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22
THE AMERICAN LIBRARY.
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Tho rest of the story c.:tn be q~~iakly toltl. ger suapioiously. IIip sortlid lieart ~I~?!~oII- None w11o 1(11ew of the strnnper's tlepnrture
Bessict's identity \vns nnsily provvu, nnc1 ~ 1 a~clering
1 ~ the pro1):rl)le rt~unuuertrtion. 1 ~HII 1)ut- wc~ultl RII~II~HH 11-IU lost ill or1t3 of the
wns ol)licrt?d to n~)~)oint ir ~'l~:irdi:in to 11:~vtt Ilia cbytas 111lvi11g fnllt.11 on the well-tilled sod- tlc.cr11, snow-conoenled 1)recil)ic.t s on tho
legnl colitrol of -bur fort~iiic*. 1)r. l'it!r.son dle-lings, 1113 turnetl tactics.
mo~rn tein-side.
wnn t:l~osen to tlie trllst. 1n1t he tit!ltl it only " I tlt~n't ltnow, 1)nt st>t.iog you're willin:: It would 1)o 01r1y n knife-thrust, and then
n vcBar. Geralcl Cassirlv. rttrue~nl)rritlg tlltj I to l)ny well for my tro~~l~le, I 111ig11t tnku ye
nll wooid 1)o over.
brhve, 11nsellls11 nction ;)f Ut~ssie 11~1011' tl1:1t in." -
1~11111 Marlow kn~lt gloworin:: ovc!r his vioiiigl~t
\v11e11 he tlllllle so nt2:lr losing liis life, TI!tr tr:lrt.lt~r mna cl11ic.1; to re:itl ~llnt wlls tin^, liia 11cnrt steeled to p~rform tl~o deecl.
rould not 1)enr to ueo nnotl~c~r nlnrl o:ury OR' pas.-uig t111.ol1gl1 tlir 0111 UIIIII'A 111int1. IIe IIo tlrew a kcen, gliste~~~ng ~vet~l)o~r. Forn
sooll R prize nu his littlo benefnc-tress. So t~s11il)itt~tl n ft.w gold l,ic%t*va, whic-11 SI'I~IIII~~ to ~non~t>ut hu 11esit1~LetI. his ovil g(!nil~s still
tlioy mcrtt mnrrietl nt M~ss I'ttnt~lopr's vat- ~vorlr lilct. :1 P~I:~~III, for lit3 m:~sgr~~flly invitc3tl urging lli~r~ on. Wo~ild~lro listen to the bet-
~II~H. 111)on the n1111iver8111'y of thnt ii~n~io- to C-~>IIII~ ~~~sitlt~, lt~nving his ii11i1ni11 to 1)e ter dic?tntt!s of liiv const:lc?noe, or-rnblu
11ig11t. t:tkcn in tlrt. st:ll)lt: nntl ftxtl.
Tho Ilr~liL'lit tlick~retl fnintly, nntl lent :r
--- he+--
Idtuft alontr 1)y tilt? l)lnzi~~p hmrth, ~nntlt! gl~ostly nI)i~eer:u~ce to liig Ilert?~, deterniined
~nort* c+l~t~t~rfrrl I)y f~ilinrr on i~ good 1)tlrt of fncc.. Sl~tttlows dnncetl r111t1 lenpad nbout the
The Hand of Fate. tl1e o\vrlt.r'a s111)l)ly of \\'0011, ti10 strllllgl~l' roonl, tl19 wind songlled wiltlly, clespnirillgly
sor~gl~t to rt~stt~l.tr liis I ~r~i~~r~il~rd I;11~11lties. witl~out!
IIis R I I ~ ~ I I I I LIY~'I I ~ ~ o ~ of I I 111tr111ost
~ ~ ~ 11111nbltr It wns only it morntt~it-t11eslet'p;r entared
n tlotrprr ~lu~nber anel the murderer stood
tre1111)liug besidu\iin victem.
