Loup City Northwestern
J. W. BURLEIGH, Publisher.
LOUP CITY, - - NEBRASKA.
Japanese Methods.
A grim story of Japanese ingenuity
comes from the Island of Formosa, for
merly Chinese territory, but now a
possession of the Japanese, who are
waging war against the savages of the
interior. These are represented to be
of the ferocious order, the head-hunt
ing variety of barbarians who are re
lentless in pursuit of enemies and to
whom accordingly it is deemed use
less to show mercy in time of hostili
ties. At least it is represented that
very effective means have been taken
to bring the savages to terms. As the
story goes, whenever a band of the
insurgents can be located a strong
barbed-wire fence is constructed all
around the area, and is heavily
charged witli electricity. Then the
Japanese troops advance, the head
hunters falling back before them.
The result is inevitable. If the sav
ages face the Japanese they are killed
by rille fire, if they continue to flee
until they bring up against the wire
fence they are shocked to death by
electricity. Certainly a few applica
tions of that sort i ? medicine will be
effective on the patient. Before such
scientific warfare the occupation of
the head hunter is gone. And if he
persists the head hunter goes him
self.
Revolutionists in Russia may be
punished but not cured, and the aris
tocrats among them hold to their
principles even more pertinaciously
than do the representatives of lower
classes. Dispatches record that lime.
P.reshkovskaya, a woman 70 j ears
old and one of the first aristocratic
converts to the terrorist propaganda,
has been cast into prison in St. Pe
tersburg for distributing terrorist liter
ature. She was sent to Siberia in the
early seventies, but succeeded in es
caping. The experience, however, only
strengthened her revolutionary ideas.
As in France in the time of the revo
lution, it is the fiery determination of
the women that does much to keep
the spirit of rebellion alive.
Princess Louise of Orleans was mar
ried to Prince Charles of Bourbon in
England recently, in the presence of
the king and queen of Spain and
nearly 40 other members of royal
families. She is the youngest daugh
ter of the late Comte de Paris, who
with his brother and uncle served on
the staff of Gen. McClellan in the civil
war in America. The count’s history
of the war has been translated into
English, but he and his family have
never stirred the national imagination
as did Lafayette, that other French
man who fought with American
troops.
They are shipping apples from Port
land. Ore., to Vladivostok, Russia, on
the opposite side of the Pacific, and
the fruit brings $7.50 per bushel. Of
course the apples are carefully se
lected and packed, but the fact that
such prices can be obtained fully war
rants the trouble. When an American
product as perishable as apples can
be shipped 10,000 miles across the
water and sold at a big profit it should
be encouragement to try the same
process with other articles. There are
hundreds of things which the United
States can supply, and the field is
waiting to be improved.
There will be music in the air when
the big battleship fleet is not engaged
in naval practice. No less than 2fi
pianos with pianolas were taken along
on the ships, having been furnished
by private subscription for the delec
tation of officers and men. That gives
at least one instrument to each ship,
and some of the vessels will have two
pianos with mechanical attachments.
And as a full supply of both classic
and popular music goes along there
isn't a doubt that the boys will have
some delightful times. The pianolas
will play when the guns do not.
A recent chemical investigation by
the New York health department dis
closes the pleasing intelligence that
bologna sausage and liverwurst, are
all that they should be. Frankfurters
are uncertain, however, because some
of them are seasoned with borax or
sulphite. In view of the doubt that
was cast on these delicacies seme
months ago this information will be
welcomed by wTould-be consumers
whose faith was undermined. As for
a little borax, there might be worse
things in sausage!
Our navy certainly is a wonder. One
hundred men from each of the battle
• ships which paused at the Island of
Trinidad were given shore leave and
(here were no brawls. Can other na
tions blame us for pointing with
pride?
King Leopold has sent, to New York
for display a large collection of what
are said to be very valuable and in
teresting exhibits from the Congo.
So far as reported no scarrec and mu- !
tilated natives are among them.
SYNOPSIS.
