The Red Cloud chief., 1889-04-12

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The fsce q The window W. not . pleas
ant oae. Fingal bad ven and recognized il
q that Of the strange nan, Don Benito.
One instant only il remained II The window,
then disappeared in the crowd.
Captain Starbright stood staring like %
bereft OF sense
HE 10 gone"
"Gone." answered Fin9al "who va
hF'
"How should I knowi"
III you do not, your sections belle your
words" declared Finsal, grimly. ITO mo
he seemed like . madman."
HE = MADAM escaped lunatic,"
breathed The Captain, gladly catching ~
. loophOle Of escape. He ought 70 b
secured It once"
"You will offer Q reward for his capt
uroe"
Captain Starlight however, now that be
was out from under the magnetism OF
Louis Fingal's presence, fastened TO
separate himself from that individual, In
wardly vowing, however, 70 learn more OF
the hunter in the future, and il need be TO
crush him.
Before Fingal could finish his sentence
the Captain had passed swiftly from the
room, aud was around the corner Z .
fash.
"You can't escape me tina; way. you VIII
lain," muttered the youth, who seemed
| Captain Starbright
Quickly Fingal passed out to watch the
movements Of the Captain. He glanced
keeLiy up and down the cross street down
which Starbright had turned, but that in
| 1,,,Jrul ~vas pn,yhepo Tn M Seen.
"ConSOund it," muttered the young
hunter, "'hc seems TO have given me the slip.
Clinton Starbright is like an eel, when you
put your finger on him he isn't there. l
\ imagine had him completely under the in
fauence Of the drug, but it seems hat the
cigar was not - heavily charged rs l
imagined. / was foolish TO permit hum to
! escape. should, in justice TO all con-
| cerned, have placed him under arrest
And vet such Q move might block the
game entirely, and prevent the ends OF
justice.
no, I must permit the Captain full swing
for . little longer. The face Ut Don BenitO
has startled the Captain, and that certainly
means something. I might be able 70 guess
the ruth had the queer old fellow COM
| pleted the story he was once telling. He
seemed sane enough then; he Il 1t times,
| and but for an interruption ] should have
known all. However, danger menaccs Don
Benito and I must avert 1t il possible"
In the meantime the Captain turned
down the nearest alley, crossed . block. and
thence passed down . narrow street ~ the
| stable where he had sheltered his horses.
He seemed 70 think that It would Be time
lost in searching for Don Benito in the city,
since he ordered his animals 1t once and
was soon riding swiftly out Of the city.
He was not long in crossing the ten mile
stretch To Lone Hollow. He passed into
the house, 70 his own room, without disturb
ing the inmates, seeming regardless Of the
fact that Mrs. Penroy had once ordered him
TO depart from Lone Hollow and never TO
return. A. he paced the floor he muttered:
"The clements Of danger thickcn- The
man I left for dead IN Caifornla still lives,
although I believe him To bs insane. What
| Of thatl He saved Laura Joyce from my
hand last night. There's method in his
madness. He seems 70 recognize me, and
| while he lives tho danger - doubled. He
must not live. l have gone too far 70 turn
back now.
IL have entered the race and must con-
tinue to the end. Tho end! What ID il
destined to bel Success or faiiure! A bold
heart and strong hand will make il the
former. Ipossess both. il I do not permit
my nerves to b unstrung NJ the outset.
"Mrs. Penroy threatens, TOO. Confound
the sex. will never trust . woman again,
never. They are I'll treschercus. That will.
The loss Of that precious paper has doomed
me 10 much trouble"
He turned 70 . ANAL cupboard and drew
forth . flask. He placed this to his lips
.-s~n 49, that - Nhn
pure stuff," 10 finally CALCULATED "That
gives me strength, and nerves me to the
work in hand"
Trusting the flask in an inner pocket he
passed from tho room and the house. He
did not 10 toward the road. but walked
around the mansion and disappeared in the
woods Mt the foot OF the hollow.
An old man stood On the verge OF Hang
mans Gulch in the twilight tall and
slender, with long beard and hair Of silver.
He presented q patsiarchal appearance as
he stood leaning lightly on . staR Of native
wood, and gszed with eagle eye over the
scene.
"The DOge has sent for NC. There is "a
be some reconciliation" muttcred the old
man. IL am glad Of that ItaW him at
the tavern and he seemed gentle ~ . lamb
IL 10 well. II he gentle maid Wa only
here I might scnd . message by her"
He paused. The sound Of . step attracted
his notice. He turned, lifted his stan, but
wa too lats to avoid the blow that fell with
the swif,ness Of lightning. In Z silent
heap the old man Of the gulch lay ct the
roots Of Q tree. A stout club in the hands
of one OF the twins had done the work.
Strong arms lifted the silent form and
bore il into the thick woods.
A third person followed the twins - they
entered the shadows OF the wood. I" can not
trust the rascals." muttercd Captain Star.
bright, - he glided swiftly after the twin
Assasslns.
The two men, with their helpless burden,
paused ut last beside . ANAL pool some
rods in extent the waters Of which were
Swallowed by . thick growth OF ccdars. Tho
ground was swampy about the little lake,
and y solemn stiffness seemed . part Of the
situation.
As tho twins deposited their burden on
the ground near the edge Of the water, tho
third person passed quickly forward and
stood before them.
"Eh, Cap'n, you hcrea"
~ am" answered Captain StarbriGht,
grimly. IL want no deception his time"
Deception. Maybe you think"
at doesn't matter. Let the past So" in
terrupted the Captain.
Then he ben and examined tho clothing
OF the murdered old man.
An speculation Of disappointment fell
from his lips. He thought perhaps TO nnd
valuable papcra, n in this he was sorely
disappointed 1t might be that he thought
the missing will wss on tho person Of the
dead. IL was not. however. and hence the
discontinue Of the wicked schemer.
o. A IL A-saa- -,.l.s.A