I t-st tIlinliivof food, whic.11 tlit~ f:rn~ialiecl~trrrv-
It wns n ooltl, stor~ny nigllt in I)e~-o1111)t~r,
hIrirdor !
without astnr viail1lt3 ill tl~tt aky.
IIow it uonntletl in his ttnrs, donfei~i~~g the
Thick, ctldying gu8trc of suow nntl a1t.t.t
noistr of tl~u t?lu~nrnts wtirring mitl~oat !
wore clriven I~ttrtr autl llit~~.t~, oovt.ring tl1t1 i11~1y 1)11ri~tl in t11o11*~11t.
l':1111 M:~r10wv tvns ct11inli11g the tretrs~~rt) he
gr'o~~ntl wit11 n white, 111.1v.y mantle. Tl~e ~:irlo VV, for SIII!II \Gis t11e 111ist1rIs III~~IIA, silt
~nelnucholy soi1g11 of tho wintl, :1s it wl~intlt~tl at :t tlisti~nc~r, silt-nt 1111rl g11jo111v. lit? nc!erllthrough
tile lentle~s 11r:lllt*llt~s, :11111 tho cliln, etl 1,rovokc~tl :~t tlrt. str:ingrr's ~ Itr11~io11, I yclt
ghostly outlines of tlio trues 111:idv the JC~~IIIJ tllt! esl,ec:ttttioll of n gt:~~t~rous rt~wvllrd 111011tt Thtt ~~ggregnto mntltr 111111 :I rit!li lnnn !
desolnit3 HII~ drmry.
1tcq)t 11ii11 in :i1)]1:irt>11 t got)(l IIIIIIIO~.
Sutltltrr~ly :t srn~rll 11otu-l)oolz, worn ruld tnt-
Altliough sut.11 nu uninviting night to tht: IItr w:ls it tl:~rkl~ ft.:ltrn.t~d III:III, 111oroso tt'rt*ti, ~lttrsctt'tl 11is nttirntint~. By the light
houioless w~u~dercr, n I~orae~~~liu, upon ti nn~l nilt~nt ; IBII~. to-11ig11t lliaryt2s glowt~tl wit11 fro111 tllu firu he was en:~l~led to rend its oonctonl-1)l:tck
steed, ~vns 1)nttlin:: liis way on- 11 pc?c:r~littr lire na Ibis g1:uic.tt tell 111)on Iii8 tall 1 R.
mnrd : l~~~id the XIIO W-diSiftv.
o0111p:1111011 UVthI1 n111t :llloll.
It wen :t ilinry s11(:1i 11s is oftt'n carried by
His form bntokeued 1ns111y strength nud At le11gt11 the str:~:~gt~r, e11vt~10 I P ~ in n trtlv~lt~rv. IIe tnrnt~tl the ]:ngtas el~riousl
euc1ur:luco. IIis eyes were dee1)-slat zlutl large fur ~nantlc, ?;trettul~rtl ~iilnar~b iilron tho over until 11e cnme to tilt? lnst entry, w11icE
piercing, nnA he wore n blnclr, wavy l~eorcl, roug11 l)l:~r~lc~ to rwt. A xtrtitl~~t. clrr~w*inrna was tloted t11tr t111y I~efort, :
mhioh, as tbe win11 1)ruslietl roughly 1mst lind ort?rtnlten 11irn and 11t?placfi~ rclincluis11- " 1)i~. 18.-I hnvci ctt Inst renclietl U-
I~im. st?e~necl white nntl c~aetl. covered wit11 ed 11in1st.lf to slt,:*p's t:ti~l~r~ic.s.
t111t1 nrn sto])])i~~g fit tl~t) v11I:~ge tnvern. TOits
ti~iok sl~rinltliug of snow..
