The Red Cloud chief., 1898-07-01
A Brave Coward.
BY Robert Louis Stevenson.

BY Robcrt Louis Stevenson.

any sign of mystery.
In the very last paper. however,
there was one item not so clear. The
accountants who were charged to veri-
fy the failure had. it seemed, come up
on the traces of a very large number
of thousands which figured for some
time in the transactions OF the house
of Huddlestone, but which came from
nowhere and disappeared In the sapc
mysterious fashion. 1t was only once
referred to by name. and tAen under
the initials N. NJ" but 1t had plainly
been floated for the first time into the
business at "A period of great depres-
sion some six years ago. The name
of a distinguished royal parsonage had
been mentioned by rumor in connec-
ton with this sum. THE cowardly
desperado"-such, | remember, was the
editorial eXpression-was supposed to
have escaped with a large part of this
mysterious fund still in his possession.
| was still brooding over the fact,
and trying to torture II into some con-
nection with Mr.. Huddlestone's dan
ger, when a man entered the tavern
and asked for some bread and cheese
with a decided foreign accent.
"Siete ltaliano?" said /.
Isl, s%ignor," was :he reply.
/ said 1t was unusually far north to
find II of his compatriots; at which
he shrugged his shoulders. and replied
that a man would go anywhere to find
work.
Even as he was speaking, | raised
my eyes, and, casting a glance into the
street, beheld three men in earnest
conversation together, and not thirty
Yards away.
1t was already drawing toward the
close of the day before | had return
ed the newspapers at the manse. and
got well forward on to the links on my
way nome. | shall never forget that
walk. 1t grew very cold and bolster
Gus. the wind sang in the short grass
about my feet; thin rain showers came
running on the gusts; and an immense
mountain range OF clouds began to
arise cut of the bosom of the sea. The
sun was about setting; the tide was
low, and all the quicksands uncovered;
and ! was moving along, lost in un-
pleasant thought, when | was sudden
ly thunderstruck to perceive the prints
of human feet.
Step by step | followed the prints un-
til. a quarter of a mile further, l be-
held them die away into the south
eastern boundary OF Graden Floe.
There, whoever he was, the miserable
man had persisted. One or two gulls,
who had perhaps seen him disappear
wheeled over his sepulchcr with their
usual melancholy piping. The sun had
broken through the clouds by a last Of
fort, and colored the wide level OF
quicksands with a dusky purple.
| stood for some time gazing at the
spot, chilled and disheartened by my
own reflections, and with a strong and
commanding consciousness of death,
remember wondering how long the
tragedy had taken, and whether his
screams had been audible at the pa.
vilion. And then. making a strong res
olution, | was about to tear myself
away when a gust fiercer than usual
fell upon this quarter of the beach
and / saw, now whirling high in air
face of the sands, a soft, black fell
hat, somewhat conical in shape, such
as ! had remarked already on the
heads of the Italians.
believe, but | am not sure, that
uttered a cry. The wind was driving
the hat shoreward, and l ran round
the border of the foe to be ready
against its arrival. The gust fell, drop.
ping the hat for a while upon the
q%uicksand, and then, once more fresh.
ening, landed it a few yards from
where | stood. / seized 1t with the in.
terest you may imagine. /. had seer
some service; indeed, 1t was rustiel
than either of those | had seen thai
day upon the street. The lining was
red. stamped with the name of the
maker, which l have forgotten, and
that Of the place of manufacture, Ven.
edig. This Git Is not yet forgotten)
was the name given by the Austrians
to the beautiful City of Venice, then
and for long after, a part of their do
mlnions.
The shock was complete. saw
imaginary Italians upon every side;
and for the first, and, | may say, FOL
!, the last time in my experience. became
/, oyerpowered by what is called panic
terror. l knew nothing, that is, to bC
afraid OF, and yet | admit that | was
heartily afraid; and 1t was with a sen
sible reluctance that l returned tC
my exposed and solitary camp in the
Sea wood.
There l ate som cold porridge
which had been left over from The
night before, for l was dlsinclined tc
l make a fire, and feeling strengthened
I and treasured, dismissed all these
fanciful terrors from my mind, and
+ lay down to sleep.
3 How long ! may have slept 1t is i'm,
possible for me to guess, but ! was
awakened at last by a sudden, blind
ing fash OF light into my face. L
x,al-o NJ ill., N IIAu, L. -. o.to..