A detachment of the Eighteenth in
fantry from Fort «Bethune trapped by
Indians in a narrow gorge. Among them
is a stranger who introduces himself by
the name of Hampton, also Gillis the
post trader, and his daughter. Gillis and
a majority of the soldiers are killed dur
ing a three days' siege. Hampton and
tin* girl only eseap<- from the Indians.
They fall exhausted on the plains. A
company of the Seventh cavalry. Lieut.
Brant in command, find them. Hampton
and the girl stop at the Miners’ Home in
Gleneaid, Mrs. I Hiffy, proprietress. Hamp
ton talks the future over with Miss Gil
lis—the Kill. She shows him her moth
er's picture and tells him what she can
of her parentage and life. They decide
she shall live with Mrs. Herndon. Naida
the Kid—runs away from Mrs. Herndon’s
and rejoins Hampton. He induces her to
go hack, and to have nothing more i<> do
with him. Hampton plays his last game
of cards. He announces to Red Slavin
that he has quit, and then leaves Glen
caid. Miss Phoebe Spencer arrives in
Gleneaid to teach its first school. Miss
Spencer meets Naida. Rev. YVynkoop.
etc. Sin* boards at Mrs. Herndon’s.
Naida and Lieut. Brant again meet with
out his knowing who she is. Site informs
him of the coming Bachelor club ball in
honor of Miss Spencer. Lieut. Brant,
meets Silent Murphy. Custer’s scout. He
reports trouble brewing among the Sioux.
Social difficulties arise at the Bachelor
club's ball among the admirers of Miss
Spencer. Lieut. Brant meets Miss Sp'*n
c**r but she is not his acquaintance of the
day before. She tells him of Naida. and
he accidentally meets her again as he is
returning to the ballroom with a fan for
Miss Spencer. Brant accompanies Naida
home from tin* dance. On tin* way sin*
informs him as to who she is, and that
she is to meet Hampton. Brant and
Hampton nn«*t. Hampton informs the
lieutenant that his attentions to Naida
must cease, ami pm. laims an authority
over her that justifies the statement.
Brant tells Hampton of the presence of
Silent Murphy, and the fact that Red
Slavin receives govt mint nt message:- for
him. Miss Spencer called on Bob Hamp
ton. Tells him of a red-lace«l stranger
mistaking lu*r for Naida. Brant inter
views Red Slavin.
CHAPTER XIX.—Continued.
“I suspected as much," Hampton
went on, coolly. ‘Indeed, I should
have felt hurt had you been indiffer
ent upon such an occasion. It does
credit to your heart, Slavin. Come
now, keep your eyes on me! 1 was
about to gratify your curiosity, and, in
the first place, I came to inquire solic
itously regarding the state of your
health during my absence, and inci
dentally to ask why you are exhibit-1
ing so great an interest in Miss Naida
Ciillis."
Slavin straightened up, his great
hands clinching nervously, drops of
perspiration appearing on his red for
head. "I don't understand your damn
ed fun."
Hampton's lips smiled unpleasantly.
“Slavin, you greatl\ discourage me.
The last time 1 was here you exhibit
ed so fine a sense of humor that 1 was
really quite proud of you. Yet, truly,
I think you do understand this joke.
Your memory can scarcely be failing
at your age.—Make another motion
like that and you die right there! You
know me.—However, as you seem to
shy over my first question. I ll honor
you with a second—Where’s Silent
Murphy?"
"You devil!" Slavin roared, "what
do you mean?”
With revolver hand resting on the
table, the muzzle pointing at the gi
ant's heart, Hampton leaned forward,
utterly remorseless now, and keen as
an Indian on the trail.
“Do you know who I ant?"
The horror in Slavin's eyes had
changed to sullenness, but he nodded
silently.
"How do you know :
There was no reply, although the
thick lips appeared to move.
"Answer me, you red sneak! Do
you think I am here to be played
with? Answer!"’
Slavin gulped down something
which seemed threatening to choke
him, but he durst not lift a hand to
wripe the sweat from his face. "If—
if I didn't have this beard on you
might guess. I thought, you knew me
ail the time.”
Hampton stared at him, still puz
zled. "T have certainly seen you some
where. 1 thought that from the first.
Where was it?”
"I was in D Troop, Seventh cav
alry.”