I'nul Mnrlow :rb 1:~at followt~tl liis t~s:ra~l)lt~, nor row I cx]~t*t*t to svt out 011 niy jol~rney
" 1,;night lievu )uL off tl~is 1)cuetly jour- nnd lay in :~])l)nrer~t ~lu~i~l~t~r; 11ut instnltl of to tl~u csnl)i~~ \vli11*11 mils oilc2ct ' tiolnu ' lo me.
ney 110 rnnttvec!, ;' ~vor~ I not so i~ul~n- sleel~ing he W:IS 1)usilv tlii~rki~~g-tl~i~~lci~~g of My l~rotl~rr, 111:1s! if I c ~ l)t~lit!ve u ~ mhnt I
tiedt to ~neut h111i fro111 ~ hom I 11nve 1)een the strnngt. past nndits fnirer " n~iglit 111lve li~.iv, i~i~ot wlint 1 lint1 I1o11ctl to ilntl 11imsepnrnted
so long. Cau it 1)o possible thnt I l>e~11."
tlre R~III~! ~I~UR~OIIY, ki~~tl-I~t~irl'tt~cl lnnn of
llnve ~nistnkeu the rotrd I once knew so IIe mns n ~1ianp1)oirltpt1 ~nnn in lifll. Tllis yoltn. IIt*nver~ grliut tl~nt iL is not true, nntl
well 1"
he c*oold not tleny, ~1111 111s 11t~nrt frlt bitter t11:tt lit) IIIII~ still lint to slinre thtj wenlth
Iu vain 11e noered nnxiounls iuto the dnrk- ngningt nll 1111tnkint1 11s lie lny 1)ondering rn11ic.li 1 I~trvtt ut. lrngtl~ uut~c~rrdcvl ill cnrning.
ness beyond.-
ovtar tlie peat.
I v11:~ll not 11in1t~ 111yh(.lP ~CIIOIVII for 11 ti~ne,
No friendly lninp inviting oheorful shelterq Long ngo-horn ntbll lit.remc~1111)ert.d it-lie ~intil I l~trro nl)r~it 11 wl~ile ill 111s c+olnpany.
weloo~iietl liiui or told tt~nt tlio dnv's.io~~rrrev
- - n-nu a linppy, frolic!lcsonie I)oy, cureless of rIllen---" t [Tlie rcr~nnintlrr WII~ illtpil)le.]
mils nenring its close.
l~enrtni~tl unr~iindful of the fr~iura. IJpon rt~ndi~~:: ~ ~ I ~ few A H H 11111~rc 111~ ~nise~~g~ve
At leugt11 the horseman bet3nmo nmnre Tl~e~i he rrcnl11.d one who hncl grown 111) to vent to a cry of nnguinl~. IIt>cluiclcly tnrned
that his steed mns failing. The long, wrnry innrihootl with hi111 nwny ant in the wilder- over to the titla-l~itgt~, nntl tlisc!ernecl the
jourud through tho suow mns telliug upon uess. EIe reonlled to mint1 11om tlitrt 11ro(11er ow~~or's signntnre in tl~o (1i1n flreligl~t.
his encLrnnce.
wenried of the dull 11onie-life and trnxious td. Grrnt lrt*avtr~~! Co111d 11e believe his eyes 't
All dsy loug hnd tho black steed nud its see the world, hiid disn1)l)enrt~B one briglit Thertt wns the llnmrt of one lle llad loved n~id
rider battled rnnufully onwnrd through the dny in ~U~IIIIIII nntl never returned. hoped for, tl~u co~nl)nnion of his every
wind nud storm. Now the latter sought After tltnt separntion I'n~il Mnrlow l~nd tl~ougllt for thirty long years-Philip Mnrtourge
11im on witli kiud words, but wna settled into 11 slon., morrotor~o~~s rxistrnc:e. low !
nbout to despair himself, when he beheld iu As the years rolled on hestill livrtl, fondly Ytnggeriug townril tl~tt innnimattr form, lie
the fnr distnriae thelight of n friendly lamp. hopiug that the l)rotl~er of his youth would peered into tile tl(~11ti III:LII'H fn(*e. The nwful
With reuewed vigor tlie llorae moved on- sonie dny returu, briugiug with him wenltl~ truth was too al~ynrt~nt ns he gnzod upon
mnrd, nnd 1)eforo loua hnlted iu the midst of nnd the old love tlint had once bound the111 tl~ose now fumililr~', t11o11gll IIIII~~I al~nnged
n wide clearing. -
to ether.
fentures whiel~ ~ue~uory tytlled 1)nck !
