A
MY LAiY IF
TMtt SUT1H!
-v Al'i
r Jn lit 1 J,
COPYRIGHT, 1909. BY A.
CHAPTER XI.
TTTE TABLES TURNED.
THE girl came between us, her
face uplifted, her eyes shin
ing. "Lieutenant King is my
prisoner, not yours!" she crird indig
nantly, "lie gave me his parole, and 1
returned to him his revolvers. He
will keep his word to me."
Bbe held out her hands, and, scarce
ly realizing what I did, Impelled to
action by the expression of her face,
I unclasped the belt and extended it
to ber.
"Miss Denslow is right." I said
quietly. "1 am her prisoner on pa
role, and I keep my pledge to her."
Great as the sacrifice was. the quick
flash of ber eyes repaid me fully, and
1 looked beyoud tier shoulder into
Colonel Donald's stern set face.
"1 am helpless to resist, for you are
armed and I am not," 1 said firmly,
"but I appeal to you as a soldier to
deal fairly with me. I pledge you my
word not to attempt an escape, but 1 1
wish the privilege of searching the
house for evidence to clear me of this
charge of murder. You are an honor-
ableman Give me an opportunity to 1
prove that am one also. ;
lie scarcely hesitated
-And if you fall you w I accom-,
pany me to the Confederate lines with-1
out resistance?"
"Yes. Whether I succeed or fail, I
am a prisoner of war. I understand
that clearly. But 1 am not a mur
derer." It Is hard to say what Influence
worked with me. but the stern lines
of Donald's face relaxed, bis band
"Lieutenant King, be acknowledged i
. ., .. . .,.,.i ,
ilntlv "Mr onnmQ irnnnoaih a rot ma !
quietly, "it seems impossible for me
not to believe you. i have always
felt I was a judge of men, and I am
going to trust you now. Perhaps It
Is for your sake, and perhaps it is be
cause I feel Jean wishes me to"
"I do wish It." she Interposed softly.
"I am iuformed." 1 began finally,
"that this bouse contains a bidden
room and a secret passage leading
without"
The colonel's glance dropped to the
face of the girl.
"You little traitress!"
"Don't say that." tho depths of the
rray blue eyes dark with indigna
tion. "I told him that because I trust
ed him and Iwlleved he ought to know
what I suspected."
. 7 . .1 ...
"But who told you?"
"Calvert Dunn. But that was all he
told merely that such things existed."
"Even that was enough to ruin their
nHefulness when repeated Ion Yankee.
"Miss Denslow gave ine no Informa
tion of value," I hastened to explain.
"The mere knowledge that such a
place exists mear.s nothing so l ng n
I am unable to trace it 1 have asked
her nothing, but I do ask you Is there
irach n hidden entry, such a secret
worn, and may I search them?"
The man and the soldier seemed
wnrring In his mind before he could
reply, but the man won.
"Yes. they exist: built with the
house, for protection against feudists,
and with im thought of war But they
an bp of no service to you. ns I came
hat way entering the house mid met
o one How could any one who Is
an enemy to the occupants of this
house have discovered the passage ?"
"That I do not know, but some one
r-rtnlnly has been here tonight. Who
ever It was, he came by way of none
of the ordinary entrances. You must
acknowledge that. If I nm not the
guilty man. and I swear In the pres
ence of God I am not. then the assas
sin must have come by the way of the
secret passage. He may have found
it by accident, but it has Bcrved his
iwrpose. and a search of It might give
uh his trail. I plead with you for this
npportuulty to vindicate myself."
What he saw In the countenance of
th cJrl as x;csf cILfran. dPcto
Stay
C McCLURG t CO.
her face I could not tell, but his ex
oresflon softened nerceotibly, a slleht
smile curling bis lips.
"You have an advocate here, lleuten
ant. who docs not need to speak In
order to influence me. The secret Is
mine merely in trust, but I will deal
fairly with you. 1 am going to leave
you here with Jean while I take a
light and make a careful exploration.
Is this satisfactory?"
I bowed in silence, fully aware I
hnd no right to expect more. lie
stepped back, drew au afghnn up over
the motionless body lying on the
lounge and advanced to the door.
"You will not attempt to leave this
room until 1 return," he said, pausing
to glance back nt us.
