Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-11-12


The Righteousness quarrelins
over the mere form ofh,is good for tune
here struck Flint, an9i as his abrupt
benefactor had as abruptly disap.
peared, he hurried off with his prize.
Reaching his cheap. lodging house he
examined its cont. .ents. As he had
surmised it contained a full suit ol
clothing of the better sort, and suita.
bic to his urbesn needs. There were
few articles OF iewelry, which he put
religiously aside. There were some
letters, which seemed to be of pure.
ly business character. There were 8
few daguerrotypes of pretty faces,
one Of which was singularly fascinat.
ing to him. But there was another
OF young man which startled him
with its marvellous resemblance tc
| himself In flash of intelligence he
understood it all now. 1t was the
likeness of the former owner of the
trunk, for whom the assistant had ac-
tually mistaken him He glanced
hurriedly at the envelopes of the
letters. They were addressed to
Shelby Fowler, the name bywhlch the
assistant had just called him. The
mystery was plain now. And for the
present he could fairly accept his
good luck, and trust to later fortune
to justify himself
Transformed in his new garb, he
left his lodgings to present himself
once more to his possible employer.
His way led past one of the large gam
bling saloons. 1t was yet too early to
find the dry goods trader disengaged ;
perhaps the consciousness OF more re-
cent, civilized garb emboldened him
to mingle more freely with strangers,
and he entered the saloon. He was
scarcely abreast of one of the faro
tables when a man suddenly leaped up
with an oath and discharged revol-
yer in his face. The shot missed. Be-
fore his unknown assailant could fire
again the astonished Flint had closed
upon him and instinctievly clutched
the weapon. A brief but violent
struggle ensued. Flint felt his
strength failing him, when suddenly
q look of astonishment came into the
furious eyes of his adversary, and the
mans grasp mechanically relaxed.
The half-freed pistol, thrown upwards
by this movement, was accidently
discharged point blank into his tenn
pies, and he fell dead. No one in the
crowd had stirred or interfered
you've done for French Pete this
time, Mr.. Fowler, said voice at his
elbow. He turned gaspingly, and
recognized his strange benefactor,
Flynn. 81 call you to witness, gen
tlemen," " continued the gambler, turn
ing dictatorially to the crowd, "that
this man was first attacked and was
unarmed" 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 mean! What made that
man attack me?"
81 reckon it was n case of shooting
on sight. Mr.. Fowler; but he missed
it by not waiting to see # 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 n
doorway. "Who are you?" he asked
roughly.
Briefly, passionately, almost hys-
terically, Flint told him his scant
story. An odd expression came over
the gamblers face.
''Look here" he said abruptly. 81
have passed my word to the crowd
yonder that you are 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. fl
go back now, and say it's 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 you, 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?"
"No one, d" said Flint, with sudden
hopelessness.
"And you say you are an orphan,
and amt got any relations livin' that
you're beholden to?"
''So one. "
''Ihen take my advice, and be Fow-
Ter, 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 he did
with you, and you've right to his
name"
He stopped, and the same odd,
superstitious look came into his dark
eyes.
Don't YOU see what all that
means? Well, I'll tell you. You're in
the biggest streak of luck II man ever
had. You've got the cards in your
own hands They spell Fowler :,