Before them stood n logcnl)in, built in the ghirty yenrs-thirty long, wenry yenrs- Wit11 o11o lond, pit1rc111g cry of ngolly
most primitive styleof frontier nrchitecture. nud Pnul Mnrlow mas no longer the snme I'nul Mnrlow flung lii1118c~lf beside the bloodyet
tlio weary triveler never beheld a mord nlnn ns of yore. IIis faith in ~nnnkii~d wt~s staiuclrl form of liis vic-till].
oheering, hopeful ai lit.
smnll, his hopes for the f~tt~tre 1)lastetl. Lonilf~l)ovv tllv r~oist) of tho mind nnd
Here mns hull, nu8sl1elter nt lnst, nnd the Like ninny nuotl~er of 11i~ kind, liis ~nisnn- stor111 rose tllat last, ngoriizing cry, :rud
very spot he mns seeking-the objebt of 11is thropy deepeued dn I)y (lay 11s he bucnu~e mitli it the ~nnrdt~ror's I~nunted, rrilty spirit
per~lous journey.
older, nut1 he ti~n~~lr({ to \vo~~al~ip the deity seeu~rti to fly fort11 on its cternnkvoytrge !
IIe sl)rIiug from hissnrldle and nppronched which brinlrs ~nnn h~s 80-culled I~nppiucss- It wns tlie lnst oortl wliicl~ hncl srrnpped
the onbiu, his stoed stnndiug rnot~onless by. gold! ~ri&t, bl~iniug gold nntl endless nsunder, tlntl Pnul Blcrrlow, lyiug npon the
For n minute he r)nused, anziua nt the sar- nenlth! How his ht~cirt ytAnrnec1 for th~~t blood-etniuetl floor, h,:d rejoined in cloath
ronndinge, ne thbrrgl~ piit ~utt~~iories were whiall 110 seenlet1 never de~tinf'd to own. the brotliur wlio was come nt litst!"
floaltine un I~eiore II~III-denr. distant III~IU- "Never? Ant1 why not l"
ories of-foi.aotten soenes, which the sight of
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Pnul hfnrlom 11nd often naketl liinisolf tliis
thls clenr old enbin cnllecl 1)nck ngnin rlneaton, HII~ 1101~ 118 ht~nrd :I voioe repeat-
EIe ltesitnteil oulv for n minute, nntl theti iug it to him witli trrrillle distiucatri~ss. $5,000 Reward.
rn )ped at the tloof.
At tlio same ~ninute 11e rnise~l liin~self upon
&here wns n sligl~t stirring within, as if his ell)ow null glnucetl townrd the a1eol)ing
some one was sli~~llling nt:lsoss tlie 11oor. strnnger.
Tllttn thtt door was thrown wide open, emit- IInd he not shown gold? Srlrclv he 1n11st
tint :r strtrnrn of lirrl~t ul)oil the sc~ne-tho havo wore n1)out Iii~li:
tnli; sr~ow-eoveretl"strn~ige~- nr~d tho black IIis cye ft~ll ul)on tlie sritltllt~-1)ngs t11nL lny '' IInlloo, old fellow! Whnt's the mntter?
stot.11 stnutline* in tli~ l)nt?kgro~nd. so closu l~t~aiitr 111111, seernir~g to invite llim to You look ns tho~rgh you'd lost your last
WIIO'S t~lSe, nnt~ w1111t t17yo \vnnt exn~nine thrir cSontents. -
fri~~ntl or your lost dollnr. Whicl! is it ?"