"D Troop? Brant’s troop?”
The big gambler nodded. ‘"That's
how I knew you, Captain,” he said,
speaking with greater ease, "but. I
never had no reason to say anything
about it round here. You was allers
decent "nough ter me."
“Possibly"—and it was plainly evi
dent from his quiet tone Hampton had
steadied from his first surprise,—“the
boot was on the other leg, and you
had. some good reason not to say any
thing.”
Slavin did not answer, hut he wet
his lips with his tongue, his eyes on
the window.
“Who is the fellow Murphy?”
“He was corporal in that same
troop, sir." The ex-cavalryman drop
ped insensibly into his old form of
speech. “ He knew you too, and we
talked it over, and decided to keep
still, because it was none of our affair
anyhow."
"Where is he now?”
"He left last night with army dis
patches for Cheyenne."
Hampton's eyes hardened percepti
bly, and his fingers closed more tight
ly about the butt of his revolver. "You
lie, Slavin! The last message did not
reach here until this morning. That
fellow is hiding somewhere in this
camp, and the two of you have been
trying to get at the girl. Now, damn
you, what is your little game?”
The big gambler was thinking hard
er then, perhaps, than he had ever
thought in his life before. He knew
Hampton would kill him if he needed
to do so, but he likewise uealized that
he was not likely to fire until he had
gained the information he was seek
ing. If he only knew' how much infor
mation the other possessed it would
be easy enough. As he did not, he
must wield his weapon blindly.
"You're makin' a devil of a fuss
over little or nothin'.” he growled,
simulating a tone of disgust. "I ain’t
never hed no quarrel with ye, except
in' fer the way ye managed ter skin
me at the table .bout two years ago.
I don’t give two screeches in hell for
who you are; an’ besides. I reckon you
ain’t the only ex-convict a-ranging Da
kota either fer the matter o’ that. No
more does Murphy. We ain’t no
bloomin’ detectives, an’ we ain’t buck
in' in no business o' yourn; ye kin just
bet your sweet life on thet.”
"Where is Murphy, then? I wish to
see the fellow."
"1 told you hed gone. Maybe he
didn't git away till this mornin’, but
he's gone now all right. What in
thunder do ye want o’ him? I reckon
I kin tell ye all that Murphy know's.”
For a breathless moment neither
spoke, Hampton fingering his gun ner
“Where Is Si!
vously, his eyes lingering on that bru
tal face.
"Slavin,” he said at last, his voice
hard, metallic. "I’ve figured it out,
and I do know you now, you lying
brute. You are the fellow who swore
you saw me throw away the gun that
did the shooting, and that afterwards
you picked it up.”
There was the spirit of murder in
his eyes, and the gambler cowered
back before them, trembling like a
child.
"I—I only swore to the last part,
Captain,” he muttered, his voice
scarcely audible. "I—I never said I
saw you throw—"
“And I swore,” wTent on Hampton,
“that I would kill you on sight. You
lying whelp, are you ready to die?"
Slavin’s face was drawn and gray,
the perspiration standing in beads
upon his forehead, but he could neith
er speak nor think, fascinated by
those remorseless eyes, which seemed
to burn their way down into his very
soul.
"No? Well, then, I will give you, to
day, just one chance to live—one, you
dog—one. Don't, move an eyelash!
Tell me honestly why you have been
trying to get word with the girl, and
you shall go out from here living. Lie
to me about it, .and 1 am going to
kill you where you sit, as I would a
mad dog. You know me, Slavin—now
speak!”
So intensely still was it, Hampton
could distinguish the faint ticking of
the watch in his pocket, the hiss of
the breath between the giant's clinch
ed teeth. No wretch dragged shriek
ing to Uie scaffold could have formed
a more pitiful sight, but there was no
mercy in the eyes of the man watch
ing him.
"Speak, you cringing hound!”
Slavin gripped his great hands to
gether convulsively, his throat swell
ing beneath its read heard. He knew
there was no way of escape. “I—I
had to do it! My God, Captain, I had
to do it!”
"Why?”
