The free press., 1895-10-17

CroSDv became Dewltched. Rolfe
sought persistently to save his friend
from her clutches, and his efforts
transformed the fancy she at first
manifested for him into the hate such
woman cherishes toward the man
for whom she would have shaved had
he liked her. One night after a
dance Rolfe, while urging Crosby's
return to camp, affronted Juanita, who
seeking possible renown as the cause
of tragedy, stimulated her lovers
resentment until he drew q revolver.
There WAS a struggle, the revolver
was discharged in Rolfe's grasp, and
his chum fell apparently dead. When
the police arrived Crosby showed no
sign of life. Juanita gliby accused
Rolfe, and he, who seemed to have
gone quite mad, fled from his not very
energetic captors. Crosby was taken
to the hospital, where he remained
many hours insensible. Then like the
chap in the miracle he "became of
right mind" He refused Juanita's
attentions, and sending for the author
tiles, declared that Rolfe had been act
uated throughout the affair by devo-
tion to him and his family which he
feared had led to catastrophe.
''Put the police to shame and pro-
duce your man," concluded the con-
ductor.
Forthwith 1 confessed the plot,
whose disastrous result was carrying
poor Rolfe as fast as steam could take
him away from the one remedy for
his despair. 1 did not share Crosby's
dread that he would attempt selfde-
truction, because knew him to be sus.
tanned by his wild scheme of escaping
arrest until he had made his defense
to his sweetheart. But those long
hours of vain agony were bitter to
anticipate, even from the calm dis
tance which lies between us and an
others souls misery.
The conductor and / combined our
wits regulations to intercept his jour
ney. The halts of freight trains, how
ever, depended upon many circum-
stances, and were irregular beyond
our power of reckoning. The only
possible way of finding him was to
telegraph to probable stopping places
of that freighter, and its ultimate des-
tination. This we did at the next sta
ton, but it was hours after our arrival
at Trinidad, and long past midnight
before 1 received any reply. The dis
patch informed me that car 1863 was
not with the freighter, and that train
hands reported it to have been blum
deringly left at Wigwam.
Before breakfast on the following
day l walked again to the station. A
freight train was crawling in with half
its ugly length slowly winding around
curve. glanced over the line OF
box cars, one of whose compeers SO
occupied my thoughts.
Surely there was curious similarity
in that combination of numbers on
the last, or did the distance deceive
my sight? Or was really growing
nervous?
AS stared, shading my eyes with
my hand against the glare of the sun.
light, the doors were pushed open and
man sprang from the car. He STUN
bled step or two, fell and scrambled
to his feet.
Never, even in college races, had ]
ran as fast as | ran then; nor for so
high stake. Another instance and
Rolfe would recognize Trinidad. He
would believe that fiendish trick Of
treachery had brought him back
whence he had fled. Here, where
those steadily revolving wheels sug-
gested swift escape from mis- agony.
would he curse God and die?
While live / shall remember the
tall, swaying figure, the blazing eyes
that confronted me as rushed toward
him.
"Not yet, you devil!" he cried.
Despair is mighty, though fettered
by hunger and exhaustion. He would
have got away from me, except that
couple of trainhands sprang to my
help.
When finally he lay limp and pant
ing in the hold of my assistants l
found breath to speak.
"Rolfe!" gasped. 'Listen! God
upsets mems plans, not u devil.