The San Juan County index., 1894-02-23

chanting mountains haze and fix 1t on
his canvas, Perhaps it hal even
lurked among the planS that had led
him back to the North. But never
with anything like the dehniteness OF
now. For now it was NJ longer the
! pale phantom of n desire but rather
something certain in the near future
The chance of his life would soon ar
rive. And thus it was he walked tho
sUreets in the bitter December
weather, hollow-eyed, gaunt, with seri-
GUS, almost frowning brow, but ever
alert of bearing. Waiting, watch
| ing
AS the days wore on his friend Pratt
wondered what the poor fellow was
expecting so confidently tt-somSS
relative who should die and leave hih
legacy? Was it the drawing Of a
lottery prize? Why should Weatherly
pore over the daily papers with such
uSy.-vzas%sazT1Jy? IND wTtt We're his
plans IL the good luck" whatever it
might bc-should fail him before the
new year?
The clerks curiosity was grain too
strong to Oe suppressed one morning
when he saw the other breathing hard
over paragraph in the newspaper
| just brought in. ''-s'.-.
what is it?" he asked, and
Weatherly stamnered some half
coherent reply about danger" and
protection " Later on Pratt was
surprised to find his friend had been
exciting himself over the report that
well-known millionaire of this city
had been visited by a stranger OF
seedy aspect-presumlbly crank -
who had declined to wait or state. his
business. Weatherly next startled
him by inquiring the nearest way to
the house of the millionaire in
! question.
Pratt, being in a hurry to get away
to the Office gave him some hasty in.
formation and hurried out; what
Weatherly's interest in the matter
might portend he wondered /, and won.
dered for long time until brilliant
idea occurred to him, namely, that
the artist wanted to make sketches
Of the mansion-aud possibly Of tho
rich man himself Then Pratt forgot
the incident
The last week OF the year had
slipped away-all but "a single day.
With his sons at home from school on
/. their holiday vacation the millionaire
was too Hell occupied n think OF
danger TO himself Nor had the
servants eyes for any forlorn figure
in shabby overcOlt passing and re.
passing in the avenue. 1t was a cold,
dull day, there was no. even snow
Pratt had gone to the Office with
just ting5 of uneasiness in his men.
tai condition WeaJherly had shown
him revolver the night before,
newly purchased, il appeared
And when he had ventured to ask
what IL meant, tho artist had replied
gravely that tramps and murderers
were committing crimes every whore
and that no house seemed secure.
Pratt had been able to sleep as usual
but his uneasiness had begun in ear
nest in the morning, when he saw the
revolver 90 into the artists pocket
before he set out
"What II he should mean suicide?"
the good hearted fellow asked himself
lie has grown 50 dcspondent. I'll
coax him to put it aside tonight, when
have a chance"
1t was past noon when the million
airo and his handsome sons came
down the great stone steps Of the man
sion.
1T is going to snow, boys" said
the father Il am sorry we didn't !
have the carriage, after all But we
shall need umbrellas go back for
them
lie sauntered out toward the curb,
turned and looked cityward down the
avenue Behind him, suddenly as II |
risen out Of the frozen earth man
approached. Az the ligh, footstep the
faced about and stood |
sIone.still Agnlnt apparition, with
wild, unsceing eyea, for just the space
Ut second, levcIel ~ pistol at his
bosom Inc next instant the appar.
ition's other ara bad clutsAed the one