“I had to, I tell you. Oh, you devil,
you fiend! I’m not the one you're af
ter—it’s Murphy!"
For ti single moment Hampton star
ed at the cringing figure. Then sud
denly he’ rose to his feet in decision.
“Stand up! Lift up your hands first,
you fool. Now unbuckle your gun
belt with your left hand—your left, I
said! Drop it on the floor.”
There was an unusual sound behind,
such as a rat might have made, and
Hampton glanced aside apprehensive
ly. In that single second Slavin was
upon him, grasping his pistol-arm at
the wrist, and striving with hairy
hand to get a death-grip about his
throat. Twice Hampton’s left drove
* straight out into that red. gloating
face, and then the giant's crushing
weight, bore him backward. He fought
savagely, silently, his slender figure
like steel, but Slavin got his grip at
last, and with giant strength began to
crunch his victim within his vise-like
arms. There was a moment of su
perhuman strain, their breathing
mere sobs of exhaustion. Then Slavin
slipped, and Hamilton succeeded in
wriggling partially free from his death
grip. It was scarcely an instant, yet
it served; for as he bent aside, swing
his burly opponent with him, someone
struck a vicious blow at his back: but
the descending knife, missing its
mark, sunk instead deep into Siavin’s
breast.
Hampton saw the flash of a blade, a
portion of an arm. and then the
clutching fingers of Slavin swept him
down. He reached out blindly as he
fell, his hand closing about the de
serted knife-hilt. The two crashed
down together upon the floor, the
force of the fall driving the blade
home to the gambler's heart.
CHAPTER XX.
The Cohorts of Judge Lynch.
Hampton staggered b'indly to his
I I II*
ent Murphy!”
feet, looking down on the motionless
body. For a moment the room ap
peared to swim before his eyes, and
he clutched at the overturned table
for support. Then, as his senses re
turned. he perceived the figures of a
number of men jamming the narrow
doorway, and became aware of their
loud, excited voices. Back to his be
numbed brain there came with a rush
the whole scene, the desperation of
his present situation. He had been
found alone with the dead man. Those
men,' when they came surging in at
tracted by the noise of strife, had
found him lying on Slavin, his hand
clutching the knife-hilt. He ran his
eyes over their horrified faces, and
knew instantly they held him the mur
derer. *
The shock of this discovery steadied
him. He realized the meaning, the
dread, terrible meaning, for he knew
the west, its fierce, implacable spirit
of vengeance, its merciless, code of
lynch-law. The vigilantes of the min
ing camps were to him an old story;
more than once he had witnessed
their work, been cognizant of their
power. This was no time to parley or
to hesitate. He grabbed the loaded
revolver lying upon the floor, and
swung Slavin's discarded belt across
his shoulder.
“Stand aside, gentlemen." he com- i
manded. "Step back, and let me i
pass!" i
They obeyed. He swept them with
watchful eyes, stepped past and slam
med the door behind him. Men were
already beginning to pour into the sa- i
loon, uncertain yet of the facts, and <
shouting questions to each other. To
tally Ignoring these, Hampton thrust
himself recklessly through the crowd.
Half-way down the broad steps Buck
Mason faced him, in shirt sleeves, his
head uncovered, an ugly "45” in his
uplifted hand. Just an instant the
eyes of the two men met, neither
doubted the grim purpose of the other.
"You've got ter do it. Bob," an
nounced the marshall, shortly, "dead
er alive."
Hampton Elver hesitated. l m sor
ry i met you. I don’t want to get
anybody else mixed up in this fuss
If you’ll promise me a chance for my
life, iiuck, i’ll throw up my hands.
But I prefer a bullet to a mob."
The little marshal was sandy-haired,
freckle-faced, and all nerve. The
crowd jammed within the Occidental
had already turned and were surging
toward the door. Hampton knew from
long experience what this meant;
these were the quickly inflamed co
horts of Judge Lynch—they would act
first, and reflect later. His square
jaws set like a trap.
“All right, Bob,” said the marshal.
“You’re my prisoner, and there'll be
one hell of a fight afore them lads
git ye. There’s a chance left—leg it
after me."
