or the Cm::9m
BY KATE AND VIRGIL D. BOlTESgJ
CCOWlOMr CY AC WCLUPC UQO- 907 1 i?
"I don't know," answered Louise,
thoughtfully. "Hut I thought it not
wise to Bay too much to them. You
are a witness, 1 believe you said."
"Then you think they are part o" the
Rang?"
"I consider them at least sympa
thizers, don't you? They seemed down
on the Three Bars."
In the Indian country at last. Mile
after mile of level, barren stretches
after the hill region had been left be
hind. Was there no end to the thirst
inspiring, monotonous, lonely reach ol
cacti? I'rairie dogs, perchqd in front
of their holes, chattered and scolded
at them. The sun went down and a
Turned His Stanch Little Team
Squarely.
refreshing coolness crept over the
hard, baked earth. Still, there was
nothing but distance anywhere in all
the land, and a feeling of desolation
swept over the girl.
The moon came up. Then there were
miles of white moonlight and lonely
plain. Hut for some time now there
has been a light in front of them. It
is as if it must be a will-o'-the-wisp.
They never seem to get to it. Hut at
last they are there. The door is wide
open. A pleasant odor of bacon and
coffee is wafted out to the tired trav
elers. "Come right in." says the cheery
voice of Mary. "How tired you must
be. Miss Dale. Tie up. Jim. and come
in and eat something before you go.
Well, you can eat again two suppers
won't hurt ycu. I have kept things
warm for you. Your train must have
been late. Yes. dad is better, thank
you. He'll be all right in the morn
ing" CHAPTER VII.
The Preliminary.
" Very early in the morning of the
day set for the preliminary hearing of
Jesse niack the young owner of the
Three 1-ais role over to Velpen. He
identified and claimed the an:r.:al
held over from shipment by Jim's per
...... . . a with
"Hi- : I'il.y Brown ever was
taker. ; i." he s:.id. with great disgust.
I.ar..:'nrd met with no interruption
to his journey, either going or coming,
although that good cow-puncher of his,
Jim Munson, had warned him to look
sharp to his pistols and mind the
bridge. Jim being of a somewhat
belligerent turn of mind, his boss had
not taken the words with seriousness.
As for the fracas at the pontoon, cow
men are touchy when it comes to a
question of precedence, and it might
well be that the inflammable Jim had
brought the sudden storm down on his
bead. Paul Langford rode through
the sweet early summer air without
Jet or hindrance and looking for none.
He was Jubilant. Now was Willis
ton's story verifiedv The county at
torney. Richard Gordon, had consid
ered Williston's story, coupled with
bis reputation for strict honesty,
strong and sufficient enough to bind
Jesse Black over to appear at the
next regular term of the circuit court.
"Under ordinary circumstances the
state really had an excellent chance
of binding over; but it had to deal
with Jesse Black, and Jesse Black
had flourished for many years west of
the river with an unsavory character,
but with an almost awesome reputa
tion for the phenomenal facility with
which he slipped out of the net in
which the law in the person of its
unpopular exponent, Richard Gordon
was so indefatigably endeavoring to
enmesh him. The state was prepared
for a hard fight. But now here was
the very steer Williston saw on the
Island with its Three Bars brand un
der Black's surveillance. Williston
would identify it as the same. He,
Langford, would swear to his own ani
mal. The defense would not know he
had regained possession and would
not have time to readjust its evidence.
It would fall down and hurt itself for
the higher court, and Dick Gordon
would know how to use any inadver
tencies against It when the time
came. No wonder Langford was light-
TTBI
1
1 1 re. . i v
hearted. In all his arrogant and un
hampered career he had never before
received such an affront to his pride
and his sense of what was due to one
of the biggest outfits that ranged cat
tle west of the river. Woe to him who
had dared tamper with the concerns
of Paul Langford of the Three Bars.
Williston drove in from the Lazy
S in ample time for the mid-day din
ner at the hotel the hearing was set
for 2 o'clock but his little party con
tented itself with a luncheon pre
pared at home and packed neatly and
appetlzlngly in a tin bucket. It was
not likely there would be a repetition
of bad meat. It would be poor policy.