"I will not. Colonel Donald."
"I may be doing wrong." he ad
mitted, as if arguing the matter with
himself, "but I seem to have imbibed
some of .Tean'R faith."
We heard his steps In the hall: then
our ears followed his movements ns he
went up the stairs. Our eyes met
"Your confidence in me is more than
i bave any right to expect," I ventured,
feeling I must speak.
'Tertian it Is woman's InHtlllon,"
8he -although In his
heart ' CoIone, DoMld ,g
convinced of your Innocence. Had
' havp
, . .,
y0 ft,0.n t0 ' .... .. ,
lib is a strong iuau luuutuuy iiuu
physically. I don't think 1 ever saw
a nobler face. It is difficult for me to
think of him as a leader of guerrillas."
"Nor Is he in the sense you mean,
lie commands Irregulars, it Is true, but
he Is doing a real service for the Con
federacy and protecting life and prop-
' . " , ....
more humane, more merciful, let he
has done you Yankees greater harm
than some division commanders."
"You are evidently a good friend to
Colonel Donald?"
"I am more than that." soberly, ber
eyes on mine; "I am nearer to bim than
any one else."
She made the confession as though it
were the most natural thing in the
world, without embarrassment It was
true, tnen, as T suspec'tecf her love for
Donald was the real obstacle between
her and Calvert Dunn..
"I do not understand. Miss Dens
low," the feeling in my voice render
ing it tremulous, "this relationship ne
,weeD J0" and Colonel Donald?"
"or rnn ' "Pln,n t Son. a stranger.
Indeed. 1 raav bave said too much al-
--. . -tj.,-. -:u-t ia -avr
,. ' ...
iuav nua iiu uuuui un iu uuui n
was tho pounding of horses' hoofs on
the ash hardened driveway without
Young Dunn, no doubt, with a squad
of Confederate troopers, come to carry
uie off as prisoner. I was first to find
my voice.
1 am a prisoner; you had better ask
what they want."
She advanced to the door, calling
through the wood to the impatleut
man without. .
"What is it? Who are you?"
"A squadron or Federal cavalry.
Open the door before we break it
djvn!"
She shrank back, gasping as though
for breath, her bands pressed against
ber heart, and I caught her arm. think
ing she would fall. With the first
throb ot delight 1 made my own do
rislon.
"Don't fear. Miss Dcuslow; let me
treat with them." 1 whispered swiftly
"I will not betray you. Bun upstairs
to him und remain quiet until we ride
away."
Her eyes, bright with gratitude,
flashed into mine. I felt the pressure
of ber hand, and the next instant she
was flying up the steps, custiug ono
swift glance backward as sue. disap
peared. Again the man without ham
mered at the door, this time with the
butt of a carbine. I flung It wido open
and faced him. My first glance fell
uion a cavalry sergeant a stocklly
ta'lt leJlow with. o. buBtpe?&Hke. air,
who toot a basty 6tep back at uiy
sudden appearance, his carbine thrust
viciously forward.
I stepped wit of the lifdit. dimly per
ceiving a group of uieu and horses be
low, with nn indistinct smudge of
forms on the veranda.
Was i hni you spoke. O'lirien'i" 1
questioned sharply.
"It's niver a wan else." and he thrust
himself toward tue. bis round. Impu
dent face bec-omiiiK visible.
"Who have you with you?"
"A s(iiad of the Third Ohio. sor.
S'hcy was the tlrst bluecoats 1 came
across when I stnrucK tue lomes.
What has become of Daniels?" 1
asked
"Well. 1 don't exactly know. sor. Aft
er we'd hunted for you for about three
hours or more we decided you must
have pot into some sort of a trap, an'
the two of us rode back to the lollies
so s;),i:i as l! was dark enough'to trav
el. WetT'it wont in to Itosy, an he or
dered Hi'iueis to headquarters an' sent
rue on: l'i"i!ln' you That's the last
I e:-w ct r.ill."
. ,v,,s v j(. you. theu, all the
tin -in:;: o.i t;ot back to the lines?"
