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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 13, 1917)
RED OLOUD, NEBRASKA, CHIEF I , fra K The Real Nan By FRANCIS LYNDE lllBitntloni W 1RW1H HTERS tTJ $ KA Copyright by Chaa. Scrlbnor'a Sons CHAPTER XVIII. 14 The Arrow to the Mark. Smith, concentrating abstractedly, ns Ms habit was, upon the work In hand, was Htlll deep In the voucher-auditing when tho ofllco door was opened and Iff a small shocked voice said: "Oh, wooht how you startled me I I saw the light, nnd I supposed, of course, It wns colonel-daddy. Whero Is he?" Smith pushed the papers aside and looked up scowling. "Ho was hero a minute ago, with Stllltngs. Said ho'd be back. You've come to take him home?" Sho nodded and cuma to sit la a chair at the desk-end, saying: "Don't let mo Interrupt you, please. I'll be quiet." "I don't mean to let anything Inter rupt mo until I have finished what I have undertaken to do; I'm past all that, now." "I have heard about what you did last night." "About tho newspaper fracas? Tou don't approve of anything like that, of course. Neither did I, once. But thcro Is no mlddlo way. You know what the animal tamers tell us about tho beasts. I've had my taste of blood. There aro a good many men In this world who need killing. Crawford Stanton Is one of them, nnd I'm not euro thnt Mr. David Klnzle Isn't an other." "I can't hear what you say when you talk like that," she objected, look ing past him with tho gray eyes veiled. "Do you want mo to Ho down nnd let them put the steam roller over me?" he demanded Irritably. "Is that your Ideal of tho perfect man?" "Whnt I said, and what I meant, had nothing at all to do with Tlman yonl nigh Lino nnd Its fight for life," ' sho said calmly, recalling the wander-1 ing gazo ana letting him sco her eyes. "I wns thinking altogether of one man's attitude toward his world." "That was some tlmo ago," ho put In soberly. "I'vo gone a long way Blnco then, Corona." "I know you have. Why doesn't daddy como back?" "He'll come soon enough. You're not afraid to bo hero alone with me, aro you?" "No; but anybody might bo afraid of tho man you aro going to bo." His laugh was as mirthless as the creaking of a rusty hinge. "You needn't- put It In the future tense. I have already broken with whatever traditions thcro were left to break with. Lnst night I threatened to kill Allen, nnd, perhaps, I should have done It If ho hadn't begged like a dog and dragged his wife and chil dren into it" "I know," sho acquiesced, and ngaln she was looking past him. "And that Isn't all. Yesterday Kln zle set a trap for mo and bated It with ono of his clerks. For a llttlo while It seemed as If the only way to spring tho trap was for me to go after tho clerk and put a bullet through him. It wasn't necessary, as It turned out, but If It had been" "Oh, you couldn't 1" sho broke In quickly. "I can't believe that of you I" J "You think I couldn't? Let me tell you of a thing that I have done. Night beforo last Verda Rlchlander had n wlro from a young fellow who wants to marry her. Ho had found out thnt Bho waB here In Brewster, and the wlro was to tell her that ho wob coming In that night on tho de layed 'Flyer.' Sho asked mo to meet him and tell him she had gono to bed. He Is a miserable llttlo wretch ; a sort of sham reprobate; and sho has never cared for him, except to keep him dan gling around with a lot of others. I told her I wouldn't meet him, and sho know very well that I couldn't meet him nnd stay out of Jail. Aro you listening?" "I'm trying to." "It was tho pinch, nnd I wasn't big enough In your sense of tho word to .meet It. I saw what would happen. If Tucker Jibbcy came here, Stanton would pounce upon him at once; and 'Jibbcy, with a drink or two under his telt, would tell all he knew. I fought It all out while I was waiting for the train. It was Jlbboy's effucement, or tho end of tho world for me, and for Tlmanyonl High Line." Dexter Baldwin's daughter wns not of thoso who shriek nnd faint at tho apposition of horror. But tho gray eye were dilating nnd her breath wns coming in little gasps when she said: "I can't bellovo It I You ure notr go ing to tell mo that you met this