The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-09-11

" towards the door which led towards
the garden, dashed it open and disap.
peared.
Tony laughed, and, addressing Stan
ley, said: He won't go far--and IL he
did 1t wouldn't much matter, since I
have got you right enough"
Then, changing his tone, and with an
irontcal expression: .Well, Mr.. Clare
mont" cried Tony, ''and how have you
got on since yesterday"
by what fatality are you, here?"
moaned forth Stanley.
Fatality!-the great word employed
always by villains when they find their
wicked purposes defeated, and who be-
hold erect and living those whom they
had believed PROSTATE and dead.
In such cases, honest people say, and
Justly. Providence!
Abraham believed he had stricken
our friend Tony directly to the heart;
but fate, as the peddler would have
termed 1t, had decreed that his knife
should glance aside to penetrate Tony's
shoulder, inficting only flesh wound,
which was not at all formidable.
1t was not the wound, but the force
with which Abraham had so suddenly
dashed upon him, which had over
thrown Tony; and his temporary in
sensibiltty had not arisen from loss of
blood, but from the fact that, in fall
ing, his head had come in heavy con-
tact with the pavement.
Indeed, it was not fate, but his own
rash impetu0sity, which had defeated
Abraham's dastarlly purpose: if the
peddler had been less in a hurry.
Tony's death had been certain.
A surgeon had soon strapped and
Dandaged our engraver's wound, and
we ind Tony now, somewhat paler
and weaker than usual, certainly, but
with all his accustomed energy of heart
and mind.
Struggling to assume bold front:
well, what do you require?" demand
ed Stanley.
Speak lOwer-speak lower!'' urged
Stanley, glancing from door to door of
the apartment-fOr Tony's round, full
voice had rung out loudly, the words
he had spoken reverberating about the
lofty room.
And Stanley knew, of course, that his
uncle would presently come in search
of him, that guests were in the house,
one of them the banker.
And Tony knew that, too; and deter.
mined that there should be more wit
nesses to the reparation than there had
been to the dishonor of his brother.
Come, Mr.. Claremont," said Tony,
"of what use longer to hesitate? Your
knotty Screenings are all unraveiled:
you have played and lost; so now pay.
Give me that leaf!''
II have it not" stammered Stanley.
'sRubbishw cried Tony. .Isn't it
written herc?'
And Tony produced the paper which
had been in the pocketbcok, and held
it, and very firmly, too, before Stan
ley's eyes.
Stanley glanced down the paper. and
the ashy hue Of mis- face grew a shade
deeper. y
.You see," continued Tony, "your
friend mistrusted you, and had pre-
pared his vengeance. These lines were
addressed to your uncle, and speak the
TRUTH
Tony was fast losing patti =nce-he
was beginning to get into a passion.
"Open that coffery' he exclaimed.
'Know you that you are acting with
me like ruffian and bandit?" STAN
ley demanded, savagely; his COM
pressed lips covered with foam.
"And If I am, it is because am deal
ing with a ruff1an and bandit!w re-
torted Tony. "Have you not been con-
cerned In a robbery, that you might
cover with opprobrium the rival who
was in your way? All" continued To-
ny, tauntingly, you are skillful man
remarkably so! You are not, in fact,
the robber, but You have urged for
ward the real thief flom the dark cor
ner In which your cowardice led you
to shelter yourself! He risked his life
and what did you risk? A lie only, IL
he should be so awkward as to allow
himself to be caught, and bold enough
to accuse you as his accomplice! I tell
you, Mr.. Claremont, that you are fifty
times a greater scoundrel than the
thief himself!'
For a moment the thought was with
Stanley to fasten on the throat of the
man in whose power he now was held,
and to strive to complete that which
Abraham had so imperfectly COM
menced; but the next instant, a glance
at Tony's stalwart figure told him how
mad would be the attempt; SO he was
forced to content himself with glaring
on Tony with malignity which was
not human.
"You see, plainly, that you are utter
~ lost" cried Tony; "for what, then,
are you waiting, that you don't give
me that leaf?"
"That leaf lies-the peddler Iceland
you, and all Of you lie!" said Stanley,
now perfectly mad with his defeat.
open that coffer!' roared Tony.
AT your command, never!" shouted
Stanley.
"Give me that leafy'
mo, not to you-never-never!'
Give It, then, to mey' said, sternly,
Sir Loghlen O'Meara, who had arrived
few minutes before, and had re-
manned standing in the doorway and
listening.
"All right nowy' said Tony.
"Lost-forever lostv' muttered Stan
ley.
The baronet approached his nephew
and, frowning on him darby, said:
ssWfIl Won rnfuao ~ olno - ,,nn9S