Still, one could not be sure, and it
was most important that Williston ate
no bad meat that day.
Gordon met them in the hot, stuffy
little parlor of the hotel.
"It was good of you to come," he
said to Louise, with grave sincerity.
"I didn't want to," confessed Louise,
honestly. "I'm afraid it Is too big and
lonesome for me. I am sure I should
have gone back to Velpen last night
to catch the early trail, had it not
been for Mary. She is so good."
"The worst is over now that you
have conquered jour first impulse to
fly," he said.
"I cried, though. I hated myself
for it, but I couldn't help it. You see
I never was so far from home before."
He was an absorbed, hard-working
lawyer. Years of contact with the
plain, hard realities of rough living
in a new country had dried up, some
what, his stream of sentiment. Maybe
the source was only blocked with
debris, but certainly the stream was
running dry. He could not help
thinking that a girl who cries be
cause she is far from home had much
better stay at home and leave the
grave things which are men's work to
men. But he was a gentleman and a
kindly one, so he answered quietly,
"I trust you will like us better when
you know us better," and, after a few
more commonplaces, went his way.
"There's a man," said Louise,
thoughtfully, on the way to McAllis
ter's office. "I like him, Mary."
"And j et there are men in this coun
try who would kill him if they dared."
"Mary! what do you mean? Are
there then so many cut-throats" in this
awful country?"
"I think there are many desperate
men among the rustlers who would
not hesitate to kill either Paul Lang
ford or Richard Gordon since these
prosecutions have begun. There are
also many good people who think Mr.
Gordon is just stirring up trouble and
putting iho county to expense when
he can have no hope of conviction.
They say that his failures encourage
the rustlers more than an inactive
policy would."
"People who argue like that are
either tainted with dishonesty them
selves or they are foolish, one of the
two," said Louise, with conviction.
"Mr. Gordon has one stanch sup
porter, anyway," said Mary, smiling.
"Maybe I had better tell him. Precious
little encouragement or sympathy he
gets, poor fellow."
"Please do not," replied Louise,
quickly. "I wonder if my friend, Jim
Munson, has managed to escape 'bat
tle, murder and sudden death,' includ
ing death by poison, and is on hand
with his testimony."
As they approached the office the
crowd of men around the doorway
drew aside to let them pass.
"Our chances of worming ourselves
through that jam seem pretty slim
to me," whispered Mary, glancing into
the already overcrowded room.
"Let me make a way for you," said
Paul Langford, as he separated him
self from the group of men standing
in front, and came up to them.
"I have watered my horse," he said,
flashing a merry smile at Mary as he
began shoving his big shoulders
through the press, closely followed
by the two young women.
It was a strange assembly through
which they pressed; ranchmen and
cowboys, most of them, just in from
ranch and range, hot and dusty from
long riding, perspiring freely, redolent
of strong tobacco and the peculiar
smell that betokens recent and inti
mate conpanionship with that part
and parcel of the plains, the horse.
The room was Indeed hot and close
and reeking with bad odors. There
were also present a large delegation
of cattle dealers and saloon men from
Velpen, and some few Indians from
Rosebud agency, whose curiosity was
insatiable where the courts were con
cerned, far from picturesque in their
ill-fitting, nondescript cowboy gar
ments. Yet they were kindly, most of the
men gathered there. Though at first
they refused, with stolid resentment,
to be thus thrust aside by the breezy
and aggressive owner of the Three
Bars, planting their feet the more
firmly on the rough, uneven floor, and
serenely oblivious to any right of way
so arrogantly demanded by the big
shoulders, yet, when they perceived
for whom they way was being made,
most of them stepped hastily aside
with muttered and abashed apologies.
Here and there, however, though all
made way, there would be no red-
I XI
faced or staTum-ring apology. Some
times the little party was followed
by insolent eyes, sometimes by malig
nant ones. Had Mary Willist,n spok-
i en Iruly when she s:iid the will for
! bloodshed was not lacking in the
I country?
i But if there was might of hatred or
j enmity in the heavy air of the Impro
vised court room for others besides
the high-minded counsel for law and
order Mary Williston seemed sereue
ly unconscious of it. She held her
head proudly. Most of these men she
knew. She had done a man's work
among them for two years and more.