man as a friend, and then" "No; It didn't qulto como to n mur der In cold blood, though I thought It might. I had Maxwell's runabout, and I got Jlbboy Into It. He thought I was going to drive him to the hotel. After tt-e cot out of town he grew suspicious, nnd thero wns a struggle In tho nuto.ftlle ijray rondstor nnd Bprnng Snto I I had to bent hlra over tho head to make him keep quiet; I thought for tho moment that I had killed him, and I know, then, Just how far I had gone on tho road I'vo been traveling ever slnco a certain night in tho mlddlo of last May. Tho proof wns in tho wny I felt; I wasn't cither sorry or horror stricken; I was merely relieved to think that ho wouldn't troublo mo, or rlutter up tho world with his worth less prcsenco any longer." "But that wasn't your real self t" she expostulated. "What was It, then?" . "I don't know I only know that It wasn't you. But tell me: did ho die?" "No." "What have you done with him?" "Do you know tho old nbnndoned Wire-Silver mlno at Llttlo Butto?" "I knew It beforo It was abandoned, yes." "I was out thero ono Sunday after noon with Stnrbuck. Tho mine is bulk headed and locked, but one of tho keys on my ring fitted tho lock, nnd Star buck and I went in nnd stumbled nround for a while In tho dark tun nels. I took Jlbbey thero and locked him up. He's thero now." "Alono in that horrlblo place; and without food?" ' "Alone, yes; but I went out yester day and put a basket of food whero ho could get It." "What aro you going to do with him?" "I am going to leavo him thcro until after I havo put Stanton and Klnzlo nnd tho other buccaneers snfely out of business. When thnt Is done, ho can go; nnd I'll go, too." Sho had risen, and nt the summing up she turned from him and went nsldo to tho ono window to stnnd for n long mlnuto gazing down Into tho electric lighted street. When sho enmo back her lips were pressed together nnd sho was very pale. "When I was In school, our old psychology professor used to try to tell us about tho undennan ; the bruto thnt lies dormant Insldo of us nnd Is kept down only by reason and the super man. I never believed It was anything moro than a fine-spun theory until now. But now I know it Is true." Ho spread his hands. "I can't help it, can I?" "The man that you aro now can't help It; no. But the man that you could be If ho would only come back " sho stopped with a llttlo un controllable shudder nnd sat down again, covering her face with her hands. "I'm going to turn Jlbbey loose after I'm through," ho vouchsafed. She took her hands away and blazed up at him suddenly, with her face aflame. "Yes I after you are safe ; after there Is no longer any risk In It for youl That is worse than if you had killed him worse for you, I mean. Oh, can't you see? It's tho very depth of coward ly Infamy I" Ho smiled sourly. "You think I'm a coward? They've been calling me everything else but that in tho past few days." "You aro. a coward I" sho flashed back. "You havo proved It You daren't go out to Little Butto tonight and get that man nnd bring him to Brewster while thero Is yet tlmo for him to do whatever It Is that you are afraid ho will do 1" Was It the quintessence of feminine subtlety, or only honest rage nnd In dlgnntlon, that told her how to aim tho armor-plerclng arrow? God, who ulono knows tho secret workings of tho woman heart und brain, enn tell. But tho arrow sped true and found Its mark. Smith got up stlflly out of tho big swing chair aud stood glooming down at her. "You think I did It for myself? Just to save my own worthless hide? NW- "You Are a Coward," Back. She Flashed I'll shov you; show you all tho things tflnt you say aro now Impossible. Did you brlug the gray roaflster?" She nodded briefly. "Your father Is coming back; I hear tho elevutor bell. I am going to take the car, and I don't want to meet him. Will you say what Is needful?" Sho nodded again, and ho went out quickly. It was only a few steps down tho corridor to tho elevator landing, and tho stair circled tho caged elevator shaft to tho ground floor. Smith halt ed in the darkened corner of tho stair way long enough to mako suro thnt tho colonel, with Stllllngs and a worn an in an automobile