Hammond Times, Volume 2, Number 41, Hammond, Lake County, 5 August 1907 — Page 3

Monday, 'An crust 5, 1907.

THE LAKE COUNTY TIMES.

m hah f PLACE

By JtJmiU PAR ft IS! I MTemiuftiotM. (Con tinued.) Murphy was still a trifle suspicious. "How'd ye git yere? How'd ye come ter know whar I wus?" The man laughed again. "Sorter hurts yer perfessional feelins, don't it, old feller, to be dropped in on in this unceremonious way? But it was dead easy, old man. Ye see I happened thro' Cheyenne only a couple o' hours bohind ye, with a bunch o' papers fer the Yellowstone. The trail's plain enough out thi3 far, and I loped 'long at a pretty fair hickory, so tLef I was up on the bluff yonder, and saw ye go Into camp j-ere just afore dark. You wus a-keepin' yer eyes skinned across the Fourche, and naturaHy didn't expect no callers from them hills behind. The rest wus nuthin. an' here I am. It's a darn sight pleasanter ter hev company travelin', ter my notion. Now kin I cum on?" Murphy reluctantly lowered his Colt, every movement betraying annoyance. "I reckon. But I'd a damn sighl rather risk It alone." The stranger came forward without further hesitation. The night was far too dark to reveal features, but to Murphy's strained vision the' newcomer appeared somewhat slender In build, and of good height "Whar'd ye say ye wus bound?" "Mouth o' the Powder. We kin ride tergether fer a night or two." "Ye kin do as ye please, byjt I ain't a huntin' no company, an' I'm a' goin' 'cross now." IIo advanced a few strides toward his horses. Then suddenly he gave vent to a smothered cry, so startling as to cause the stranger to spring hastily after him. "Oh! My God! Oh! Look there!" "What Is It, man?" "There! there! The picture! Don't you see?" "Naw; I don't see nuthin. Ye ain't pone cracked, hev ye? Whose picture?" "It's there! O Lord! it's there! My God! can't ye see? An' it's his face all a-gleamin with green flames Holy Mary an' I ain't seen It afore In 15 year!" He seemed suddenly to collapse, and the stranger permitted him to drop limp to the earth. "Darn If I kin see anythin', old man, but I'll scout 'round thar a bit. Jest ter ease yer mind, an' see what I kin skeer up." He had hardly taken a half dozen steps before Murphy called after him: "Don't don't go an leave me It's not there now thet's queer!" The other returned and stood gazing Sown upon his huddled figure. "You're a One scout! afea?d o' spooks. Do ye take these yere turns often? Fer if ye do, I reckon as how I'd sooner bo rldin alone." . Murphy struggled to his feet and gripped the other's arm. "Never hed nuthin like It afore. ISut but it was thar all creepy an' green ain't seen thet face in 15 year." "What face?'; "A a fellow I knew once. Hehe's dead." The other grunted disdainfully. "Bad luck ter see thorn sort," he volun teered, solemnly. "Blame glad it warn't me es see it, an' I don't know as I keer much right now 'bout keepIn' company with ye fer very long. However, I reckon if either of us cal culates on doin' much ridin' ternight. we better stop foolin' with ghosts, an go ter saddlin' up." They mado rapid work of It, the newcomer proving somewhat loqua cious, yet holding his voice to a judicious whisper. It was he who led the way down the bank, the four horses slowly splashing through the shallow water to the northern shore. Before them stretched a broad plain, the surface rocky and uneven, the northern stars obscured by ridges of higher land. Murphy promptly gave his horse the spur, never once glancing behind, while the other imitated his example, holding his animal well in check, being apparently the better mounted. They roue silently. The way became more broken and rough as they advanced, causing them to exercise greater caution. Flying clouds obscured the stars, yet through the rifts they caught fleeting glimpses sufficient to hold them to their course. And the encroaching hills swept in closer upon either hand, leaving tfceia groping their way between as in a pocket, yet ever advancing north. Finally they attaine'd to the stee bank of a considerable stream, found the water of sufficient depth to compel swimming, and crept up the opposite shore dripping and miserable, yet with ammunition dry. Murphy stood swearing disjointed!-, wiping the blood from a wound in his forehead where the jagged edge of a rock had broken the skin, but suddenly stopped with a quick intake of breath that left him panting. The other man crept toward him, leading his horse. "What is it now?" he asked, gruSy. "Hev' ye got 'em agin?" The dazed old scout stared, pointing directly across the other's shoulderhis arm sb.ai.iru: desperately.