In her man's work of riding the ran
ges she had had good fellowship with
many of them. After to-day much of
this must end. Much blame would ac
crue to her father for this day's work
among friends as well as enemies, for
the' fear of the law-defiers was an
omni present fear with the small own
er, stalking abroad by day and by
night. But Mary was glad and there
was a new dignity about her that be
came her well, and that grew out of
this great call to rally to the things
that count.
At the far end of the room they
found the justice of the peace en
throned behind a long table. His hon
or, Mr. James R. McAllister, more
commonly known as Jimmie Mac, was
a ranchman on a small scale. He
was ignorant, but of an overweening
conceit. He had been a justice of the
peace for several years and labored
under the mistaken impression that
he knew law; but Gordon, on short ac
quaintance, had dubbed him "Old Ne
cessity," in despairing irony, after a
certain high light of early territorial
days who "knew no law."
The prisoner was brought in. His
was a familiar personality. He was
known to most men west of the river
"One of 'Em, I'm a Thinkin', Was
Jake Sanderson."
if not by personal acquaintance, cer
tainly by hearsay.
Then came the first great surprise
of this affair of many surprises. Jesse
Black waived examination. It came
like a thunderbolt to the prosecution.
It was not Black's way of doing busi
ness, and it was generally believed
that, as Munson had so forcibly
though inelegantly expressed it to
Billy Brown, "He would fight like
hell" to keep out of the circuit courts.
He would kill this incipient Nemesis
in the bud. What, then, had changed
him? The county attorney had rath
er looked for a hard-fought defence
a shifting of the burden of responsi
bility for the misbranding to another,
who would, of course, be off some
where on a business trip, to be absent
an indefinite length of time; or it
might be he would try to make good a
trumped-up story that he had but late
ly purchased the animal from some
Indiana cattle-owner from up country
who claimed to have a bill-of-sale from
Langford. He would not have been
taken aback had Black calmly pro
duced a bill-of-sale.
The absoluteness of the surprise
flushed his clean-shaven face a little,
although his grave immobility of ex
pression underwent not a flicker. It
was a surprise, but it was a good
surprise. Jesse Black was bound over
under good and sufficient bond to ap
pear at the next regular term of the
circuit court in December. That much
accomplished, now he could buckle
down for the big fight. How often had
he been shipwrecked in the shifting
sands of the really remarkable decis
ions of "Old Necessity" and his kind.
This time, as by a miracle, he had es
caped sands and shoals and sunken
rocks and rode in deep water.
A wave of enlightenment swept over
Jim Munson.
"Boss," he whispered, "that gal re
porter's a hummer."
"How so?" whispered Langford,
amused. He proceeded to take an in
terested, if hasty, inventory of her
charms. "What a petite little person
age, to be sure! Almost too colorless,
though. Why, Jim, she can't hold a
tallow candle to Williston's girl."
"Who said she could?" demanded
Jim, with a fine scorn and much re
lieved to find the boss so unapprecia
tive. Eden might not be lost to them
after all. Strict justice made him
add: "But she's a wise one. Spotted
them blamed meddlin' hoss thieves
right from the word go. Yep. That's
a fac'."
"What 'blamed meddlin' hoss
thieves,' Jim? You are on intimate
terms with so many gentlemen of that
stripe at least your language so leads
us to presume that I can't keep up
with the procession."
"At the bridge yistidy. I told you
'bout it. Saw 'em first at the Bon
Amy but they must a trailed me to
the stockyards. She spotted 'em right
away. She's a cute'n. Made me shet
1 T . 11.. l i t..' .
much, jest before the fun began. Oh,
she's a cute'n!"
"Who were they, Jim?"
"One of 'em. I'm a thinkin', was
Jake Sanderson, a redheaded devil
who came up here from hell, I reckon,
or Wyoming, one of the two. Nobody
knows his biz. But he'll look like a
stepped-on potato bug 'gainst I git
through with him. Didn't git on to
t' other feller. Will next, you bet!"