&I tnll, grav-l~nirtxl 0111 II~RII stood 011 tl~o Slowly, ns our:nlio was ilet.idrd 11ow to nc?t, This lvns Fret1 Slntrltz's snlilttrtlou ns lie
tlrreal~oltl. he wns thin nl~nost to elnnri:1- tll~ 111irju1' ~r:i~vlt~(l over thtt IIII~VOII iloor dropped illto tl~u ol~ess-room of the Hotel
tion, trntl his ferrc~ty c3yt1s g1r:rrnetl angrily until lit? felt tllrln iu his c.111tt-11.
Alb~on, wh(*re Courntl Hnnclnll wns senkt1 in
nt liis lntu visitor, wlio replied to 11iv The ownt1r, ezl~uavtecl, slol~t trrr~rclnilly a very tlrspo~idt~nt nttitndo. There wnn no
tlot!ry :
nn. ..-..
?nt? else there just then, for it wns the 1)ntll-
"A t~~nvelor c!nug!~t in the ~torrn, who Wit11 nervous lingers tllv fnstening~ mere lug-llour, rind t h 110t~1 ~ mns oompnrntively
ornves l:hristu!f uhnr~ty nnd sheltor for liim- unclone.
dest~rtetl.
self nr~il IIHRH~.
Tllrr thief, urged on by the te~nptn., pnll- "It's ~r~oney, B'red," wne tho reply. "It's
The11 ill tr ft:w mortlsl~t~rolntetl 11ow hi? 11nd t.cl out st~vernl - pnckazes, .. then 11. small but nlwnys Inonry wit11 ~ne. it seems. I've made
ntten~r)tc!tl to ronc:h It---. tile ~~oxt sett1t:- iirnvy 1)ng.
a fool of rx~yself ngniu."
mot~t,'l~nt wns ovt?rtnlten 1 )~ tlio storm. Ho IIis soul neetlch no prom~tings to tell him " IIor~tls 1''
nns ir~tt!~.rupt~tl 1)y the grtiff voictr : thnt it wns gold. (:old, thnt lie wns so enr- It No-stock. I bought five tllousnud shnres
" A flg for our ('hristian tbh:rrity ! It's all nestly seeking for, nnd thth otl~~r ~)ncl~ngcs of ('ol~per Bull-put my lnst dollnr in it nt
IIU~IIII~. 1 KnvHn't root11 for ye. nnc~ rv1i:lt*s c.o~~tnint~d 1)nnk-notes, tiglltly coveretl with n Poster's recommeudat~o~~, rind it's going
more, I clnn't wnnt ye. Trnvrl OII,, to the wntt~r-proof bag. lie palled one of tllom out 1 down to the very lnst notc~l~."
l~ert ~)lncct; thctt's 1111 I'VH got to ~ny. and enlv tilt! dsnominntion-o~ita 11undrtvl. Fred gnve n prolonged whistle.
'' T~oolc liere, IIIY f~.iencl," snicl thustraugtir, The stmugor slept on, 1111mindf11l of the "That's bad!" he snid, syrnpntheticnlly.
" if tlioro fs 110 olrnrity ill yollr heart, rvhot terrible thought ~ervndiug the mieer's "Can't you rnannge to hold on, somecSnn
yon clo for nloney? I nssure 011 I cnn brnin.
hyv ?"
pny you, nnd right htrndso~nely, for n plnce And why riot 1 not nll tl~is tronsuro No," mns the gloomy response. "I've
nt your fireside nnd shelter for my horse." his and the owner ly~ug belieat11 the et1ow. just hnd n telegrnm from my broker onlling
For n ~ninute the old man oyed the stran. his steed turned loose to waudor in the night? for more margin. The whole stock mill be