AUTHOR Of "It's thar! an' it's nis face! Oh, God! I know it 15 year." The man glanced backward into the pitch darkness, but without moving his body. "There's nuthin' out there, 'less It's a firefly," he insisted, in a tone of contempt. "You're plum crazy, Murphy; the night's got on yer nerves. What is it ye think ye see?" "His face, I tell ye! Don't I know? It's all green and ghastly, with snaky flames playin' about it! But I know; 15 years, an' I ain't fergot." He sank down feebly sank until he was on his knees, his head craned forward. The man watching touched the miserable, huncbed-up figure compassionately," and it shook bieath his hand, endeavoring to shrink away. "My God! was thet you? I thought it was him a-reachin' fer me. Here, let me take yer hand. Oh, Lord! An can't ye see? It's just there beyond them horses all green, crawlin', devilishbut it's him." "Who?" "Brant! Brant 15 year!" "Brant? Fifteen years? Do you mean Maj. Brant, the one Nolan killed over at Bethune?" "He he didn't" The old man heaved forward, his head rocking from aide to side; then suddenly he toppled over on his face, gasping for breath. His companion caught him and ripped open the heavy flannel shirt. Then he strode savagely across in front of his shrinking horse, tore down the flaring picture, and hastily thrust it into his pocket, the light of the phosphorous with which it had been rubbed being reflected for a moment on his features. "A djrty, miserable, low-down trick," he mustered. "Poor old devil! Yet I've got to do it for the Httle girl." He stumbled back through the darkness, his hat filled with water, and dashed it into Murphy's face. "Come on, Murphy! There's one good thing 'bout spooks; they don't hang 'round fer long at a time. Likely es not this 'un is gone by now. Brace up, man, for you an I have got ter get out o' here afore mornln'." Then Murphy grasped his arm and drew himself slowly to his feet. "Don't see nuthin now, do" ye?" "No. Where's my horse?" The other silently reached him the loose rein, marking as he did so . the quick, nervous peering this way and that, the starting at the slightest sound. "Did ye say. Murphy, as how it wasn't Nolan after all who plugged the major?" "I'm damned if I did. Who else was it?" "Why, I dunno. Sorter blamed odd though, thet ghost should be a-haunt-in' ye. Darn if it ain't creepy 'nough ter make a feller believe most anythin'." Murphy drew himself up heavily into his saddle. Then all at once he shoved the muzzle of a "45" into the other's face. "Ye say nuther word 'bout thet, an' I'll make a ghost outer ye blame lively. Now, ye shet up if ye ride with me." They moved forward at a walk and reached a higher level, across which the night wind swept, bearing a touch of cold in its breath as though coming from the snow-capped mountains to the west. There was renewed life in this invigorating air and Murphy spurred forward, his companion pressing steadily after. When the first signs of returning day appeared in the east, the two left their horses in a narrow canyon, and crept to the summit of a ridge. Below lay the broad valley of the Powder. Then Murphy turned his laad and i looked back iDto the other's faceCHAPTER XXIX. The Verge of Confession. Murphy uttered one sputtering cry of surprise, flinging his hand instinctively to his hip, but attempted no more. Hampton's ready weapon was thrusting its muzzle into the astounded face, and the gray eyes gleaming alorg the polished barrel held the fellow motionless. "Hands up! Not a move, Murphy! I have the drop!" The voice was low, but stern, and the old frontiersman obeyed mechanically, although his seamed face was fairly distorted with rage. "You! Damn you! I thought I knew the voice." "Yea, I am here all right. Rather odd place for us to met, isn't it? But, you see, you've had the advantage all these years; you knew whom you were running away from, while I was compelled to plod along in the dark. But I've caught up just the same, if it has been a long race." "What do ye want me fer?" The look in the face was cunning. "Hold your hands quiet higher, you fool! That's it. Now, don't play with me. I honestly didn't know for certain I did want you. Murphy, when I firsi started out on this trip. I merely suspected that I might, from some things I had been told. When somebody took the liberty of slashing at my back in a Doker-room at Glen-