coat and veil a woman who figured for him In tho passing glance as Corona's mother got off at tho ofllco floor. Then he ran down to tho street tfcvel, cranked iw.tfWsm . send tho car rocketing westward. CHAPTER XIX. A Little Leaven. Tho summer-night stars served only to make tho darkness visible along tho rond down tho Tlmanyonl river nnd across to tho mining camp of Bed Butte. Smith twisted tho gray road ster sharply to the left out of tho road, and four miles from tho turn, shut off tho power nnd got down to continue his Journey nfoot. Tho mlno workings wcro tunnel-driven in tho mountain side, and a crooked ore track led out to them. Smith followed tho ore trnck until he came to the entrance, nnd to tho lock of n small door framed In the bulkhcadlng he npplled n key. It wns pitch dark beyond the door, nnd the sllcnco was llko that of the grave. Smith had brought n cnndle on his food-carrying visit of tho dny be fore, nnd, groping In its hiding place Just outside of the door, he found and lighted It. ThereWas no sign of occu pancy snvo Jlbbey's suitcase lying whero It had been flung on the night of tho assisted disappearance. Smith stumbled forward into the black depths nnd tho chill of tho place laid hold upon him and shook him llko tho premonitory shiver of an np pronchlng ngue. Insensibly ho quick ened his pnee until ho wns hastening blindly through n maze of tunnels nnd cross drlftlngs, deeper nnd still deeper Into tho bowels of the mountain. Com ing suddenly nt the lnst Into tho cham ber of tho dripping water, ho found what ho was searching for, nnd again the ague chill shook him. There were no apparent signs of life In tho sodden, muck-begrimed figure lying in a crum pled heap among the water pools. "Jlbbey 1" ho called: and then again, Ignoring tho unnerving, awe-lnsplring echoes rustling like flying bats in the cavernous overspaces: "Jlbbey l" Tho sodden heap bestirred Itself slowly and became a man sitting up to blink helplessly at tho light and supporting himself on ono hand. "Is that you, Monty?" said a voice tremulous and broken; and then: "1 can see. Tho light blinds me. Havo you como to fl-flnlsh tho Job?" "I havo como to take you out of this; to tako you back with me to Brewster. Get up and come on." Tho victim of Smith's ruthlcssness struggled stlflly to his feet. Never much moro than n physical weakling, and with his nnturnl strength wasted by a life of dissipation, tho blow on tho hend with tho pistol butt nnd tho forty-eight hours of sharp hardship and privation had cut deeply Into his scanty reserves. "Did did Verda send you to do It?" ho queried. "No ; sho doesn't know where you are. She thinks you stopped over some where on your wny west. Come along, If you want to go back with me." Jlbbey stumbled away a step or two and flattened himself ngalnst the cav ern wall. His eyes were still staring nnd his lips were drawn bnck to show his teeth. "Hold on a minute," ho Jerked out. "You're not not going to wlpo It all out as easy as that You've taken my gun nway from me, but I'vo got my two hnnds yet. Stick that candle In a hole In tho wall and look out for yourself. I'm telling you, right now, that ono or the other of us Is going to stay here nnd stay dead I" "Don't bo a fool!" Smith broke In. "I didn't como hero to scrap with you." "You'd better and you'd better make a Job of it while you're about Itl" Bhrleked tho castaway, lost now to everything save tho biting sense of his wrongs. "You've put It nil over me-knocked my chances with Verda Rlchlander and shut mo up here In this hell-hole to go mad-dog crazy 1 If you let me get out of here alive I'll pny you back, if it's tho last thing I ever do I You'll go bnck to Lnwrencevllle with the bracelets on I You'll" red rage could go no farther in mere words nnd he flung himself in feeble fierceness upon Smith, clutching and struggling nnd waking tho grewsorao echoes ngaln with frantic, meaningless maledictions. Smith did not strike back ; wrapping tho madman In a pinioning grip, he held him helpless. When It wns over, and Jlbbey had been released, gasping nnd sobbing, to stagger back against tho tunnel wall, Smith groped for tho candle nnd found nnd relighted It "Tucker," ho