The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1897-08-20


Then he knows Of your marriage?'' %
"IIe does."
"Of the birth OF yo6r soaf-
"Yes."
'Of the sanctuaFyr
II don't know. l fear tlAe worst"
-Nr. Gerard" I said. ''are you sure
that you are not the victim of your
nerves? Possibly this man never COM
mitted the crime your wife charges him
With. Time has"
Tut, tut!' he retorted. peevishly.
do you take me for . fool7 Burling-
ton knows what he il doing. Look here
and here"
lie drew from his pocketbsok half
q dozen sheets of paper. TheAe were
soiled and stained from use. The man
must have read and ro-read them q
thousand timos. He spread one out
it, repeated to me from memory the
contents.
"'You cannot escape me- he MUIR
INJURED. but I know how to-wait. l
shall strike you down when you least
expect it,"
He handed me the paper. but I could
not decipher the words upon II. 1t
bore a date. March II. 1878. and was
written upon . printed telegram form.
"A telegram" exclaimed.
"Yes, and written in cipher, . ci-
pher several Of us used at Red Gulch,
and one familiar 70 Burlington. Here
Il another message, Of later date. 1t
runs: You have . child. Take eood care
Ct it, When 1 received this" said Ger
ord, tapping the faded paper, II went
nearly crazy with terror. Ihad solved
the problem which bod puzzled me for
five years. My life, In the opinion Of
this demon, was not worth the taking.
He had reserved for himself q sweeter
revenge. Nothing would giut his sppe-
tite but the blood Of my innocent child.
OF course l dared not tell the mother.
but I removed her At once 70 . saf0
place, and for months esased TO visit
her. With the aid of my written d.
rections she escaped the lynx eyes Of
our enemy, and ~ time passed be-
gan to forget his threats. He had left
San Francisco, and my secret agents
knew nothing Of his - ~hersabouts. Then
he reappeared one day. and greeted
me on Market street with . dia-
bolical stare. A few days later l
received this: You are looking too veil.
How 10 your boyr Ny friend. l fear
you despise me. but I, God help me.
had seen this mans handiwosk. IL"
"Mr. Gerard" sajsi, earnestly. you
lln~ my deepest sympa:hy. Such ter
rorism il infamous. But, pardon me,
! cannot but hope that this villain is
playing with your feelings. destroying
not your body. which might bring him
TO the gsilows. but your mind. 1hi,
cruel anxiety will"
"Drive me mad. know Il, end Men
those iefsnselsss ones will b e his
mercy" -
with your immense wealth" I I'D.
slowly, 'yo1 sould have bsibsa Zen
to-" y
xiii him for msf'' ~ I'D ksrrisd-
y. "Ysa. yss; have thought of tSt.'
hat ] couldn't do II ny Ied-I ssdldst
do IT,"
With these words Asd my lingering
doubts ~ to whsther or NOT should
accept the periIous position Of tutor
to young Gerard. Ny reception. the
words Of Poindexter, the appearances
of my host. hsd filled me with misgiv-
ings. These misgivings were ban
ished by pity and Indignation.
IL insulted you, sir. by the sugges-
ton; pardon me. II my poor services
are required. tlsey aro yours."
He held out his hand, which l clsped
firmly.
"You arc very strong" be ssid. wist-
R..l
between my son and Burlington"
THAT" replied. grimly. ''is in the
bond"
'Blood tells," /" h continued, still clasp
ing my hand. II have some qualities
which men value. but bastard strain
flows In my veins. I should have cut
a poor figure in the middle ages. Well.
well. you have put new life into me-
the tones Of his voice strengthened per-
ccptibly-'and shall not be ungrate-
full. II you do your duty. ~ know you
will. the reward will be oommensurate." :"
"Yes," ! said. heartily. "the prise 10
worth working for"
lie glanced ut me- queerly.
II was not thinking Of the money."
he mutt-red.
Tho streets were empty of foot-pss-
sengers - ] trudged beiskly (the night
wss chilly 70 my hoesI. A fog. held at
bay by high wind. was impending and
likely TO roll In from the ocean before
dawn; but the sky above the city was
clear and stariit. In my pocket was an
address, my destination on the morrow;
In my hsart wss hope; In my head werc
o score Of surmises chasing each other
into blind alleys. had walked some
IS yards. When an impulse moved me 70
halt and look backward. Gerasd's man
sion, its mansard rUofs sharply out
lined a8ainat the purple armament,
crowned ths top Of the hill; and its
massive proportions. in such striking
contrast 70 the bodily presence Of the