caid, and drove the knife into Slavia by mistake, I chanced to catch a glimpse of the hand on the hilt, and there was a scar on it. About 15 years before, I was acting as officer of the guard one night at Bethune. It was a bright starlit night, you remember, and just as I turned the corner of the old powder-house there came a

sudden flash, a report, a sharp cry. I sprang forward only to. fall headlong ; over a dead body; but in that flash I ; had seen the hand grasping the re- j volver, and there was a scar on the j back of it, a very peculiar scar. It j chanced I had the evening previous slightly quarreled with the officer who I was killed; I was the only person known to be near at the time he was shot; certain other circumstantial evidence was dug up, while Slavin and one other no, it was not you gave some damaging, manufactured testimony against me. As a result I was held guilty of murder in the second degree, dismissed from the army in disgrace, and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, So, you see, it was not exactly you I have been hunting, Murpity, it was a scar." Murphy's face was distorted Into a hideous grin. "I notice you bear exactly that kind of a scar, my man, and you spoke last night as if you had some recollection of the case." The mocking grin expanded; into the husky voice crept a snarl of defiance, for now Murphy's courage had come back he was fronting flesh and blood. "Oh, stop preaohin' an' shoot an' be damned ter ye!" " "You do me a grave injustice, Murphy. Your slashing at me down in Glencaid hasn't left so much as a sting behind. It's completely blotted out, forgotten. I haven't the slightest desire to kill you, man; but I do want to clear my name cf the stain of that crime. I want you to tell the whole truth about that night's work at Bethune, and when you have done so, you can go. I'll never lay a finger on you; you can go where you please." "Bah! ye ain't got no proof agin me 'sides, the case is closed it can't be opened agin by law." "You devil! I'd be perfectly justified in killing you," exclaimed Hampton, savagely. Murphy stared at him stupidly, the cunning of incipient insanity in his eyes. "En whar do ye expect me ter say all this, pervidin', of course I wus fule 'nough. ter do it?" ft t - ' A y '. 1 7 "Hands Up!. Not a Move, Muhpryl I Have the Drop!" "Up yonder before Custer and the officers of the Seventh, when we get in." "They'd nab me likely." "Now, see here, you say it is impossible for them to touch you, because the case is closed legally. But I've had to suffer for your crime, Murphy, suffer for 15 years, ten of them behind stone walls; and there are others who have suffered with me. It has cost me love, home, all that a man holds dear. The very least you can do in ordinary decency is to speak the truth now. It will not hurt you, but it will lift me out of hell." "Well maybe I might. Anyhow, I'll go on with ye. Kin I sit up? I'm dog tired lyin' yere." "Unbuckle your belt, and throw that over first." "I'm damned if I will. Not in no Injun country." "I know it's tough," retorted Hampton, with exasperating coolness, his revolver's muzzle held steady; "but. just the same, it's got to be done, i know you far too well to take chances on your gun. So unlimber." "Oh, I guess not," and Murphy spat contemptuous. "Do ye think I'm afeard o' yer shootin'? Ye don't dare fer I'm no good ter ye dead." "You are perfectly right. You are quite a philosopher in your way. You would be no good to me dead. Murphy, but you might prove fully as valuable maimed. Now I'm playing this game to the limit, and that limit is just about reached. You unlimber before I count ten, you murderer, or I'll spoil both your hands!" The mocking, sardonic grin deserted Murphy's features. "Unlimber! It's the last call." With a snarl the scout unclasped his army belt, dropped it to the ground and sullenly kicked it over toward Hampton. "Now now you, you grayeyed devil, kin I sit up?" The other nodded. He had drawn the fangs of the wolf, and now that he no longer feared, a sudden, unexplainable feeling of sympathy took possession of him. Murphy sputtered and swore, but his victorious companion neither spoke nor moved. There were several distant smokes out to the northward now, evidently the answering signals of different bands of savages, while far away, beneath the shadow of the low bluffs bordering the stream, numerous black, moving dots began to show against the light brown background. Hampton, noticing that Murphv had stoDDd swearing to gaze-

