The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-08-19

ment came into the furious eyes of his
adversary and the mans grasp me-
chanically relaxed. The half-freed
pistol, thrown upward by this move
ment, was accidentally discharged point
blank into. his temple and he fell dead.
No one in the crowd had stirred or in
terfered.
you've done for French Pete this
time, Mr.. Fowler" said voice at his
elbow. He turned gaspingly and
recognized his strange benefactor,
Flynn. II call you all to witness gen.
tlemen, continued the gambler, turn
ing dictatorily to the crowd. "that this
man was first attacked and was un-
armed" He lifted Flint's limp and
empty hands and then pointed to the
dead man, who was still grasping the
weapon. 'Come!" He caught the
half-paralyzed arm of Flint and dragged
him into the street.
But" stammered the Mortified Flint
as he was borne along, ''what does it
all meanP What made that man at
tack me?"
II reckon it was a case of shooting
on sight, Mr.. Fowler; but he missed it
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 might have had agin
you"
But" protested the unhappy Flint,
81 never laid eyes on the man before,
and my name isn't Fowler"
Flynn halted and dragged him in
doorway. "Who the devil are youP"
he asked roughly.
Briefly, passionately, almost hyster-
ically, Flint told him his scant story.
An odd expression came over the
gamblers face.
Look here" he said abruptly, Il
have passed the world to the crowd
yonder that you are a dead-broke
miner called Fowler. ] allowed that
you might have had some row with
that Sydney duck, Australian Pete. in
the mines. That satisfied them. If I
go back now and say it's lie, that
your name ant Fowler. and you never
knew who Pete was, they'll jest pass
you over to the police to deal with you,
aud wash their hands of it all together.
You may prove to the police who you
are and how that id clerk mistook
you, but it will give you trouble. And
who is there here who knows who you
really are?"
No one," said Flint with sudden
hopelessness.
"And you say you're an orphan and
amt got any relation livin' that you're
beholden TOP"
mo one."
Then take my advice and be Fow-
ler, and stick to it. Be Fowler until
Fowler turns up and thanks you for it,;
for you've saved Fowler's life, as Pete
would never have funked and lost his
grit over Fowler as lie did with you;
and you've right to his name"
He stopped, and the same odd, super
stitious look came into his dark eyes.
Don't you see what all that means?
Well I'll tell you. You're in the big
gest streak of luck a man ever had.
You've got the cards in your own
hands. They spell Fowler Play
Fowler first, last, and all the time.
Good night and good luck, Mr.. Fowler {"
The next mornings journal con-
tanned an account of the justifiable
killing of the notorious desperate and
ex-convict, Australian Pete, by cour-
ageous young miner by the name of
Fowler IAN act of firmness and dar-
ing" said the Pioneer. (which will go
far to counteract the terrorism pro-
duced by those lawless ruffians"
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 morn
ing Harry Flint began his career as
salesman and as SHELBY Fowler"
From that day Shelby Fowler's
career was one of uninterrupted pros
perity. 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.
He never was confronted by the real
| Fowler. There was no danger of ex-
| posure by others; the one custodian of
his secret, Tom Flynn. died in Nevada
the year following. He had quite for
gotten his youthful past. and even the
more recent lucky portmanteau; re-
membered nothing, perhaps, but the
pretty face of the daguerreotype thai
had fascinated him. There seemed to
be no reason why he should not live
and die as Shelby Fowler.
His business year later took him tc
Europe. He was entering a train al
one of the great railway stations o.
London, when the porter. who had just
deposited his portmanteau in com
partment, reappeared at the window
followed by young lady in mourning
BEG pardon, sir. but handed you
the wrong portmanteau. That belong
to this young lady. This is yours"
Flint glanced at the portmanteau oil
the seat before him. 1t certainly wa
not his, although it bore the initial
IS. F." He was mechanically hand
ing it back to the porter when his eye
fell on the young lady's face. For a
instant he stood petrified. 1t was tn
face of the daguerreotype. II be
pardon" he stammered, ''but ar
these your initials?" She hesitated
perhaps it was the abruptness of tn
question, but he saw she was confused
mo. A friends" She disappeare
into another carriage, but frol
that moment Harry Flint knew ths
he had no other aim in life than to TO
low this clew and the beautiful gi
who had dropped it. He bribed tn
: guard at the next station, and dL
, covered that she was going to Yorl
On their arrival he was ready on I'll
, platform to respectfully assist her.
, few words disclosed the fact that 81
was fellow-countrywoman, althoug
t residing in England, and at present
3 her way to join some friends at Harr,
i gate. Her name was West. AT tt
f mention of this he again fancied TIL
she looked disturbed.
l They met again and again; the Il
. formality of his introduction was owe
f looked by her friends, as his assume
: name was already respectfully and T
$ sponsibly known beyond Californl
/ He thought no more of his future. t
o was in love. He even dared to THU
, that it might be returned; but he IL
! he had no right to seek that knowledj
, until he had told her his real name al
y how he came to assume another's. !
y did so alone-scarcely month aft
y their first meeting. To his alarm s
o burst into flood of tears and show
1t an agitation that seemed far beyol
n any apparent cause. When she h
d partly recovered she said, in 10
st frightened voice:
"You are bearing my brothe
it name. But it was a name that the
e happy boy had SO shamefully disgrac
q kof hn Iot nd n