'!; n:i-v jiot twinty feet away,
81 li
lt iek
In I'
my
v; s not Daniels, theu not Dan
1 pi:1!! ci! back Into tlie lighted
'. oyvws .-j-m! by the mystery, all
I vevl: ",:s ; henries shuttered Tlie
-n' Ium!;i in. nixious to expedite
DvMterv
"'M like t liave the straight of this
thin;.', sir. and fret my men back Into
cnivp. Is lliere anything to be done
b"re?"
"No: there are only two women In
the house," I replied, making up my
mind quickly what I should tell
"When I lirst got lu here Big Donald
and two other Confederate oQcers were
present and I was made captive by a
trick. Later I wnR left under guard
of the women while the men went aft
ei a squad to take me Into the rebel
lines In the meanwhile there were
some strange happenlugs here. Two
men were mysteriously killed."
"Killed? How?"
"By a knife thrust in the throat In
fear for their own lives the ladles re
leased me. but we have searched the
house without finding trace of the mur
derer. One body was removed, but tho
other lies yonder in the library."
I was outside on the porch, my eyes
by this time somewhat accustomed to
the darkness. The sergeant and
O'Brien were facing me. while a num
ber of the troopers bad left their horses
to be held by comrades and were
grouped together on the lower steps,
the rays of the hall light illuminating
their faces. I could perceive the sweep
of the nsh covered driveway, the thick
fringe of bushes beyond. Suddenly
they turned to flame before my eyes;
there was a roar, a blaze of light, a
reariug of horses, the stamplug of
hoofs.":i wild shriek. 'TnguTcTie3 voices
yelling, strangely distorted forms out
lined in the glare. I saw the group on
the steps fall apart us If cleaved by a
tongue of flame: O'Brien leaped back
into the shadow, and the sergeant fell
like a stone, striking mo as be went
down I'inl driving me back against the
frame of the door An instant I was
d.ned. stupefied Then I heard the
n::;l yell of the Confederacy and knew
the tnlh We were nihif ked. ambush
ed. routed: nir only hope the getting
under cover
"To the house, uieu. the house!" I
shouted, my voice louder thau the tu
mult. "Leave your horses and make
for the house!"
They came with the rush of terror,
leaping, stumbling up the steps and
struggling into the hall. How many
came, how many remained behind I
could not tell; two fell on the porch
and one still alive, but helpless, block
ed the doorway. There was a crash
of shots, a smudge of figures below;
O'Brien grasped tho fellow and flung
blm within, and 1 slammed the door,
sliding the heavy bolt Into its socket.
Bullets crashed into the door. There
were yells without and the sound of
feet on the porch.
"Into the rooms, meu, and return
the fire from tbo windows!" I com
manded. "O'Brien, take charge at the
right! Here, you fellows, come with
me!"
I saw O'Brien dive Into the black
parlor, a dozen troopers following, and
I leaped, through the open library
door, blowing out the light upon the
table, then flinging myRelf on the floor
as I crept to the front windows. How
many were with me I was unable to de
termine, yet I could bear them as they
Btumbh-d forward through the dark
ness. Nor were we in position a mo
ment too soon. Already hands with
out were wrenching aside the shutter,
and the butt of a carbine sent a show
er of shattered glass into my face.
There was a dim figure visible, and 1
fired, the fellow staggering back with
tin oath, his gun cluttering on the
porch. There followed a sharp spit
ting of carbines on either side, tho
fellows shooting recklessly, the light
of discharge revealing retreating fig
ures without, the heavy smoke chok
ing us.
An occasional shot, fired apparently
from Rome distance, chugged ngnlnst
the front door, but as this was of
Rolldoak little damage was being done,
and there was no need for extinguish
ing the dim light still burning at the
rear of the hall. I found Just insldo
tho door the bodies of two dead sol
diers and four men wounded, one ro
seriously so as to be helpless. As
their comrades crawled forth from tho
rooms on either side I counted four
teen fit for duty. This number should
prove suniclent for the defense of the
lower story, and I hastily assigned
them, two by two, to points where It
seemed to me tbey might prove most
useful, giving them careful instruc
tion and milking them realize that
tljejr lxes jjerended ou vll ance.
For the first time since the crash of
that opening volley 1 now had a mo
ment for reflection and sat down on
the stairs, my mind busied iu au en
deuvor to comprehend the situation
Those who had attacked us would be
either Dunn's squad of Confederates
or Donald's irregulars, perhaps both.