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swung forward his field-glasses for a better view. "They are Indians, right enough," he said, at last. "Here, take a look. Murphy. I could count about 20 in that bunch and they are traveling north." The older man adjusted the tubes to his eyes and looked long and steadily at the party. "They seem to be a-closin' in," he deglared, finally, staring around into the other's face, all bravado gone. "There's anuther lot bucks, all o' 'em out west yonder an' over east a smudge is Just startin. Looks like we wus in a pocket an' thar' might be some har-raisin fore long." "Well, Murphy, you are the older hand at this business. What do you advise doing?" "Me? Why, push rlgkt 'long while we kin keep under cover. Then after dark trust ter bull luck an' mal.e 'nuther dash. It's mostly luck, anyhow. "You mean we should start now?" "Better let the cattle rest first. An if ye ever feed prisoners I'd like ter eat a bite mesilf." They rested there for over two hours, the tired horses contentedly munching the succulent grass of the coulee, their two masters scarcely exchanging a word. Murphy, after satisfying his appetite, rested flat upon his back, one arm flung over his eyes to protect them from the sun. At last they saddled up and passed down the coulee into the more precipitous depths of the narrow canyon. Their early advance was slow and cautious, as they never felt certain what hidden enemies might lurk behind the sharp corners of the winding defile, and they kept vigilant eyes

upon the serrated skyline, i he savages were moving north and so were they. It was fully three o'clock when they attained to the bank of the Powder, and crouched among the rocks to wait for the shades of night to shroud their further advance. Murphy climbed the bluff for a wider view, bearing Hampton's field-glasses slung across his shoulder, for the latter would not leave him alone with the horses. He returned finally to grunt out that there was nothing special in sight, except a shifting of those smoke signals to points farther north. Then they lay down again, Hampton smoking. Murphy either sleeping or pretending to sleep. And slowly the shadows of another black night swept down and shut them in. It must have been two hours later when they ventured forth. Silence and loneliness brooded everywhere, not so much as a breath of air stirring the leaves. Murphy continued tp lead, the light tread of his hor&e barely audible, Hampton pressing closely behind, revolver in hand, the two packhorses trailing in the rear. Midnight, and they pulled up amid the deeper gloom of a great, overhanging bluff, having numerous trees near its summit. There was the glow of a distant fire upon tbeir left, which reddened the sky, and reflected oddly on the edges of a vast cloud-mass rolling up threateningly from the west. Their horses stood with heads hanging wearily down, their sides rising and falling, and Hampton, rolling stiffly from the saddle, hastily loosened his girth. "They'll drop under us if we don't give them an hour or two," he said, quietly. "They're both dead beat." Murphy muttered something, incoherent and garnished with oaths, and the moment he succeeded in releasing the buckle, sank down limp at the very feet of his horse, rolling up into a queer ball. The other stared and took a step nearer. "What's the matter? Are you sick, Murphy?" "No tired don't want ter see thet thing agin." "What thing?" "Thet green, devlish, crawlin' face if ye must know!" And he twisted his long, ape-like arms across his eyes, lying curled up as a dog might. For a moment Hampton stood gazing down upon him, listening to his incoherent mutterings, his own face grave and sympathetic. Then he moved back and sat down. Suddenly the full conception of what this meant came to his mind the man had gone mad. The strained cord3 of that diseased brain had snapped in the presence of imagined terrors, and now all was chaos. The horror of It overwhelmed Hampton; not only did this unexpected denouement leave him utterly hopeless, but what was he to do with the fellow? They were in the very heart of the Indian country, the country of the savage Sioux. He stared at the curled-up man, now silent and breathing heavily as if asleep. If he only might light a pipe, or boil himself a cup of black coffee! Murphy never srirred; the horses were seemingly too weary to browse. Then Hampton nodded and sank into an uneasy doze. (To be continued.) Colombia's Great Commerce Kiver. The port of Barranquilla, Colombia, has a population of 50,000, is 17 miles up the Magdalena river from the At lantic coast, and owes its importance especially to being the terminus of j navigation of the Magdalena, the I great commercial artery of Colombia, j a river which is navigable for over 603 miles, and carrying on its waters; th? bulk of the trade of the country. Five river companies have headquar j ters in Barranquilla, and they operate! 36 steamboats and 43 barges, with a ; total tonnage of 10.6S9 tons. Steam-1 beats leave port for the interior prac j tically every day. The trip to Bogota, I the capital, takes between 10 and 20 ! d2ys, according to the condition of the ! river and weather. The return trip is made in between six and ten days.

