Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-12-17
half paralyzed arm of Flint and dragged


as he was borne along, "what does it all
mean, what made that man attack me?"
81 reckon it was a case of shooting on
sight, Mr.. Fowler; but he missed 1t by
not waiting to see if you were armed. 1t
wasn't the square thing, and you're all
right with the crowd now, whatever he
mi ght have agin you"
But" protested the unhappy Flint, L
never laid eyes ON the man before, and my
name isn't Fowler"
Flynn halted, and dragged him in a
doorway, who are you?' he asked
roughly. Briefly, passionately, almost
Historically, Flint told his scant story.
An ODD expression came over, the gambler S
fee.
Look here" he said abruptly, Il have
passed the word to the crowd yonder that
you are dead-broke miner, Fowler. al
lowed that you might have had some row
with the Sydney duck, Australian Pete, in
the mines. That satisfied them. If | go
back now and say it, a lie, that your name
amt Fowler, and you never knew who
Pete was, they'll jest pass you over to the
police to deal with, and wash their hands
of it altogether. You may prove to the
police who you are, and how that clerk
mistook you, but it will give you trouble
And who is there here who knows who you
really are?"
mo one" said Flint, with sudden
h0pelessness.
And you say you're an orphan, and
amt got any relations Twin that you re
beholden top
''No one"
Then take my advice and be Fowler,
and stick 10 it. Be Fowler until Fowler
turns up and thanks you for 1t; for you We
saved Fowler's life, as Pete would never
have funked and lost his grit over Fowler
as he did with you; and you've right to
his name" He stopped, and the same
odd superstltions look came into his dark
eyes. Don't you see what al! that
means? Well I'll tell you, You're in the
biggest streak Of look man ever had.
Good night and good luck, Mr., Fowler. !"
The next morning s journal contained an
account of the justifable killing Of the
notorious desperate and ex convict,
Australian Pete, by a courageous young
miner by the name of Fowler, 'An act
of firnness and daring, said the Pioneer,
(which will go far to counteract the ter
rorism produced by those lawess ruff
fans" In his new suit of clothes, and
with this paper in his hand, Flint sought
the dry-goods proprietor; the latter was
satisfied and convinced That morning
Harry Flint began his. career as salesman
add as SHELBY Fowler
From that day Shelby Fowler's career
was one of uninterrupted prosperity.
Within the year he became a partner.
The same miraculous fortune followed
other ventures later. He was mill owner,
mine owner, bank director-a millionaire!
He was popular, the reputation Of his
brief achievement over the desperate kept
him secure from the attack Of envy and
rivalry. H. never was confronted by the
raal Fowler. There was no danger Of ex
p0sure by others-the ore custodian of his
secret, Tom Flynn, died in Nevada the
year following. He had quite forgotten
ms youthful past, and even the more re-
cent lucky portmanteau; remembered
perhaps, but the pretty face Of
the daguerreotype that had fascinated him
There seemed to be no reason why he
should not live and die as Shelly Fowler
His business year later took him to Eu,
rope. He was entering train at one of
the great railway stations Of London,
when the porter, who had just deposited
his pOrtmanteau III a compartment, reap
peared at 5he window followed by q young
Lady In mourning.
BEG pardon, sir, but handed you the
wrong pormanteau. That belongs to this
young lady. This is yours"
Flint glanced at the pormanteau on the
seat before him. 1t certainly was not his,
although it bore the initials IS. F." He
was mechanically handing it back to the
porter when his eyes fell on the young
lady's face. For an instant he stood petri-
fed. It Was toe face of the daguerreotJ pc.
q beg pardon" he stammered. "hut are
these your ini;ials?" She hesitated !;
perhaps it was the abrupt
mes Of the question, bat he saw she was
confused mo. A friends" She disap-
paared into another carriage, but from
ths5 moment Harry Flint knew that he
had no other aim in life than to follow
tins cew and the beautiful girl who had
dropped it. He bribed 5he guard at the
next station, and discovered that she was
going to York. On their arrival he was
ready on the platform to respectfully
assist her A few words disclosed the
fact that she was fellow corhtrywoman,
although residing in England. aud at
~ ESCLG clL hGJ way ~ J'tIi1 6O4lAC at
Harrogate. Her name was West. At
the mention Of this he again fancied size
looked disturbed
They met again and again. The i'm
formaliUy Of his introduction was over
looked 10y her friends as his assumed name
was already respectfully and Iesponslbly
known beyond California. He thought 10
more of his future. He was in love. He
even dared to think it might be returned;
but he felt he had no right to seek the
knowle }ge until he had told her his real
name and how he came to assume another,
He did so alone-scarcely much af err the If
first meeting. To his alarm she burst into
a food Of tears, and showed an agitation
that seemed far beyond any apparent
cause. When she had partly recovered,
she said, in a low, frightened voice.
You are bearing my brothers name.
But 1t was a lme that the unhappy boy
had so shamefuIly disgraced in Australia
that he abandoned it, and, as he lay upon
his death bed, the last act Of his unhappy
life was to write an impl0ring letter beg
ging me to change mine. For the in-
famous comp2nion of his crime, who had
frst tempted, then betrayed him, had
possession of all bis papers threatening to
tring them to our Virginia home and ex
pose him to our neighbois. Maddened by
desperation the miserable boy twice at
tamuted the life OF the sounded, and
might have added the blood outlines to
his other sins had he lived | did change
my name to my mothers maiden one, left
the country anu have lived here 10 escape
the revelations Of that despersdo should he
fu! 81 his threat
In fash OF recollection Flint remem-
bered the startled ooil that had come into
his assaiIant's eye after they had cinehed.
It was the same man who had too late