Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-02

the dab1y cESsks. ana the rnsu treulbled SC that
he had 70 grasp the table 10 STEADY himself.
Mr. Dals:on Eot 4 man OF any inisglnas .i
and dreams never ZOE bIcd hin He mad entered
into a contract with nature for Sl>A' aoeI
sleep. and he CTudgeG ! minute R4'tn 70 lule
fancies but that night he c5lid not escape ron
the horror of nightmare. lie was hSCnteG by
the spectral image OF n terrible tISss LnEyukn
the portals sao chqnhe!s OF hla bra4h ne
went man hunt, tie pursueI threatening the
pursued with pistol until at last wltG ; WIG
scream the hunted creature ieH, shot IN tAt
back. DzIsJon wCke pwith G cry OF terror ta4t
seemed to him TO De the echo ~ the deSth wall,
and he crept in a state OF AFFECT alarn 10 the
cupboard TOR byanGy-tae resort OF tue coward
The vision had come 70 HIN as warning, q
mysterious fash from the inscrutable into the
veil OF The future, and 1.-The moment he soispnn-
~ resolved 20 let the wllI take its course. bu1
withthe daylight his rspactty assumed fuiI sway.
At his oaice he spent the morning IN scheInlhg
ont all possible plans Tor dePElvlng sidney
Blaine Of his rights. .,,,
At noon stranger sauntared into the CLERKS
room q thi.. wiry man, with saliow com
piexion high check bones, tmin firm ilps, ana a
pariicu larry hard look IL ms steel grey eyes
4 litter greeted his appearance, Which I Mas
rather singular in those Surroundings. HIS
hcadyear was a broad Drimmed vide aWaGe,
and ne was finished off in top boots, while MS
cOat WAS of deer SKIN.
Behold The last of the Mohicans, - remarked
one youth in an audible whisper.
''Es the boss ius'' demanded the stranger
who 4ge you?'' asked Henry, the messenger
why the Wild man of the woods, - inter
rupted the Factions clerk; don't you see us
us the boss in, cuss YER repeated the new
conner in sharp voice.
The chief slave driver. The boss OF this hog
pei Iii you mean Mr. ]. Midway DalstOn, he is
i'waI. reckon some of him II 60. Lead on;
and see here he continued, turning to the
clerks, with . sudden fierce sparkle IN hIs SySS,
''ef you don't shet some of you'h get baoly
hurt. -
Henry in 4 state of mingled delight and terror
at the manner OF this remarkable VISITOR, nGng
open the door Of The inner Office with shls auda-
Cious announcement:
"A gentleman curio from the circus, sir A
eh-regutar circussIan.'
Here. cit, cried the stranger and Henry
was fired out with what he considered to be I'M
due violence . >,
roared Ny. DalstoH. III that boy is injured
hereby make a claim upon YOU for damages.
''Go slow. old hoss. Your name 10 )alston-
money ter hand over He spoke cooliy, with
a draw and twang evidently exaggerated
MI. Dulstor eyed his visitor suspiciously'
then ne waved MIN to 4 seat.
Mr. Smooth directed you here. Did he give
you a letter."
Here ii is. -
Dalston slowly read the letter through: 81
see by this that my lawyer has informed you
fully upon the service you are required to full
fill
Il reckon mott
What S that! What is the nature of the SER
oval, it's n mighty easy way OF making
thousand dollars AS l understand, you want
me to deliver sealed letter to certain party
within twelve months from now.'
Mr.. Dalston looked At his man attentvey.
''ls that all?'
''"ai-lsn' I it?'
NO, SIR" growled the merchant. you
know very well 1t is not all ANY fool could de-
liver letter in twelve months-and you are not
~ guessed the sleek coon was PLAYING pos
som; had JACK, so to speak, up his sleeve.
There is something more?''
There is something more, and l will come to
it at once. want You 10 prevent this sydney
Blaine here mentioned from marrying my niece,
Miss Kate Dalston. -
~ knew it. The trail of the skirt is over us
all. Parceed, Colonel. to particklers.
M Dalston fairly chuckied to think how easy
il was to shape out 4 plan.
s.You must understand, my man, that by Mr..
Nicholson Will | am appointed guardian OF my
nlcce-and as l have good reason to understand
thai this Blaine IS rascal, it Is my duty to put
a step to his designs. You understand
Cert MY. You pay $1,000 to prevent man
bitcbino TO your niece. It's generous. but it
arn't reasonable. see here, how could old Texas
Nicholson appoint you guardian OF your own
ssYou are too - curious" clustered Dali
ston, falling from exultstion to annoyance.
He appointed me as executor, and as executor
l mus see tine Rlrl fairly treated Are YOU Will
ing to undertake the work.?
''Where is the gal?''
Never mind where she is. All you have to do
is TO find Blaine and to stick to him foi two
wears unless he marries before that time, or IS
killed You'll be paid as soon as he is settled.
The sooner he is settled, the BETTER he added
Rowe looked at the merchant keenly for some
moments; ,r..,...o,s ,,
And you agree?''
Mr. Daiston breathed a sigh of relief, and
smiled with satisfaction at his cunning.
shaking Ps;i his finger impressivey. u must warn
YOU that my son is in Zululand, and Will in
struct him to keep watch on you and Blaine
You nav conhde in him if you ind him trust
worthy, but he is TOO confident and rash to be
entrusted with any resp onslole part ne Knows
great cunning, ito see that you act fairly to
us ...r
act fair ter me. will be straight with you, and
l WON go back on my words
There ia one other matter | must mention
out OF consideration for your safety; shame is
q headstrOng and quarrelsome man; ne may use
i: That es encoGragin'; like that better EN-
ali rOu we SAID. -
lyon can shoot, suppose"
Wen that is good. Better be armed, you
know
They discussed money matters, then went
round 20 the shipping company and booked a
berth by the mail steamer leaving Tor south
Africa the following week.
When Rowe was alone curious expression
came into his face
1.-The old man was layln' me Ter sucker,
see reckon there's somethin' deeper, he told
me l remember about Dalston and Nicholson
being mighty thick at one time, when this yer
mao made mischief be- ween EN- He walked
along 10 the Strand. bordering over the matter
when he CHANGED to look up at Somerset House.
He turned in. as if on sudden impulse. and
maid a fee to glance at the last will and tesla
ment of John Nicholson.
AS he left that stately pile he chuckled to HIM
self saving: II ken see the galoot s
hand! Cob Rowe, yer must quit ahead of this
game
CHAPTER II.-RowE HAS SOME EXCITEMENT.
six weeks after the events recorded in the first
chapter Cob Rowe, mounted on white horse,
rode out of the famous little fort at Rorke' 9
Drift. where 4 few weeks before a handful of
British soldiers had held back thousand
lit will be dangerous ride, - said an officer
nj his side ''but if you must take that line,
keen sharp lookout, and beware of deserted
i've fit Injuns,'' replied Rowe, with his
eIagyerating twang assumed at times. and
guess they're more dangerous than these yer
~ have not fought Indians rem arked the
other drvly .'but l will guarantee that Zulu
will give you all your work 10 beat him, whether
at fichting or in bush cunning. Keep to the left
of that range of mountains-and look out for a
solitary peak some twelve miles from here
,r,,a1 ilarv