The Holly chieftain., 1898-12-23
XI.
OUT OF THE GuLcu.

somed Chrlstinn in the occur d'Alene
| had lived, according to the word that
we preach to the heath IN, as simply,
as fearfully, as Wan pursued his timor-
GUS way by the giimmer OF his per-
| fumed joss-sticks, there would have
been no call for martial Law. Yet Wan
was destined to be one O. the chosen
victims of the labor questQi, his part
in which, as proietarLH was little
more considered than thit of the pony
in the doctors corral.
1t fell out as the decor had pre-
dicted. The case of Mix: and Darcie
had been postponed; it wss not forgot
ten There came moment, in that
hour OF insane victory when it did
occur to some of the Big Iorn men that
there was little JOB unfinished at the
mine. One or two of item who had
been concerned in the Shooting on
Tuesday night were burning to ayengc
that silly failure.
The trains were still running on the
narrow gauge track between Gem and
the mines Of Big Horn gulch, but they
were in the hands of the strikers, and
carried chiefly armed men and muni
tions of murder They brought the
| posse of so men VINO had detailed them
selves for special duty at the mine.
Faith witnessed this ill-omened ar
rival from the secondstory gallery,
where she was walking alone in the
starlight, herself being unseen in the
shadow of the roof. She watched the
movements of the nienwith anxiety. and
saw them in threatening consultation
with Abby. Even as she listened to the
sound of their bodeful voices. her own
name was under discussion, and the
men were proposing to put her to the
question concerning the whereabouts
Of the spy. I'll
Don't bother with her; it's time
wasted for nothing" Abby advised.
"Shc was asing Wan about him her
self this morning, and Wan was sullsy
and scared, md pretended he didn't
know. But l saw You going away
somewhere with him. says she. That's
what she said l heard her myself.
You bet he knows nil there is to know.
You go find Wan
The doctor also had witnessed the
ominous arrival, and vas at that mo-
ment in the cellar, wdrning the refu-
gees to be ready, md to have out their
light in case it should be seen when
the cellar doSr openel to admit the
unhappy girl who was going with
them.
Darcie's heart was in his mouth with
fear and joy, and Mixes blood was
h..-,-,;ng .. the thought OF the wild
nights flight in the free. opea. dark
ness, and the deeds ofdaring he might
have occasion to displas; for Mike had
warm Irish Imagination. and he was
rs vain of his valor ashe was sure of
it. The doctor had omitted to nell
ton, as detail of hi plan, that he
had not as yet presented the same to
Faith. lie was deliberately conspir-
ing with the cruel circumstances that
beset the girl to captnrtaH her scruples
at once; there was nd other way but
to harden his heart ngdinst doubts and
compunctions, and totprIt confidence
in the men he had choi en- in the place
of her natural protectors. The doc
tor was no bungling Judge of male
character, and, in his opinion, man
may be young girls natural protector
in other than the established way;
but the doctor was not yet father.
AS he left the cellar his ear was
shocked by n sound of ptiable screams
and hoarsc brutal cries, and, looking
across the gulch, he saw, us in n vision
of the Inferno" wretehed. struggling
figure hailed along at the end of
rope, towed by mass of men, as fast
as they could go over the rough ground,
in the direction of the secret tamaracks.
The person of the victim was scarcely
distinguishable, but the doctor knew
it could be only the miserable China
man; and strange familiarity with
the fact crossed him, as if he had beheld
the shameful scene before in some mo-
mcnt of prophetic consciousness, and
had always known that such would be
the end of Wan.
In that horror-stricken moment
Faith had flown to her father, forget
full of the breach between them, and
confident of his protection for the
wretched Wan. She could not yet
count him as naught, or quite believe.
for all the doctors unrelcnting sum
ming up of facts that werr sadly in
evidence. what "a king of shreds and
patches" was the manager Sf the Big
Horn. l
At this after-dinner hour he was
usually clothed ON with hf evening
liquor, and incommunicablf to the
pitch of surliness. 1t waslthns that she
found him. He had risen from his
chair, ard was moving with circum-
specton from the table to the side
board. when his daughters excited en-
trance startled him. He let fall the key
which he held-thnt very precious
duplicate key of the sideboard closet
where his liquors and brandies were
kept, the possession of which he had
thus far been able to conceal from the
vigilant Abby. AS it slipped from his
fat, smooth, shaking fingers. all that
was left of his intelligence groveled
after it upon the floor.
Father, father!" cried Faith, rush
ing upon him. Come, come with me!
Oh, rouse up, do! Come out. and stop
this fearful -thing!"
Seeing no hope of comprehension in
his CLASSY, floating eyes, which tried to
fix hers with a reprehensive fown, she
seized him and shook him Passionate
ly. trying to awaken in that dead heart
come spark of warmth from DE indig-
nation that burned in her own
"Will you listen to that poSr thing
begging for his life! Do you want to