Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-12-18

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<e4191 sld express myself in any other
l3a speech. But / was sick and
life, disguised with my sur
sIaiSk&a One day in conversation with
4A4kett be listened attentiyely to my ex
#H8eHshf dissatisfaction and my desire
1t1aa1ROme# other life. He had already
1lsstaIa n1eDf his occupation and his home
d Eafffhrnia and | had given him an epi-
II fnInaff sad experiences of my four years
~aHyenture. withholding however ny
a@AslAI Hkm and the Eames of my relatives.
AII&pHered me a home with him and a
Nma5Iable marriage if we could agree.
TInase ~dishonorable terms | accepted and
with him ! went west. 1t was understood
EiesKeen us, that for a while at least |
should keep up the delusion of speech.
This was a hobby of his and amused him
much, so | didn't object.
introduced to but four Of his acquaint-
ances and to those only of the rougher
sort, with just sufficient of homework to
occupy my attention | was falling into a
dreamy content, when ! heard the name
OF Jim Macleod, and became convinced
that my uncle was in the neighborhood.
At a dancing party | met him. Almost
the image Of my dead father as | re
membared him, only larger and stronger.
/ T ,j,1n.4 r,i,+,4j =, Ia ,,r,- -, no., ,r,I4,nt1
together. With gentlemanly concern he
found a seat for me and brought a glass
of water. Beckett's jealous eyes detected
or fancied he saw something wrong. and
his surly rejoinder to james MacT.eod's
kindly inquiries nearly precipitated a
quarrel.
"That night by dint of shrewd guesses,
cunningly devised questions and violent
threats, he succeeded in forcing from me
the true story of my earlier life and the
certainty that Macleod was my Uncle.
With a horrible oath, he threateded to kill
me if ever again spoke to Mac, or in any
way held any communication with him.
Warned ME to vigilantly keep up the de
ception | had been practicing. He liked
you and your appearance when you first
came along the road, but hated you when
he found out you We're a friend Of Mae
Cleods. From being a sober nan he
changed to a violent and continual drink
er, and regular habits gave place to erratie
actions.
q was glad enough to leave the woods,
and hoped the change would quiet him,
but it didn't; he chafed and swore, would
be absent for whole days at a time, for
which he would give no explanation. At
last he disappeared entirely. For months
| waited. and then out into the maddening
whirl | went again. Each step took 1ne
deeper into this hell on earth, till one
night in a revel of vilest character | met
him at Cheyenne. Broken down, vice
Scared and crime stained we came to-
gether to this place. Here tho sight Of
your face recalled the days OF his life IN
California and by piecemeal he told me
every tliiiS. I1S iateu YOU. hASN u oSS
troy you-again, and then when you knew
his hour had come, swore that you should
bear to Mac the bitter, burning story Of
my life It took but a moment to ex-
! plain to her that the person shot at with
the air-gun was a namesake Of mine in
the same company, and to enquire of her
why Beckett supposed l would repeat
his revelation to Macleod. "Did you not
see the pistol in the bed?'-'Tes'-.His
purpose was to compel you on Bonded
knees to swear by the most sacred Of
promises to reveal everything to Mac
Cleod.'-"But:"-She did not wait for the
question-"If you did not promise he in
tended to kill you"-"And you?'-Again
she prevented me from speaking. "The
bullet should never have reached YOU. My
mind was made up that his dying hand
should have ended my earthly career
Nov SIR she continued, lit is not as a
favor to me, but if you would be just and
kind to your old friend James Macleod,
never mention a word of this to him. Too
willingly l promised her, and she was
gone.
CHAHPTER XIV.