said gently, "you nro more of a man than I took you to be a good bit more. Now that you're giv ing mo a chance to say It, I can tell you that Verda Rlchlnnder doesn't fig ure In this nt nil. I'm not going to marry her, and sho didn't come out here In tho expectation of finding me." "Then whnt docs figure In It?" was tho dry-lipped query. - "It was merely a matter of self-preservation. Thero nro men in Brewster who would pay high for tho Informa tion you might give them nbout me." "You might havo given mo a hint nnd a chance, Monty. I'm not nil dog." "That's K past and gone. I didn't give you your chance, but I'm going to give It to you now. Let's go If you'ro fit to try it." "Walt a minute. If you think, be cause you didn't pull your gun now nnd drop mo and lenvo mo to rot In this hole, if you think that squares tho deal" "I'm not making any conditions," Smith interposed. "There nro n num ber of telegraph offlces In Brewster, and for nt least two days longer I shall always be within easy reach." Jlbbey's anger flared up onco moro. "You think I won't do It? You think I'll bo bo glad to get to sotno place whero thoy Bell wKsky thnt I'll forget all about It and let you oft? Don't you mako any mistake, Monty, Smith! Yon can't ItnocR mo on the head nnd lock me up ns if I were n yel low dog. I'll fix you I" Smith mndo no reply. Linking his free nrm In Jlbbey's, he led the wny through the mazes, stopping at the tunnel mouth to blow out tho candlo nnd to pick up Jlbbey's sultcnsc. In the open1 nir the freed captive tramped in sober silence at Smith's heels until they reached the automobile. At tho crossing of the railroad main track and tho turn Into the highway, the river, bnssoonlng deep-toned among Its bowlders, was near at hand, and Jlb bey spoke for the first time since they left the mine mouth. "I'm horribly thirsty, Monty. That water In tho mine had copper or some thing in It, and I couldn't drink It You didn't know thnt, did you when you put me in there, I menn? Won't you stop tho car and let me go nnd stick my face in that river?" The car wns brought to a stand nnd Jlbbey got out to scramble down tho river bank in tho starlight Obeying some inner prompting which he did X53 "If You Think That Squares the Deal." not stop to analyze, Smith left his seat behind the wheel and walked over to the edge of tho embankment whero Jlbbey had descended. With the glare of the roadster's acetylenes turned the other way, Smith could seo Jlbbey at the foot of tho slope lowering himself face downward on his propped arms to reach the water. Then, In that Instant, Jlbbey, careless In his thirst, lost his balance nnd went headlong -into the torrent. A bottling eon had passed before Smith, battered, beaten and half strangled, succeeded In landing tho un conscious thirst-quencher on a shelv ing bank three hundred ynrds below tho stopped automobile. After that thero was another eon In which he completely forgot his own brulslngs wnilo ho worked desperately over the drowned man, raising and lowering the limp arras while he strove to recall moro of tho resuscitative directions given in the Lnwrencevlllo Athletic club's first-aid drills. In good time, after an interval so long thnt it seemed endless to the de spairing first-aider, tho brenth came back into the reluctant lungs. Jlbbey coughed, choked, gasped and sat up. nis teeth were chattering, and ho was chilled to the bone by tho sudden plunge lntothe cold snow-wnter, but he wns unmlstnknbly alive. "What what happened to me, Mon ty?" he shuddered. "Did I tumble in?" "You did, for n fact." "And you went in after me?" "Of course." "No, by gad I It wasn't 'of course' not by a long shot! All you had to do was to let me go, and the score your score would have been wiped out for good and nil. Why didn't you do It?" "Because I promised somebody that I would bring you back to Brewster tonight, alive and well, and ablo to send a telegram." Jlbbey tried to get upon his feet, couldn't qulto compass it, and sat down again. "I don't believe a word of it" he mumbled, loose-lipped. "You did it because you're not so danged tough and hard-hearted as you thought you were." And then: "Give mo a lift, Monty, and get