If Dunn was In command without
I did not anticipate anything la the
nature of a reckless attack Nothing I
had yet seen of Calvert Duun had im
pressed me with cither his courage or
his capacity, and the almost total ces
sation of firing told of weakness either
in numbers or command. It seemed to
me au energetic leadership would
have stormed the house before we
could have arranged for its defense
1 drew my breath quickly, suddenly
possessed by a new fear. What about
Big Donald? What about the secret
passage? If lie had escaped It would
put a new face on everything.
Donald might still be In the house.
but I had less fear of his resistance
than of sudden, murderous attack by
tho mysterious assassin who already
had taken two lives and escaped un
seen. Revolver In hand and deter
mined to search every nook and cor
ner. I began with the front chambers.
sounding their walls, testing tlie floors
and feeling my way about until con
vinccd I bad left no Inch unexplored
Miss Dunn was In the third room I
visited, calling out In hysterical voice
to my rap, begging to know what
wanted, yet urging me to leave her
alone. She was so thoroughly fright
ened that, after finding her door lock
ed, I endeavored to reassure her. but
heard nothing in return except the
pirl's pobs. 1 left her to her misery,
(To Bo Continued.)
Public Auction
The undersigned will sell at
Public Auction at his farm, live
miles northwest of Plattsmouth
Nebraska, on
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8th,
The following described prop
erty, to wit:
Thirteen Head of Horses and
Mules.
One team draft horses, weight
2,800.
One team mules, weight 2,400.
One team mares, weight 2,500.
Ono black horse colt, coming 3
years old, weight 1,400.
One team of black mures,
weight 2.400.
One driving horse, weight 1,000.
One colt, coming 3 years, weight
1,400.
Two bay colts, coming 2 years
old.
One mule, coining 2 years old.
Fifty Head of Cattle.
Thirty head of ' cows and
heifers.
Two registered Galloway bulls.
One registered bull calf.
Three registered Galloway
cows.
Two registered Galloway heifers
Two full blooded Holstein
bulls.
Two full blooded
Holstein
heifers.
Ten head of Calves.
Thirty head of Hogs.
Farm Implements
Three lumber wagons.
Two buggies.
One spring wagon.
Two mowers.
Two walking plows.
One combined lister.
Three cultivators.
Two hay rakes.
Two harrows.
One disc.
One corn planter.
One seeder.
One hay loader.
One side delivery rake.
One Clover Leaf
manure
spreader.
Five sets of work harness.
Ono set of buggy harness.
Ono bob-sled.
Two steel water tanks.
21 bushels of timothy
and
clover seed mixed.
Other articles too numerous to
mention.
Terms of Sale:
All sums of $10 and under,
cash in hand; over $10, a credit
of twelve months will bo given,
the purchaser giving good bank
able paper bearing interest at 8
per cent. No property to leave
the premises until settled for
Free lunch will ho served. Sale
to begin at 10 o'clock a. in.
J. P. KATjTKR.
Rob'!,. Wilkinson, Auctioneer.
Murray Dancing Club.
The Murray Dancing club will
pive another dance in the Jenkins'
hall in Murray on Saturday even
ing, Kebrunry 10. The music will
he mrnishcti ny the popular
Jacobs' orchestra of Omaha. You
know there Is a good lime in store
for you, so do not. make any other
date.
For Sale.
Pedigreed Duroc-Jersey male
pigs. . V. E. Perry,
Mynard, Neb.
For Typewriter ribbons call at
the Journal office.
SEVEN STATES
JOIN IOWA
W:rk ot Checking New Freight
Scldihs Unler Way.
POLICE DEPARTMENT CLEARED
Des Moines Offered Big Sum for City
Property, bit Wants More to Build
Market House Grand Jury to In.
diet Clainftyant.
Ilea Moines, Jan. 27. Seven states
lave joined with Iowa in the work of
caerking the new freight schedules ot
tue western classification committee
and appearing with the complaint be
foie tlie interstate commerce co.umis
8.011 at Chicago, Jan. 29. Kate experts
from tli state hoards of rabroad com
niissioners of Minnesota. Texas, Mia-
BK;ri. Oklahoma, North Dakota, Soath
Dakota, Kansas, and Iowa are now at
work nvikln ? the ( heck in Kansas City.