"But what makes you think they are
mixed up in this affair?"
"They had their eyes on me to see
what was I a doin' in Velpen. And I
was a doin' things, too."
Langford gave a long, low whistle
of comprehension. That would ex
plain the unexpected waiving of exam
ination. Jesse Black knew the steer
had been recovered and saw the fu
tility of fighting against his being
bound over.
"Now, ain't she a hummer?" insist
ed Jim, admiringly, but added slight
ingly, "Homely, though, as all git-out.
Mouse-hair. Plumb homely."
"On the contrary, I think she is
plumb pretty," retorted Langford, a
laugh in his blue eyes. Jim fairly
gasped with chagrin.
Unconcerned, grinning. Black slouch
ed to the door and out. Once straight
en out that lazy-looking body and you
would have a big man in Jesse Black.
Yes, a big one and a quick one, too,
maybe. The crowd made way for him
unconsciously. No one jostled him.
He was a marked man from that day.
His lawyer. Small, leaned back In his
chair, radiating waves of self-satisfaction
as though he had just gained a
disputed point. It was a manner he
affected when not on the floor in a
frenzy of words and muscular action.
Jim Munson contrived to pass by
Jake Sanderson.
"So you followed me to find out
about Mag, did you? Heap o' good it
did you! We knew you knew," he
bragged insultingly.
The man's face went white with
wrath.
"Damn you!" he cried. His hand
dropped to his belt.
The two glared at each like fighting
cocks. Men crowded around, sudden
ly aware that a quarrel was on.
"The Three Bar's a gittin' busy!"
jeered Jim.
"Come, Jim, I want you." It was
Gordon's quiet voice. He laid a re
straining hand on Munson's overzeal
our arm.
"Dick Gordon, this ain't your put
in," snarled Sanderson. "Git out the
way!" He shoved him roughly aside.
"Now, snappin' turtle," to Jim, "the
Three Bars 'd better git busy!"
A feint at a blow, a clever little
twist of the feet, and Munson sprawl
ed on the floor, men pressing back to
give him the full force of the fall.
They believed in fair play. But Jim,
uncowed, was up with the nimbleness
of a monkey.
"Hit away!" he cried, tauntingly. "I
know 'nough to swear out a warrant
'gainst j'ou! 'T won't be so lonesome
for Jesse now breakin stones over to
Sioux Falls."
"Jim!" It was Gordon's quiet, au
thoritative voice once more. "I told
you I wanted you." He threw his arm
over the belligerent's shoulder.
"Comin", Dick. I didn't mean to blab
so much," Jim answered, contritely.
They moved away. Sanderson fol
lowed them up.
"Dick Gordon," he said with cool
deliberateness, "you're too damned
anxious to stick your nose into other
people's affairs. Learn your lesson,
will you? My favorite stunt is to
teach meddlers how to mind their own
business this way."
It was not a fair blow. Gordon
doubled up with the force of the punch
in his stomach. In a moment all wa?
confusion. Men drew their pistols. It
looked as if there was to be a free-for-all
fight.
Langford sprang to his friend's aid,
using his fists with plentiful freedom
in his haste to get to him.
"Never mind me," whispered Gor
don. He was leaning heavily on Jim's
shoulder. His face was pale, but he
smiled reassuringly. There was some
thing very sweet about his mouth
when he smiled. "Never mind me,"
he repeated. "Get the girls out of
this quick, Paul."
Mary and Louise had sought refuge
behind the big table.
"Quick, the back door!" cried Lang
ford, leading the way; and as the
three passed out, he closed the door
behind them, saying, "You are all
right now. Run to the hotel. I must
see how Dick is coming on."
"Do you think he is badly hurt?"
asked Louise. "Can't we help?"
"I think you had best get out of this
as quickly as you can. I don't believe
he is knocked out, by any means, but
I want to be on hand for any future
events which may be called. Just fly
now, both of you."
The unfair blow in the stomach had
given the sympathy of most of the
bystanders, for the time being at least,
to Gordon. Men forgot, momentarily,
their grudge against him. Understand
ing from the black looks that he was
not in touch with the crowd, Sander
son laughed a short snort of con
tempt and slipped out of the door.