NDMflA STATE NEWS

Crawfordsville. Ind., Aug. 5. Councilman Daniel Gilkey, of this city, has requested the naval authorities to give him one of two cannon balls now ia tho Brooklyn navy yard, which struck the battleship Ohio, commanded by Gilkey's uncle, Admiral Silas II. Strlngham. at Vera Cruz, during the Mexican war. Admiral Stringham wa n brother of Gilkey's mother. The cannon balls were highly prized by thi irte adm!ral. who kept them at Lis home in Brooklyn, N. Y.. till his death in lSiu. Only Two Good Mexican Shots. Then they pr.ssed to the care of rela 1 I tives, and recently were presented to j Admiral Joseph B. Ccgh'ian, eomman- j rtont of the Brooklyn navy yard. The two ball were shot by Mexican can- j ron as the Ohio was leading the boin- I bardment of Vera Cruz. The American j Hnd forces were commanded bv Gent oral Wintield T. Scott. General Scott and Admiral Stringham were standing side by side on the Ohio as the vessel sailed by the fortress San. Inan IVUlloa. guarding the entrance to the harbor. Admiral Stringhara prized the shots ns curiosities asserting that they were i the only two missiles fired by the Mexicans which went straight. Career of Admiral Stringham. They struck the wooden hull of the Ohio near where the admiral was stnndinsr. Admiral Stringham. before the Mexican war, saw service under Commander Rogers, in the President, in the affairs of the "Little Belt" and the "Belvedere." in 1S15, and he. was also under Decatur in the Avar of Algiers. He was a lieutenant on the Cyane when the first colonists were conveyed to Liberia. At the time of the war of the rebellion he was flag officer of the Atlantioblockadin squadron, his flagship being the Minnesota. He was made a rear admiral in 1S(J2 fnd placed on the retired list. GUILTY OF SHORT MEASURE Standard Oil Manager and Driver Plead That Way Pending an Injunction Suit. Indianapolis, Aug. 5. Notwithstanding the Standard Oil company filed suit to enjoin the city from enforcing the oulinance requiring inspection of measuring vessels in which it delivers oils, Rudolph Beaumont and Ell Abbott, local manager and driver, respectively, of one of its wagons, pleadel guilty to giving short measures and consented to pay fines. Both nen had been fined in the police court and had taken appeals to the criminal court, where the cases were set for trial. Saturday afternoon they appeared by attorney, -withdrew their pleas of not guilty and pleaded guilty to the charges. Their cash bond had been transferred to the custody of the circuit court when they appealed and it was returned, minus the amount of the fines and costs. State Bank Is Insolvent. P.rownsto.wn. Ind., Aug. 5. The People's State bank, of tills place, has closed its doors by order of the state auditor. The bank was found to be insolvent by examiners from the audi tor's office. The total liabilities, it is said, amount to: 33G.OOO, of which $240,000 is In deposits. The assets are given at $ar.6,000. but of this amount $70.000, it is alleged, is worthless paper. All the depositors will be paid In full. Goods Found on Him. Worthinirton, Ind., Aucr. T. Henry Winkle was arrested here by Mar shal Calvert, at the Commercial hotel, Hocused of robbing the store owned by Kruzan & Co.. at Brazil, on the night of the 20th alt., stealing several pairs of shoes. Some of the stolen goods were found in his possession. Winkle has been returned to Brazil for trial. His Color Was Yellow. Jasper, Ind., Aug. 5. Henry Rich ards, a well-known resident of tlm place, is dead of liver trouble, after an illness of a year. His case was pe culiar, as he had been almost as yel low as if he had been painted for near Iv a year, attracting the attention of everybody by his unusual color. Struck by a Freight Train. Martinsville, Ind., Aug. 5. Henry Lewis, a middle-aged man, was found dead, lying along the side tracks o the Vandalia, and It is supposed that he was struck by a freight train som3 time during the night Killed by His Favorite Horse. Vincennes. Ind., Aug. 5. "I'm kicked to jjeces." were Hiram Col grove's last words when his favorite buggy horse kicked in his breast and skull as he ppsed its stall. Colgrove wus 6S years eld. A WANT AD IN The Times Why? Because Results , have made the Times the want ad medium of the entire Calumet Region.. All want and barter and Exchange j -i :r: i aua aic iidasLucu -try one. j

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