me Into the auto. I guess I'm nbout all In." Smith hnlf led, half carried his charge up to the road. A final heave lifted him into his plnce, nnd it is safe to say that Colonel Dexter Bnldwln's rondster never made better tlmo than It did on tho race which finally brought the glow of tho Brewster town lights reddening ngalnst tho enstern sky. At tho hotel Smith helped his drip ping passenger out of the car, made a quick rush with him to an elevator, nnd so up to his own rooms on tno fourth floor. "Strip 1" ho commanded ; "get out of thoso wet rags and tumble into tho bath. Mako It as hot as you can stand It I'll go down nnd register you and have your trunk sent up from the sta tion. You havo a trunk, haven't you?" Jlbbey fished a soaked card baggage check out of his pocket and passed it over. "You'ro as bad oft as I am, Monty," he protested. "Walt and get some dry things on beforo you go." "I'll be up again before you're out of tho tub. I suppose you'd llko to put yourself outside of a big drink of whisky, Just about now, but that's ono thing I won't buy for you. How would a pot of hot coffeo from tho cafe Btriko you?" "You could mako It baby food and I'd drink It if you Bald so," chattered tho drowned ono from tho Inside of the wst undershirt ho was trying tfl null oft over his head. (TO DBS CONT1NUKOJ ZZJr "MURDER ROOM" NOW IS BRIDAL CHAMBER Man Acquitted of Killing Wife Re turns With New Bride and Occupies House. St. Joseph, Mo. Tho room in which Mrs. Hurrlet Moss McDaniel was mur dered u year ago becamo a bridal chamber last week. Oscar D. McDaniel, former prose cuting attorney of Buchanan county, who wns urrested und later ncqultted of tho charge of murdering his wife, returned this week from a honeymoon trip through tho East with his new bride und occupied the house In which Mrs. McDaniel was murdered. The murrlugo of McDnnicl und Miss Zora Cook, twenty-one, ono of the leading society girls of the city, lnst week, furnished another link In one Mrs. McDaniel Was Murdered a Year Ago. of the most mysterious murder cuses In the history of the country. Beginning with the murder of Mrs. McDaniel a year ngo, continuing with tho trial and ncqulttal of her husband, then adding more tragedy when John B. Krucker shot und killed his wlfo nnd committed suicide, the cuse now takes a new turn with the murrlago of tho principal figure. Mrs. Krucker had been called "tho woman In tho case." Miss Cook Is tho daughter of C. A. Cook, manager of tho Bell Telephone company here. Ho was ono of the two men arriving first nt the McDaniel homo nfter tho murder. Miss Cook gave testimony for Mc Daniel. Following tho trial rumors that the puir were to bo married were persistently denied by both. Miss Cook Is a graduate of St. Joseph Cen tral High School and Is noted for her beauty und musical accomplishments. Directly ucross a narrow hull-from McDnniel's ofllco is the oillce of Bart M. Lockwood the man who ns spe cial prosecutor caused McDauiel's ar rest on the murder charge. ARRESTS SELF WITH HIS OWN HANDCUFFS Indianapolis, Ind. Abe Brown is a most accommodating man; ho handcuffed himself nnd made his arrest a simple matter. Brown had visited tho home of James Fleming frequently. Several articles were missed and suspicion pointed to him. Ho gathered with tho family one evening for a friendly chat nnd proudly exhibited a pair of handcuffs lie hnd purchased. "Show us how they work," said Mrs. Fleming. "Simple, Just like this," said Brown, and he accidentally locked them. "We'll call tho pollco to un lock them for you," eald Mrs. Fleming. "Fine, thanks," answered Brown, Jovially. And when tho pollco came, Mrs. Fleming told the police not to unlock them until sho had put a charge of larceny against Brown. SHOT SELF WHILE ASLEEP Girl Believed to Have Been Dreaming When She Placed Revolver Agalnat Head and Fired. Pittsburgh, Pa. Miss' Muy Wilson, twenty-five years old, Is believed to huve been asleep when she placed a revolver against her head and fired a fatal shot Sho had often told how sho was moved by dreams, and her friends declare she must have been having a nightmare when she fired the shot Miss Wilson lived vlth her father, James It. Wilson, and