Unable to resist the impulse, Jim
bounded out, after his enemy.
When Paul hastened around to the
front of the building, the crowd was
nearly all in the street. The tension
was relaxed. A dazed expression pre
vailed brought to life by the sudden
ness with which the affair had devel
oped to such Interesting proportions
and the quickness with which it had
flattened out to nothing. For Sander
son had disappeared, completely,
mysteriously, and In all the level land
scape, there was no trace of him nor
sign.
"See a balloon. Jim?" asked Lang
ford, slapping him on the shoulder
ID y moum wnen 1 aa it uiauuiu
Loviisviile
From the Courier.
Born, to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Stohl
man March 18, a girl.
Mrs. Joe Fitzgerald is here from
Plattsmouth visiting with relatives.
Keep still about the peach crop. Jack
Frost may overlook the tender buds
after all.
Mrs. Stander and daughter, Ollie
went to Plattsmouth Thursday morning
to visit with George Stander and child
ren for a few days.
Chas. Gerlach and Cam. Seiberts re
turned Tuesday morning from Dundee
county where they went last Saturday
to look at some land. The boys
bought a half section near Benkelman.
Miss Ellen Anderson returned home
from her school in the western part of
the state this week. Her parents have
been spending a vacation in the vicinity
of her school and accompanied Miss
Ellen on her return.
Henry Ossenkop is building an addi
tion to his farm residence 16x32 and
when completed will make a valuable
addition to his farm which, by the way,
is one of the best forms in that part of
the county.
The Louisville young ladies have or
ganized themselves into a Leap Year
club, their first meeting being held
Wednesday evening at the home of
Misses Ollie and Alice Stander. Some
of the young men, who have been hop
ing since the dawn of the new year that
a leap year dart would pierce their arm
our plate, could not stand the tempt
ation and marched in unbidden but not
unwelcome and assisted the young lad
ies in having a jolly time. The next
meeting of the club will be held on next
Tuesday evening at the home of Miss
Mariam Maxfleld.
$100 Reward $100
The reders of this paper
pleased to learn that there is
will be
at least
one dreaded disease that science has
been able to cure in all stages, and that
is Catarrh. Hall's Catarrh Cure is the
only positive cure now known t-j the
medical fraternity. Catarrh being a
constitutional disease, requires a con
stitutional treatment. Hall's Catarrh
Cure is taken internrlly, acting directly
upon the blood and mucous surfaces of
of the system, thereby destroying the
foundation of the disease, ond giving
the patient strength by building up the
constitution and assisting nature ir.
doing its work. The proprietors have
so mucn iaitn in its curative powers
that they offer One Hundred Dollars
for any case it fails to cure. Send for
a list of testimonials.
Address F.J. Cheney & Co., Tole, O.
Sold by all Druggists, 7oc.
Take Hall's Family Pillc foi CDnstipatior.
Elmwood
From the Leader-Echo.
The four cases of typhoid fever
at
I the homes of Henry and
Geo.
FnsbeeH
i are doing nicely.
i
Fred Mueller is now a retired farmer
having sold out his farming interests to
his cousin, Carl Mueller, of oratorical
fame.
Dr. W. R. Townsend, a former Elm
woodite, is now located at 1649 Vine St.
Lincoln. He says there's no place like
Nebraska.
S: E. Greenslate came down from
Omaha Tuesday and will visit friends a
few days and do some repairs about his
residence property, occupied by H. Detl
man. The farm home of Edward Ward, one
mile north of Eagle, was destroyed by
fire Saturday afternoon, causing a loss
of $1,000. We were unable to learn
the cause of the fire.
Henry Miller, who was severely in
jured last week by an explosion of gas
while making some repairs on the gas
machine, is recovering nicely, and was
able to wend his way up town Wedn as
day. The long billed, long legged stork
paid a visit to the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Henry Gerbeling, of near Wabash
Wednesday afternoon, and left a pair
of beautiful twin girls, who will make
that place their future abode. Mother
and children doing nicely Henry will be
able to resume cutting stalks again next
week.