Just as the mob surged out of the
Occidental, cursing and struggling,
the two sprang forward and dashed
into the narrow space between the
livery stable and the hotel. Moffat
chanced to be in the passageway, and
pausing to ask no questions, Mason
prompfly landed that gentleman on
the back of his head in a pile of dis
carded tin cans, and kicked viciously
at a yellow dog which ventured to
snap at them as they swept past. Be
hind arose a volley of curses, the thud
of feet, an occasional voice roaring
out orders, and a sharp spat of re
volver shots. One ball plugged into
the siding of the hotel, and a second
threw a spit of sand into their lower
ed faces, but neither man glanced
back. They were running for their
lives now, racing for a fair chance to
turn at bay and fight, their sole hope
the steep, rugged hill in their front.
Hampton began to understand the
purpose cf his companion, the quick,
unerring instinct which had led him
to select the one suitable spot where
the successful waging of battle
against such odds was possible—the
deserted dump of the Shasta mine.
With every nerve strained to the
uttermost, the two men raced side by
side down the steep slope, ploughed
through tlio tangled underbrush, and
toiled up the sharp ascent beyond.
At the summit of the ore dump the
two men flung themselves panting
down, for the first time able to realize
what it all meant. They could per
ceive the figures of their pursuers
among the shadows of the bushes be
low. but these were not venturing out
into the open—the first mad. heediess
rush had evidently ended. There were
some cool heads among the mob lead
ers, and it was highly probable that
negotiations would be tried before
that crowd hurled itself against two
desperate men, armed and entrench
ed. Roth fugitives realized this, and
lay ihere coolly watchful, their breath
growing more regular, their eyes soft
ening.
“Whut is all this fuss about, any
how?" questioned the marshall, evi
dently somewhat aggrieved. "I wus
just eatin' dinner when a feller stuck
his head in an’ yelled ve'd killed
somebody over at the Occidental.”
Hampton turned his face gravely
toward him. “Buck. I don’t know
whether you'll believe me or'not. but
I guess you never heard me tell a lie,
or knew of my trying to dodge out of
a bad scrape. Besides, I haven't any
thing to gain now, for I reckon you’re
planning to stay with me. guilty or
not guilty, but I did not kill that fel
low. 1 don't exactly see how I can
prove it. the way it all happened, but
I give you my word as a man, I did
not kill him.”
Mason looked him squarely in the
eyes, his teeth showing behind his
stiff, closely clipped mustache. Then
he deliberately extended his hand, and
gripped Hampton's. “Of course I be
lieve ye. Not that you're any too
blame good. BoV but you ain't the
kind what pleads the baby act. Who
was the feller?"
"Red Slavin.
■No!" aud the hand grip perceptibly
tightened. "Holy Moses, what ingrati
tude! Why, the camp ought to get to
gether and give ye a vote of thanks,
and instead, here they are trying their
level best to hang you. Cussedest
sorter thing a mob is. anyhow; goes
like a flock o’ sheep after a leader,
an' I bet I could name the fellers who
are a-runnin’ that crowd. How did
the thing happen?"
Iloth men were intently observing
the ingathering of their scattered pur
suers. but Hampton answered gravely,
telling his brief story with careful de
tail. appreciating the importance of
reposing full confidence in this quiet,
resourceful companion.
“All I really saw of the fellow," he
roncluded, "was a hand and arm as
they drove in the knife. You can see
there is where it ripped me, and the
mexpected blow of the mans body
mocked me forward, and of course I
tell on Slavin. It may be I drove
the point further in when I came
lown. but that was an accident. The
'act is. Ruck. I have every reason to
vish Slavin to live. I was just get
ing out of him some information I
reeded."
Mason nodded, his eyes wandering
ram Hampton's expressiie face to
he crowd beginning to collect be
icath the shade of a huge oak a hun
Ired yards below.
"Never carry a knife, do ye?”
"No.”
“Thought not; always heard you
ought with a gun. Caught no sight
tf the feller after ye got up?"
♦ iTO HE CONTINUED.)
