Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-06-27
LONE HOLLOW:
Or, The Peril Of the PenroyS.
"A Thrilling and Romantic Story
Of Love and Adventure.
BY JAMES II. MERRILL, AUTHOR OF "BoGus
ElLL," FISHER JOE" AND
OTHER STORIES
3Copyri1h, 1889, by the Il. " Ksllogg Meas
paper COHspony1
CHAPTER XXX-coSr1~,-rn

CHAPTER XXX.-CoNrINUEp.
The house was gloomy, and the sound of
his feet sent cold chill over him.
he passed out and walked to the edge of
the gulch. little way off. The depths
were Swallowed and gloomy. Autumnal
frosts had changed the leaves to brown and
yellow In places, and the air that sighed
through the trees was chill and uncomfort-
able. There seemed premonition of an early
winter in it's breath.
While he stood there with the grim shad-
ows of the short afternoon lengtkenlng into
the gloom of night, Captain Starbright
thought of the past, of the year gone in
which his brain had schemed and plotted
Tor ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
1T IS more 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. l pretended to be the friend of his
idolized though cratic brother, and brought
him memento from the far-off land of
gold. l told how / had ministered to the
dying, and completely won old Morgan Van
dible's heart Karl, his youngest brother,
he idolized. He would have made him his
heir had he lived. This the old millionaire
told me in confidence. 1t seems that the
blow that sent Karl over the precipice In
the gold range did not kill
'My treachery might have been discov-
cred, for Karl VanGible lived, but he came
back from that fail a crazed being. sup
posed had nothing to fear, and yet he
recognized me that night in front of Lone
Hollow, when he fired with murderous in
tention. 1t is well that l made sure work
of the old man at last. The pool will never
yield up its secret 10 mortal man"
Tho mention of the pool seemed to affect
the Captain strongly.
He Strengthened suddenly and began
walking away from the edge of the gulch
Soon his form was lost to view IN the gath
ering gloom.
He gained position near the bank of the
cedar-fringed pool
How cold and forbidding looked the black
water. There was not a ripple on its sur
face, and the silence that rested over ev-
cry thing was oppressive.
An uncanny place" muttered the Cap
tain. "Much like tomb, indeed. No Sc
cret can come forth from thy depths, Old
pool. How much safer than the Callfor-
mia gulch. You reveal no secrets, that gulch
did"
Then he walked completely around the
pool, scanning the water from every point
1t was a solemn place, and the time one to
n
lone man who stood thoughtfully regarding
the calm water.
Swiftly the minutes passed.
Nights curtain dropped from tho skies
and wrapped its folds softly over bush, and
tree, and water.
Not a sound but the faint murmur Of the
evening breeze through gold-brown tree
tops. And Captain Starbright allowed his
thoughts full sway.
He had once been the pride Of a kind
mothers heart-his father he never knew,
and he recalled the time now when his
hands were free from stain, his soul unfair
nished by blood outlines.
Il have gone too far to retrace my steps
now," he cried aloud, as though holding
argument with his inner self.
1900 Jar!'
What was that2 An echo of his own
thoughts. His words had been lightly ut
tered. He trembled and gazed about him
in the shadows. The words were Tot re-
peated, but his eyes became riveted on one
spot on the further shore of the pool Slow
ly a human figure rose and stood facin g
him A glinmer of starlight touched the
face. 1t was CHASTITY white. There was a
rope about the neck, clinging stone, drip
ping wetl Starbright gazed in silent hor-
ror at his murdered victim. 1t was the face
of the dead man of the pooll The blood re-
coded from his heart, a deadly faintness
seized him. and, tossing uphis arms, Clinton
Starbright fell fainting to the groAnd.