Los Angeles daily herald., 1885-12-20
CHAPTER V.

lime wore on.
Presently the chaiss and pair drove up
the postillioDs alighted to taxa their orders
4 from Stra.hmines He gave them in low
tone of voice. Curly could not distinguish a
word-hs saw the men, however, yoke Mac
Allister's horse in front of the other two
and he noted that they had saddlei and
ridled Deempster's horse. Then they sat
4 down and began to smoke their pipls.
What could it all msaOl
Half an hour later Mac Allister appeared
at the door, and spoxe in an under tons to
DseInpster, who gave further orders to the
po;illions, and then turning to his rival,
said in a curt, insoleIit mannsr: "Hil you.
r, step this way, and look alive about i.r
Curly paused moment, as who shou!
say. "Am | a man or a dog, to be thu ,
spoken TOT But after all, it is for her sasa,
for hersr' And so he entered the room To
his astoush nsIt she was not there. The
door clio Ell after him with a bang, and he
I found himself entrapped. He was CON
fronicd ON the one hand by MacAllister, on
he other by Deempster, both desperate
men, with loaded pistols in their hands. He
was prisoner, alone, uuarmed, defenselessi
There was a moments pause-then Mac
Allister handed to Deempster a sheet of
paper. on which few lines were hastily
scrawled
will it dor he inquired.
YES" responded tine other.
"Now, you SIR" said MacAIlister, "listen
10 what am about to say, and don't inter
rupt me. Fifty years ago, IL a fellow like
/ YOU"
Fellow me no fellows, SIR replied Curly,
Il am Campbell"
''CanDbe be d-1l They were aye a
! set Of thieving caterans, the best Of them,
but they we're men, not spangle-jacks, and
tell Gu that fifty years ego, had tie best o.
your blood done to a MacAllister what you
have done TO me and mine this day, my for
bears would have gwen him Je iburgh law
they'd have hanged him first, and tried lin
tfteri You're nos-wortn swinging for, else
I'd think no more Of shooting you than
wringing the neck Of a muir fowl"
"You are F.ora's father, sir, and for her
sake 1 endure those bitter words"
You'll endure mora before Eve donel
/ Now listen, If you We any regard for your
/ life, answer me clearly AMI quickly, and
above all truthfully. Yon demented girl
swears that you are her husband; that L
know to be a liel But she has been in your
charge two days and nights Have you
wronged herF
/ .If any other man had asked me the ques-
4 ton, / think shoall know how TO answer
I HIM. You are her father, and l forgive
4 you; but, as God is my judge, she is as pure
as when she # your roof two nights egof
And she is not your wifef
"Would TO heaven she wereln
Good. Now read this paper"
/ Curly took up the paper and read these
/ cruel words;
''Thess presents are to attest that F.cra
MacAllister Is not my wife; and l cali God
/ 20 witness that neither now nor hereafter
| will seek to become her hus band.
donald CAMPBELL
"Dudhope Ferry, May l2th, 1s-."
"You lave readr said MacAIlister
Curly asseuted in silence.
Nov; your answer
My answer is this,n sail the young man.
tearing the paper in pieces, and casting the
+ fragments to MS feet
Just So said MacAllister. ''Dan'l,
copy yon paper once more
/ Sirathmines locked the outer door. and,
putting the key In his pocket, began u
write. As he wrote, no a sound could lie
heard save the scribbling Of tie pen on the
paper
/ Whilo the OLD man locked the inner door
4 Curly looked through the window. II was
sInall-so sinai! that there was no possibility
/ OF c c1ps that way. No human being at-
[ peared within sight or sound. Thsn he
/ locked toward, the firsplac,. There lay the
/ poker, a primitive and unromantic weapon.
/ 1t is true; but II he could only reach i'll
( Quickly as he moved towards the hearth
stone MlcAlllster was quicker still, with
/ the pistol a. his head.
mo, you dol't my mannie,r said he,
gr.mly. as the paper done, Dan'lFT
'lt ia replied the other.
"Read it aIeui. then, that there may be
no mistake about itr Deempster read It
aloud. 1t was textually word for word
with tie document which Curly had do
stroysd. Now said MacAlIister, s'there's
my watch and he placed it on the table
Its now five-and-twenty minutes past
four; II at helf-past you've not signe1 that
paper, Iy the living God Ill chance this
worli and the next and put the contents Of
this pistol into your head the next minutel
The young man dartod towards the door.