Truth and
Quality
appeal to the Well-Informed in every
walk of life and are essential to permanent
success and creditable standing. Accor
mgly, it is not claimed that Syrup of Figs
and Elixir of Senna is the only remedy of
known value, but one of many reasons
why it is the best of personal and family
laxatives is the fact that it cleanses,,
sweetens and relieves the internal organs
on which it acts without any debilitating
after effects and without having to increase
the quantity from time to time.
It acts pleasantly and naturally and
truly as a laxative, and its component
marts are known to and approved by
ohvsicians, as it is free from all objeetion
r.ble substances. To get its beneficial
effects always purchase the genuine—
manufactured by the California Fig Syrup
Co., only, and for sale by all leading drug
gists.
in Luck.
Dennis—Hinnisy is the luckiest
divil that iver walked.
Patrick—How’s that?
Dennis—Faith, an' he promised to
pay me the five dollars he borrowed
next week—an’ he up an' d'ed yester
day.—Smith’s Magazine.
Something New Under the Sun.
A lady in Illinois sent us 12c a year ago
for our remarkable collection of vegetable
and flower seeds and sold $37.76 worth
therefrom, or made 314%. That’s new.
.Just send this notice with 12c and re
ceive the most original seed and plant
catalog published and
1 pkg. “Quick Quick” Carrot.$ .16
1 pkg. Earliest Ripe Cabbage.16
1 pkg. Earliest Emerald Cucumber.. .15
1 pkg. La Crosse Market Lettuce.15
1 pkg. Early Dinner Onion.16
1 pkg. Strawberry Musktuelon.15
1 pkg. Thirteen Day Radish.10
1,000 kernels gloriously beautiful
flower seed.15
Total .$1.00
Above is sufficient seed to grow 35 bu.
of rarest vegetables and thousands of bril
liant flowers and all is mailed to you
POSTPAID FOB 12C,
or if you send 16e. we will add a package
of Berliner Earliest Cauliflower. John A.
Salzer .'seed Co., La Crosse, Wig. K. & W.
GENEALOGICAL.
V f
The Bull-Pup—I suppose this is
what they call a family tree.
BEYOND LIMIT OF PATIENCE.
Explanation Satisfied Policeman That
Punishment Was Due.
Policeman Kneirem, of the Tender
loin precinct, saw an old man beating
a small boy on Seventh avenue re
cently in a fashion that reminded the
officer of the happy days when he used
to beat it from the parental beating.
So with a cheerful smile, having chil
dren of his own, the policeman ap
proached the old man.
“Listen," replied the man: “half an
hour ago I sent Isaac to the delicates
sen. I gave him two quarters, one
with which to buy bread, the other
to buy fish. And now he comes back
and says he wants to know which
quarter is for the fish and which for
the bread. Is it enough?”
“It is,” replied Kneirem.—New York
World.
BANISHED
Coffee Finally Had to Gc.
The way some persons cling to cof
fee even after they know it is doing
them harm, is a puzzler. But it is an
easy matter to give it up for good,
when Postum Food Coffee is properly
made and used instead.
A girl writes: ‘'Mother had been
suffering with nervous headaches for
seven weary years, but kept drinking
coffee.
“One day I asked her why she did
not give up coffee as a cousin of mine
had done who had taken to Postum.
But Mother was such a slave to coffee
she thought it would be terrible to
give it up.
“Finally, one day. she made the
change to Postum. and quickly her
leadaches disappeared. One morning
while she was drinking Postum so
'reely and with such relish 1 asked for
i taste.
“That started me on Postum and I
low drink it more freely than I did
•offee, which never comes into our
louse now.
"A girl friend of mine, one day, saw
ne drinking Postum and asked if it
was coffee. I told her it was Postum
ind gave her some to take home, but
orgot to tell her how to make it.
“The text day she said she did not
;ee how I could drink Postum. 1 found
’he had made it like ordinary coffee.
3o 1 told her how to make it right
ind gaie her a cupful I made, after
lolling it fifteen minutes. She said
;he never drank any coffee that tasted
is good, and now coffee is banished
rom both our homes. Name given
>y Postum Co.. Battle Creek, Michigan
Read the little book “The Road to
i\ ellville in pkgs. “There's a Reason.''
