CHAPTER XVIII


THE TREACHERY OF H. FISBEE

An Indiana town may lie asleep a long time, but there always comes a day
when it wakes up; and Plattville had wakened in August when the "Herald"
became a daily and Eph Watts struck oil. It was then that history began to
be made. The "Herald" printed News, and the paper was sold every morning
at stands in all the towns in that section of the State. Its circulation
tripled. Parker talked of new presses; two men were added to his staff,
and a reporter was brought from Rouen to join Mr. Fisbee. The "Herald"
boomed the oil-field; people swarmed into town; the hotel was crowded;
strangers became no sensation whatever. A capitalist bought the whole
north side of the Square to erect new stores, and the Carlow Bank began
the construction of a new bank building of Bedford stone on Main Street.
Then it was whispered, next affirmed, that the "Herald" had succeeded in
another of its enterprises, and Main Street was to be asphalted. That was
the end of the "old days" of Plattville.

There was a man who had laid the foundation upon which the new Plattville
was to be built; he who, through the quiet labor of years, had stamped his
spirit upon the people, as their own was stamped upon him; but he lay sick
in his friend's house and did not care. One day Meredith found him propped
up in bed, reading a letter--reading it listlessly, and with a dull eye.

"PLATTVILLE, _September 1st_.

"_Dear Mr. Harkless_: Yours of the 30th received. Every one here is very