CllHord Thome of the Iowa hoard,
who initiated the movement, returned
fioni Kansas City.
Moon Law Test.
Nels J. Loo, special counsel In the
office of tho attorney general, went to
Davenport to aid in the Moon law
test case, which is being tried in the
district court heroi c Judge Theophllus
The suit 9 brought to determine
whether the Moon law affects special
charter cities. If the law is held valid
in charter cities, Davenport will lose
150 Raloons.
Good Price for City Property.
The city of Des Moines undertook to
sell two pieces of property and to use
the proceeds In constructing a market
Louse and received an offer of $24 OOt
for the property, but In the belief
that this was not enough the offer was
rejected. As soon as the city can sell
the property the construction will be
commenced.
Police Department Cleared.
Tho city council mnde nn Investiga
tion of the charges made against
members of that body and decided
they wero not well founded. The ac
cusations were made by Judge Van
Llew, who Is a candidate for member
of the council. The investigation re
sulted in a complete exoneration of
the police department from having
given protection to vice.
To Indict Clairvoyant.
Mrs. Anna Wehbter, clairvoyant,
charged with having swindled Mrs. Jo-
hAiinn Aschen, an aged woman, out of
91.200, will he indicted by the grand
Jury. It Is alleged tho Webster worn
nn beguiled her aged client Into the
boiler that by plantini? her savings
Bho coald niRke them grow into $1,000,
Out). Mrs. Webster, It is stated, se
cured $l,2"i0 from Mrs. Aschen by this
false representation.
To Examine lewa City Books.
M. F. Cox, municipal accountant,
has h?en sent to Iowa City to examine
the accounts of the city. Fifty cltl
Eeiis of Iowa City sent a petition to
John L. Weakly, state auditor, asking
t.int Mr Cox be sent to exam'no the
books, as they believe the city's funds
have been wrongfully handled.
STRAW VOTE 13 TAKEN
Scott County Farmers Favor Nomina
tlon of Roosevelt.
Eldridge, In., Jan. 27. The result
of a Btraw vote taken at the session
of the Scott county farmers' Institute
showed Roosevelt first, with 77 votes
for the Republican nomination; Cum
nuns second, with 10; La Follette,
6; Taft, 5. and Root, 1.
Champ Clark led the Democratic
Tote with 1.1; Harmon had 8; Wilson,
4, anil Hearst, 1.
Charles D. Wilson Dead.
Mason City, la., Jan. 27. Charles
D. Wilson died at his home In this city
from pneumonia. He had been sick
but a few days, but he had heart com
p'ications, which rendered his condl
tlon almost hopeless from the first.
He had done more for Mason City In
its magnificent buildings than any
other mon.
Death From Unusual Cause.
demons, la., Jan. 27. George Ford
a well known farmer living near here,
Is dead, as the resu't of a broken leg
susta'ned several days ago. Accord
lng to physicians, some mnrrow of the
fracture wna carried Into his blood
nd had formed a clot on tho brain,
Fourteen Cars Fall Into Ravine.
Ackley, la., Jan. 27. Fourteen cars
of a Mlnneopolls and St. IjOuIs rail
way northbound freight plunged
through a bridge one mllo north of
here, 25(1 feet to tho bottom of a ra
vine. They carried part of tho struc
turc with them. None was hurt.
Atherton Buys Clear Lake Mirror.
Mason City, la., Jan. 27 Tom Ath
crton or tno Osage News has pur
chased tho Clear iJike Mirror of Y. D.
V.'al'ae9. The Mirror wos formerly
owned by tho late William Gray.
Morgan Will Bring Art Treasures.
New York, Jan. 27. J. P. Morgan
Is withdrawing a large part of his col
lections from the Victoria and Albert
museum in London simply becnuse ho
wants them In this country and not be
c.auso of any dissatisfaction with the
museum niaiiage'ment. This was made
plain In a statement given xit by J. P.
Morgan, Jr.
DEFENDS HIGH PRICE OF PINE
Dealer Attempts to Show Equal Rls
in Other Things.
