The Red Cloud chief., 1889-05-17
HOLLOW
Or, The Peril Of the Psnroys.
Il Thrilling and Romantic Story
OF Love and Adventure
~ JANIS n. MERRIIL, AUTHOR OF "BO0Ui
BILL" "FISHER JOE" MI
OTHER STORIES.
lC1pyrtghk, 1855, BY Ms A. n. Kellogg Es0s
pepper C0SpGaH.1


ICVQyr10nSs ITS, ~ ne a. N. Aett0g0 AeOe
Pepper Cossp0sp.1
CHAPTER XXX-COnr1xuED.
The house was gloomy. and the sound Of
his feet sent Q cold chill over him.
He passed out and walked to the edge Of
tie gulch. . little way OF. The depths
were Swallowed and gloomy. Autumnal
frosts had changed the leaves to brown and
yellow in places, and tho air that sighed
through the trees was chill and uncomfort-
1hle. There seemed premonition Of an early
winter in its breath.
While he stood there with the grim shad-
ows Of the short afternoon frightening into
the gloom Of night, Captain Starbright
thought Of the past, of the year gone in
which his brain had schemed and plotted
1er selfaggrandizeme1t.
sit is moro than two years now since /
struck the first blow for the Vandible mill
ion amid the hills Of California" he NUT
tered, ~inaudibly, while his thoughts ran ON.
then came the sudden death Of the
other. and my coming to Lone hollow to
win the friendship of an easily -duped old
man. I pretended to be the friend Of his
idolized though erratic brother, and brought
him . mement0 from the far-of land of
gold. told how ! had ministered 10 the
dying, and completely won old Morgan Van.
dible's heart Karl, his youngest brother,
no idolized. He would have made him his
their had he lived. This the old millionaire
told mo In confidence. Il seems that the
baow that sent Karl over the precpice IN
the gold range did not kiil.
my ~treachery might have been discov-
: sred, for Kari Vandible lived, but he came
rack from that fall . crazed being. sup
. eosedI had nothing to fear. and yet be
: Hollow, when he fired with murderous in
teotisa. Its well that I made sure work
: II the old man at last Tho pool will never
,yiead up its secret to mortal man"
The mention Of the pool seemed 20 sfect
the Captain strongly.
He Strengthened suddenly and began
walking away from the edge Of the gulch.
Soon his form wa lost to view in the gath
-sring gloom.
he gained . position near the bank Of tho
oedar-fringed pool
How cold and ~forbidding looked the black
water. There was not . ripple ON its sur
lace, and the silence that rested over ev-
cry thing was oppressive.
An uncanny place" muttered the Cap
tain. 'sMuch like . tomb, indeed. No 90
cres can come forth from thy depths. old
pool how much safer than the Califor-
mia gulch. You reveal no secrets, that gulch
did"
Then he walked completely around the
pool, scanning the water from every point
Il was Q solemn place, and the time one to
bring gloomy thoughts 10 the brain Of the
lone man who stood t~houghtfully regarding
!Ah0 calm water.
Swiftly the minutes passed.
Nights curtain dropped from the skies
and wrapped its folds softly over bush. and
tres, and water.
Not Q sound but the faint murmur Of the
evening breeze through goid-brown tree
tops And Captain Stsrbright allowed his
sthouxhts full sway.
He had once been the pride Of . kind
,mother's heart-his father he never knew,
and he recalled the time now when hts
hands were free from stain, his soul unfair
nished by blood outlines.
II have gone too far 70 retrace my steps
now" he cried aloud, . though holding
argumentw with his inner sell.
Hz6o farr'
What was that An b of his own
thoughtsi His words had been lightly ut
tered. He trembled and ga.ed about him
In the shadows. The words were cot 10
peated, but his eyes became riveted on one
spot ON the further shore Of the pool Slow
" Q human figure rose and stood facing
6im. A glimmer OF starlight touched the
fAca IL wa ghastly white. There was .
o D about the neck, . clinging stone. drip
ming wet! Starlight gased in silent hor-
ror athis murdered victim. It was the face
Of tho dead man Of the pooli The blood re-
coded from his heart, . deadly faintuess
seised him. and, tossing uphis arms, Clinton
8taEbright fell fainting to the ground.
CHAPTER XXX.
CAUGHT IN rHE Acf.
"Found ct last"
Impenetrable gloom surrounded the por-
con who uttered these words, save for the
snail circle Of light made BY . strong
smelling tallow dip. that suffered and
threatened to 60 out ct any moment-
Weird shadows danced along the rafters
~d played hide and seek among queer
littae hooks. A young man knelt on the
rou9h boards of the garnet at Lone Hollow,
vit6 m old, battered. h~nirooveEed trunk
mnen before him. That which broughtfrom
~ lins tho words opening this chapter he
- M 70 the light IN his hsnd-s folded
M document yellow with aga tied with
rod tapa 49,,
mener red o. one side theee Woros:
SIast Win end testament q Morgan van
x6sh1An