always kept a rovolver under her pillow. She was found on her bed with tho revolver laying bcsldo her. Only one shot had been fired and no ono heard It Tho girl was of a sunny disposition, had perfect health and no trouble. Tho Btress of a dream Is tho only possible explanation of the tragedy. KjyYP Back Given Out? Housework In too hard for a woman I. , ., , "J0"' ncrvt and always tired. Hut it keeps piling up, nnd gives weak kidneys no time to recover. If your back is lame nnd nchy nnd your kidneys irregular; if you havo '1)luo spells, sick headaches, nervousness, dizziness nnd rheumatic pains, uso Doan'a Kidney Pills. Tliey have dono wonders for thousands of worn out women. A Nebraska Case rVESirI aS& -tr,rwrtTlh. Neb., says: "Tho first sign of Iddncy trouble I had was pumneBS Undor my eyos. I didn't pay much nttontton to W.C4V JM. UUIUII 11111,1 hb ' inv wllnln luiHv l. ' 'I camo bloated. Then I began to suffer Wlfh fnrrlhln nntn. Im my back and head- J tv.iii;n uim uizzy spells made mo mls erablo. Doan's .Kid ney rills helped mo from Mm flraf n.wl mrco boxes entirely cured me. I haven't had any kidney troublo slnco." Cat Doan'a at Any Stora. 60c a Box DOAN'S "SSSfi FOSTEfcMILBURN CO BUFFALO. N. Y. SOV CAN'T COT OUT A Bog Spavin or Thoroughpin but you can clean them off promptly with and you work the horse same time. Docs not blister or remove the hair. $2.00 per bottle, delivered. Will tell you more if you write. Book 4 M freo. ABSORBINE, JR., the antiseptic liniment for mankind, reduces Varicose Veins, Ruptured MtiKltt or Litamenti, Entarred Clandi. Went. Crita, Allan Clin aulcklr. Prlr. II tr,A i bottle at druttliti or dtUtercd. Made in tbe U. S. A. by W.F.YOUNa,P.D.F.,3!0TtnpleSt.,Sprlngfletd.Mast. PATENTS WaUonK.Coletnan.Wath' Ington.U.U. books Ires. Illgh ca reference. Uealreanlta. SHARKS TO SERVE MANKIND Veteran Fisherman Believes That, Properly Handled, the Meat of the Fish la Edible. Russell J. Coles of Dnnvllle, Vn., who taught Colonel Roosevelt how to harpoon devilfish, announced thnt he has discovered n method of preventing world-wide starvation by tests he 1ms curried out with regard to certain spe cies of the dark shark and ray fumily. Mr. Coles hns Just come bnck from Morehond City, N. C. where lie caught a number of llsh, nnd despite the pop ular belief that the eating of them would bring death in a terrible form, lie decided to tnke the risk and ho sampled several of them. lie lias sent n complete record of his findings to Herbert Hoover in the hope that tho food administrator will Incline an ear and start the fashion of shark eutlug. Mr. Coles believes that tho sides of the larger fish may be tnnned and con verted Into marketable leather. After trying several methods tho Danville mim gives tho following re cipe for cooking shark steak: Salt heavily for 150 minutes, soak out in three waters, parboil a few minutes, change wnter, parboil ngaln, cook heavily seasoned nnd servo hot. The amount of seasoning must be used ac cording to the odor of tho meut. Seized Her Opportunity. For nine long years ho hud been wooing the fair daughter of the furm. "Jennie," he mused, as they sat on the old fence, "I read tho other duy thnt in n thousand years tho Lakes of Klllarnoy will dry up." Jennie clutched his nrm excitedly. "Oh, Tom I" she exclaimed. "What's the matter, lass?" "Why, ns you promised to take mo thcro on our honeymoon, don't you think we'd better bo a llttlo careful that they don't dry up before wo get there?" N. R. The next month the wedding bells rnng In the vllluge. Change the Name. "John," she said sternly, "tho coal bin Is empty." "yes," wns the disconsolate reply. "It's thnt way the most of tho time. It's never of uso In an emergency. I'm going to chnngo its nnme, nnd call It a coal hns-hln!" In nfter yenrs a man begins to np precinte the woman who handed him the ley mitt. St. Louis claims 005,050 population; directory estimate. 4 fcSlSF1 w ' utiift I MB The wholesome nutrition of wheat and barley in most appetizing form laVlt 'uA'jg sjVHMB i ITvLti If ViS Jmimm f-wntikMitM' rtriilMlfln ?& Y4i rutniM i . -nr A HOOD W v r&fcaimauuMsM Tnfiv t ,i n immmHiHiBiamirr' .WHmXik1IVlB.WW,lil!llAiM.i'i.y.r'-ytv-. .-. .