The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-07-11

bne youngest OF us TO lame With indignation.
Happily, however, it was lost npon Jack
do not think he even heard it. His hand
some, colorleSs face-albeit trihe worn and
thoughtful-was inscrutabe. Only once, dur
ing the singing of hymn at a certain note
in the contralto's voice, there crept into his
dark eyes look of wistful tenderness, so
yearnng and yet 50 hopeless that those
who were watching him felt their own glisten.
Yet l retain a very vivid remembrance of
his standing up to receive the benediction,
with the suggestion in his manner and tight
ly buttoned coat, of taking the fire of his
adversary at ten PAGES. After church he
disappeared as quietly as he had entered,
and fortunately escaped hearing the COM
ments on his rash act. His appearance was
generally considered as an impertinence-
attributable only to some wanton fancy-or
possibly bet One or two thought that the
sexton was exceedingly remss in not turning
him out after discovering who he was; and
prominent pew-holder remarked that if he
couldn't take his wife and daughters 10 that
church without exposing them to such an
influence, he would try to find some church
where he could. Another traced Mr.. Oak
bursts presence to certain Broard Church
| tendencies, which he regretted to say he had
| lately noted in their Pastor. Deacon Sawyer,
| whose delicately organized. sickly wife had
| already borne him eleven children and died
| in an ambitious attempt to complete the
dozen, avowed that the presence of person
| OF MIR. OakhurSts various and indscriminate
| gallantries, was an insult to the memory
| of the deceased, that, as man, he could
| not brook.
| 1t was about this time that Mr.. Oakhurst.
| contrasting himself with conventional world
| in which he had hitherto rarely mingled, be-
| came aware that there was something in his
face, figure and carriage, quite unlike other
men-something that if it did not betray his
| former career at least showed an indvidu
aIity and originality that was quite suspicious,
| In this belief he shaved off his long. silken
moustache, and regiously brushed out his
| clustering curls every morning. He even
| went SO tar as to affect negligence of dress
and hid bis small. slim, arched feet in the
| largest and heaviest walking Shoes There is
a story told that he went to his tailor in Sac
ramento. and asked him to make him suit
| of clothes like everybody else. The tailor,
| familiar with Mr.. Oakhurst's fastidiousness,
| did not know what he meant. IT maan,''
said Mr.. Oakhurst savaeely, ''something re-
| Notwithstanding that doesn't exactly fit
| me YOU know.'' But however Mr.. Oakhurst
might hide his shapely limbs in homespuh
and homemade garments, there was some
| thing in his carriage, something in the pose
of his beautiful head, something in the strong
and fine manlness of his presence, some-
| thing in the perfect and utter discipline aud
| control of his muscles, something in the high
| repose of his nature--a repose not so much
| matter of intellectual ruling as of his very
nature-that 60 where he would and with
whom, be was always a notable man in ten
| thousand. Perhaps this was never so clearly
| intimated to Mr.. Oakhurst as when, embold
.ened by Mr.. Hamilton's advice and assist
ance and his own predictions, he became
| San Francisco broker. Even before objec-
| ton was made to his presence in the Board
| the objection, | remember, was urged very
eloquently by Watt Sanders, who was sup
| posed to be the inventor of the ''freezing
OUT system of disposing of poor stock-hold-
ers, and who also enjoyed the reputation of
| having been the impelling cause of Briggs of
| Tuolumne's ruin and suicide-e even before
| this formal protest of responsibility against
| lawlessness, the aquiine suggestions of Mr..
| Oakhurst's mien and countenance, not only
| prematurey futtered the pigeons, but alb
| solutely occasioned much uneasiness among
the fish-hawks, who circled below him with
| their booty. 'Dash me!-but he's as likely
to go after us as anybody said Joe Field
| ing.
1t wanted but few DAYS before the close
of the brief Summer season at San Isabel
| Warm Springs. Already there had been
some migration of the more fashionable, and
there was an uncomfortable suggestion of
dregs and lees in the social life that re-
NAMED Mr.. Oakhurst was moodv--it was
limited that even the secure reputation of
Mrs. Decker could no longer protect her from
the oossip which his nresence evcte5 If Is
| but fair to her to say that during the last
J few weeks of this irving ordeal she looked
/ like a sweet pale martyr and conducted her
| self toward her traducers with the gentle. for
| giving manner of one who relied not upon
| the idle homage of the crowd. but upon the
security OF principle that was dearer than
| popular favor. ''T'hey talk about myself
| and Mr. Oakhu1st, nv DEAR, She said to
| friend, "but heaven and my husband can
best answer their calumny. 1t never shall
be said that my husband ever turned his
| back upou friend in the moment of his adj
versity because the position was changed,
| because his friend was poor and he was
| Itch" This was the first intimation to the
public that Jack had lost money, although
1t was known generally that the Deckers
had lately bought some valuable property
| in San Francisco.
A few evenings after this an incident oc-
Cured which seemed to unpeasantly dis
cord with the general social harmony that
had always existed at San Isabel. il was
at dinner, and Mr.. Oakhurst and Mr.. Hamil-
| ton, who sal together at a separate table
were observed TO rise in some agitation.
| When thew reached the hall Inv , Common
instinct they stepped into a little breakfast-
room which was vacant and closed the door
Then Mr.. Hamilton turned with a half.
/ amused, half.serious smile. toward his friend
and said:
IF we are to quarrel. Jack Oalsburst-
| you and lin the name of ali that is rdicu-
| lous, don't let it be about a-p,
| l do not know what was the enitbet in
tended. 1t was either unspoken or lost
| For at that very instant Mr.. 0akburst raised
| q xv;pa frlos, o,J loar.ol
Hamilton's face.
AS they faced each other the men seemed
TO have changed natures. Mr.. Oallburst was
| trembling with excitement and tbe vino.
| glass that he returned to the table shiyered
between his fingers. Mr.. Hamilton stood
there, gravish White. erect and drinnino
After a pause he said. coldIv: pis'
$50 be it. But remember orr ouarrel
commences here. If 1 fall by vour hand va,
shall not use it to clear her character: if Won
fall by mine you shall not be called mar
tyr. L am sorry it has come to tbis Int
amen 1.-The sooner now the better.n
He turned proudly, dropped his lids over
his cold steel-blue eyes as if sheathing a
rapier, bowed, and passed eoldly out.
They met twelve hours later in a little
hollow two miles from the hotel ON the
| Stoctop road NJ noI-L,,.z.