Dr. and Mrs. Munger, very much
against their wishes, participated in a
lively runaway Thursday evening of
last week. The Doctor procured a liv
ery team to make a call in the country
and took Mrs. Munger along for a drive.
When a few miles south of town the
neck yoke broke, causing the team to
run away, and running up the hill south
of Jake Schlanker's the occupants
jumped our. Mrs. Munger struck on
her head and was unconscious for some
time. She was taken into Mr. Schlan
ker's and after a few hours rest, was
able to come home. Fortunately both
she and the Doctor escaped without
serious injury beyond some severe
bruises. The team ran through a cou
ple of barb wire fences before they
were caught, and received several wire
cuts, and the buggy was damaged some.
Doan's Regulets cure constipation
without, griping, nausea, nor any
weakening effect. Ask your druggist
for them. 25 cents per box.
I mm pis se i
fcsvo iu&l received
The great cleaner
and rencwer of
Furniture, Pianos
and Woodwork.
In the New Size
25c. Bottles.
ANDREW KAUFFMAN
and DAUGHTER
CASH STORE
DEALERS IN DRY CuHDS AND GROCERIES
( From tli I!'a,on.)
Ivan Burdick is hauling lumber for a
large barn to be built on his place south
of town.
Tuesday Mrs J. Q. Adams celebrated
her 81 birthday. Her children came in
and took dinner and a very enjoyable
day was spent.
Fred Osenkop and Miss Dora Mayes
were united in marriage at the home of
Jess Baker north of this place Wed
nesday. Particulars in next week's
issue.
W. R. Townsend, who formerly prac
ticed medicine at this place moved from
western Kansas to Lincoln and has
hung out his shingle near fifteenth and
O streets.
Mrs. J. C. Brown was operated upon
at the Ramethenian hospital last Sat
urday, several cystic tumors being re
moved. She is doing very nicely at
present and hopes are entertained for
her complete recovery.
Saturday afternoon an incubator lamp
exploded at the home of Edwin Ward
south of town and before Mrs Ward,
who was alone in the house, could sum
mon sufficient help, the interior of the
house was a mass of flames Fred
Lubbers, son of Otto Lubbers, Mr.
Ward's nearest neighbor, had the fire
almost under control for a time but the
water supply becoming exhausted,
further efforts were useless. The
building and a greater part of the con
tents were destroyed entailing a loss to
Mr. Ward of about $1,000, partly cov
ered by insurance.
Whooping Cough
Ihave used Chmaerlain's Cough Rem
edy in my family in cases of whooping
cough, and want to tell you that it is the
best medicine I have evei used. W. F.
Gaston, Posco, Ga. This remedy is
safe and sure. For sale by F. G. Fricke
& Co.
Mynacrd
(Siecial Corrpsionlr-noe)
Corn hauling is the business of the
day at present, a great many of the
farmers having taken advantage of the
high prices and sold. Oats is also moving
the grain buyers paying 45c per bushel
which is a big inducement for the far
mer to let loose of all he can spare.
Grandma Gapin, we are glad to hear,
is recovering from her recent sickness
and is now able to be up and about the
house.
Rev. F. W. Brink was a business
visitor to Omaha Tuesday.
Mrs. Will Richardson brought their
daughter, Pheme, home Thursday from
St. Joseph hospital at Omaha.
Rev. E. A. Wachtell reports meeting
with much ecouragement toward the
building of the M. E. church at this
point.
The Land boys took home a fine new
rubber tired buggy the other day. Now
girls get in and ride.
Thayer Propst and Jas. Polan returned
from Texas Tuesday. They report that
they found some of the country that
looked good to thjm but lots of it that
did not.
Fred Warner has located on a farm
one mile north of Mynard, where he ex
pects to farm. We are all glad to have
Mr. and Mrs. Warner stay with U3 and
we wish them much joy and prosperity,
during their life.
Mrs. Will Stokes was shopping in
Omaha Wednesday.
Posses marvelous curative powers.re
moves all disorders, makes health,
strength and flesh. After taking Hol
lisper's Rocky Mountain Tea you'll re
alize the wonderful good in does. 35
cents, Tea and Tablets.
For sale by Gering & Co.