Kansas City, Jan. 27. Further testi
mony tending to show that the prlc
of yellow piue lumber has not In
creased more rapidly in the last ten
years than dozens of other commod
ities was given by Charles S. Keith
of this city at the hearing of the
State's ouster suit against twenty-8i
lumber companies, charged with viola
tion of the antitrust law. Mr. Keith,
testified that coin, oats, rye, potatoes
and cattle had Increased in price at a
far more rapid rate than lumber.
"You base your opinion that there la
no combination among the lumber
dealers upon your belief that all farm
products have fluctuated in price rn
about the same proportion as has yel
low pine, do you not?" asked Assistant
Attorney (leneral Atkinson, iu cross
examining Mr. Keith.
"No, not entirely, that is one reason
for my opinion. The principal cauao
why there is no lumber coniblim
anions the members of tho Yellow
Pine Manufacturers' association Is
tint coninetitlon from lumhennon not
members of the association and from
other hailil'na: materials Is too lively
to make it possible."
"Then tlie evidence you have given
here about the fluctuations In tho
prices of different products of th
farm does not, In fact, prove any
thing?" "Only that thev, like yellow pine,
are eovcrtiod by the law of supply and,
demand."
RAG BABIES IN SEED
CORN CAMPAIGN
Will Kelp Stale Save Fifly Rot
sanj Otl'ars.
Omaha, Jan. 27. "Rag doll bablea"
are going to help Nebraska save $50,
000,000 the coming year, according to
Bert Hall of Chicago, secretary of thi
crop Improvement committee of tho
North American Grain exchanges.
The rag baby referred to Is a new
method of testing seed corn certain
to attract attention of school boya
overywhere. It was explained In de
tail at a meeting at the Commercial
club.
The rag baby is a strip of cloth with
a dozen squares marked off and num
bered. Kernels of corn from as many
cars are selected and placed on tho
squares, after the cloth has been
dampened n utrlnK tied around each
end of the roll and It Is deposited in
a box of dump sawdust bo as not to
drv o"t and placed In a warm place to
germinate.
'1 ho. ears of corn, from which tho
kernels are taken to be tested, are to
bu brought to the school room and
the testing Is to be done by the teach
er In the presence of other pupils. It
Is thought the results will be rertatn
to make every farmer sit up and take
notice.
TAN 1 ELL RAPSD1SS0LUT 0M
Thinks Small Oil Companies Should
Be Permitted to Combine.
New York, Jan. 27. The dissolution
of the Standard Oil company waa a
mistak?, according to W. W. TarneD,
treasurer of the Pure Oil company, an
Independent concern operating In
PcnnsyUanla and West Virginia, who
testified before the interstate com
merce commission In its Inquiry to de
termine t6 what extent pipe lines
should be regulated as common car
riers. e witness said that if the Rtand
Td O'l had remiined as one company
It could be watched.
Mr. Tarboll said that if instead ot
dissolving the United States Steel cor
poration the government could allow
small steel companies to combine, a
competition would bo created that
would result In fairness to all Inter
etits. The government would then ho
In a position to regulate the compet
itors. KIN K AID HITS CAIN OPT 0NS
Sixth District . Representative Intro
duces Bill to Stop Operations.
Washington, Jan. 27. Representa
tive Kinkald Introduced a bill designed
to put a stop to gambling in options
on cotton, grain and other farm prod
ucts. Transmission of telegranhlc
messages to consummate trades of
farm products which cannot he actual
ly delivered on contract time are con
traband, and nil persons and parties
to such contracts or who send such
messages are made criminally Ilabln
Mid h ihjectcd to heavy fine or lmprla-
wiinu nt, or both.
Mr. Kinkald said In discussing th.o
ineasiiio that It was of wide interest
to the frrmers of the country.
Flames Ottroy Business Houses.
Uiidne()i t, Neb., Jan. 27. Fire which
broke otil In the warehouse In tho
renr of W.'II. Tracy's gi-ral store
destroyed the buidlng and stock. Sev
eral wooden bul'dlngs ndjolnlng were
also destroyed with the greater part
of their contents. The total loss is
estimated at $25,000, partially covered
by insurance.
Harrlamn Railroad Heads End Meeting
Salt Ijike, Jan. 27. The operating
heads of the llarrtman railroads end
od a two day. conference here. This
meeting was secret and the only fact
given out was that an "extra faro"
train betwoen Chicago and San Fran
cisco for the Panama exposition travel
wu considered.
4 . '