnox, docoasod, that tho 17th day ot January, 1923, has boon sot and ap pointed as tho day for tho reception, examination, adjustment and allow ance of lawful claims and demands of all porsons, against said cstnto and 1 that the County Court of Lincoln County, Nebraska, will at said tlmo receive oxnmlnc, adjust nnd allow all such claims against said estate, 1 as provided by law, at tho County' Court Room In tho Courthouse, In tho City ot North Platto, Lincoln County, Nebraska, and all porsons so Interested In said estate, will appear at said tlmo and place nnd duly present their said claims and domands In tho manner required by law, or show cauao for , not so doing, and In case nny of said claims or demands shall not bo pre sented on or prior to tho said 17th of, January, 1923, the snmo shall bo for-) over barred. . IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I havo signed this notlco and affixed the seal of said Court this 18th day of I Goptombor, 1922. j WM. II. C. WOODHURST I (SEAL)' County Judge NOTICE! In tho District Court of Lincoln County, Nebraska. Mearl E. Jacox, Plaintiff, vs. Jones, wife o Joseph T. Jones, de ceased, her first, real, and true name unknown, Cora True, True, her husband, his first, real and true name unknown, Ed Miller, Miller, his wife, her first, real and true name unknown, Will Jpnes, Joncii, bis wife, her first, real and true namo unknown, Ward Jones, Jones, his I wife, her first, real and true namo un known, Walter Jones, Jones, his J wife, her first, her real and true namo : unknown, Joseph Jones, Jones, his wife, her first, real nnd true namo unknown, Frank Jone;, Jlonoo, bis wife, her first, real and true namo unknown. Flora Stewart, Ste wart, her husband, his first, real and true namo unknown, their respective heirs, devisees, legatees, and person al representatives, all other persons Interested In tho estato of Joseph T. Jones, deceased, and all other porsons claiming any Interest of any kind In the following described premises, to-wlt: Tho Southwest Quarter (SWVi) ot Section Nino (9), Town ship Eleven (11), Rango Twenty-Six (2G), Llncqln County, Nebraska, tholr real names unknown, Defendants. Tho abovo named defendants will tako notlco that on tho 12th day of September, 1922. Mearl E. Jacox, the plaintiff, filed his petition In tho District Court of Lincoln County, Nebraska, against tho above defend ants, tho objoct and prayer of which Is to quiet title In tho plaintiff to the following described premises to wlt: Tho Southwest Quarter (SWi) of Section Nino (9), Township Eleven (11), Rango Twenty-Six (20), Lincoln County, Nebraska. Tho (plaintiff prays that tho defendant bo required to sot out their claims and that in tho event they fall to do so that thoy bo forcvor barred thorefrom and that the plaintiff bo declared owner of said promises. You aro required to answer said petition on or boforo tho 30th day of October 1922. Dated this 11th day of September, 1922. AVE YOUR PAINTING DONE with Pure White Lead and Linseed Oil, by Painters that know how. This is the best lime in the year for outside painting and my price is right on guar anteed work. Paperhanging and Interior Decor ating a specialty- My Wall Paper Stock is priced to sell. Estimates furnished on request. H. Ho LANDGRAF, Ritncr Building, 113 W. 6th St. Phone 570W mmmasaEsssBsmmmKsmmmmmmmmmmmmamammmmmm Mearl E. Jacox, Plaintiff. By D. E. Harper, His Att'y. NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS. Notice is horoby given that tho Mayor and City Council of tho city of North Platto, Nobr., will rocolvo bids for furnishing all material and con structing 144G feet of ton Inch sower comploto with one manhole, according to plans und specifications adopted and on file with tho city clork of sud city. Bids must bo on Clo with tho City Clerk on or before eight o'clock P. M., October 3, 1922. Thoy must bo on tho proposal In the specifications and must bo accompanied by a certified check payablo to the- CUy Treasurer for an amount equal to lltreo per cent of tho bid made. Estimated coat of the sower Is $1490.00. Tho mayor and Council rcservo the right to relect any or all bids. By order of the City Council of North Platto, Nebr., Sept. 19th, 1922. E. II EVANS, Mayor. O. E. ELDER, Cleric (Seal.) NOTICE OF PAVING ASSESSMENT. Notlco is hereby given that tho Mayor and City Council ot tho city of North Platte, Nebraska, will on tho 17th day of October 1922, between tho hours of 8 and 9 o'clock p. m. of said day and so much longer as may be nocossary to transact said business, sit as a Board of Equalization for tho purposo ot equalizing and assessing ng.t'nist abutting and adjacent 'prop yl y owners, tho cost of paving in P.vlng Districts No. 4 and B as tho nnnc are now organized. And all persons into.ested aro hereby notltlod to ::pp;-ar aad chow cause, if nny why said equalization and assessment should not bo made, on or before tho 17th day of October, 1922 nt o'ght o'clock p. m. Witness my hand and tho soal ot said city this 25th day of September, 1922. O. E. ELDER, Seal City Clerk. NOTICE OF SALE Motico 1b hereby given that by vir tue of a Chattel Mortgage, datod on the 18 day of February, 1922 and duly filed and recorded in tho offico ot the County Clerk ot Lincoln County, Neb raska, and executed by Vivian D. Doggette to Theodore Eirdam, to se curo tho payment of tho sum of Soven Hundred and Fifty and no.hundrods ($750.00) and upon which thoro is now duo said sum together with ln terost from dato at 10 per cent per annum, default having been made in tho payment of said sum, therefore, I will sell tho property theroln de scribed at Public Auction at tho Hin man Rooming Houso, 108 East Front Street, North Platto, Nebraska, on tho 23d, day of October, 1922 at 1 o'clock P. M. of said day, which pro perty is described as follows: One Black Walnut bed room suite of throo pieces, one Walnut Bed room suite, threo pieces, one Solid Oak Lib rary Tablo, one Leather Davenport, two Gonuino Leather RockorB, one Oak Pedestal, two Leather Foot Rests, ono Japanese Screen, two Leather Bottom Rockers, ono Oak Buffot, Six Oak Loathor bottom Chairs, ono Solid Oak Pedestal Dining Room Tablo, ono Oak Library Table, ono kitchen Cab inet, two Rockers, two Chairs, four j largo Velvet Rugs, five Hand Painted j Picturos, eight Medium sized Ruga, ono Cablnot Sowing Machine, ono I large Electric Heater. ' THEODORE EIRDAM, I Datod September 28 1922.