Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-01-07
JOHN HUBERT'S LUCK.
ny HELEN BEEKMAS.

in the dark or the assassin's hidden
steel So great thrill of horror and
amaze shook the little community to
its centre when the day after John HUI
bert's luck had come to him he was
found cold and lifeless in his bed,
smiling rs though he had no time to
awaken from some happy dream, but
with the cold steel through his heart
Who had done this thing?
No need to ask why it had been
done. The missing gold proclaimed
the motive. The murderer had been
thief as well. No stranger had en-
tered the camp; none of their number
were missing. Each man feared to
look in the others face. Silently sad
ly, they laid the poor body in the
ground A rude burial, but few,
whate'er the outward pomp, receive
such silent need of grief.
Six months later, and Meta Hubert
and young Roger Rollins walked side
by side on the outskirts of the camp.
Her face was pa'e, her eyes had in
them an expression born there since
her fathers cruel death, and she lis.
tened with resolution already formed
to the young mans words.
"Will you not marry me, Meta?
Have | not loved you ever since you
came among MS little girl? True,
darling, the wealth for which have
so patiently toiled has not yet come
to me, but it will come, Meta. / know
i'll feel it, and then will take you
away from all these sad associations,
but while you must he here let my
love cheer and comfort you.
at does, Roger; it does. Will
confess to you tonight what L have
never before acknowledged. / do
love you, or, rather, / would had l
room for love in my heart-room for
any other feeling than the determine
ton to bring my fathers murderer to
justice. How do know but that you,"
speaking with sudden impetuosity,
''are the MANI"
Roger Rollins face grew CHASTITY
pale as he almost whispered:
"Meta!"
Forgive me-oh, forgive me-" she
cried, noting his pallor. II did not
mean that, Roger, except that we
know not whom to suspect, and / am
almost maddened with suspense and
grief Poor father! He had toiled 30
long, with ill-luck ever pursuing him,
and when at last the tide of fortune
turned Roger! Roger, who could
have begrudged him ut the end?"
God only knows, Meta darling.
Leave vengeance in His hands. Be
my wife and forget your misery in our
happiness.
~ cannot cannot - she an swered,
dry sob in her throat, as the bright
future she pictured faded before her.
81 might doubt even you, Roger
even you'll"
The words came back to her as o
prophecy-a prophecy she little meant
she only realized when verified
when, one short week after, the men
came to her with triumph in their
eyes and voices and told her that they
had discovered her fathers murderer.
No need to question who. The name
rang like clarion through the camp,
to her ears like dirge, since it was
the name of the man she had loved
and trusted-Roger Rollins.
Working in his claim he had cried
out that lie had discovered gold, and
the men, rushing to the spot, found
his words indeed true but, on further
Investigation, the gold was found to
have been place there, aud when re-
moved from its temporary bed-so un-
skillfully depositelas to make detec-
ton almost nevitable-Jo ohm Hubert's
longlost treasure was revealed. The
! murderer, by his impatient greed, had
betrayed himself. He had only looked
aghast when told of his crime, and, ST.
lent and pale, lay bound awaiting his
speedy trial-his certain death.
Meta listened shudderingly to their
words, each falling like dull blow
on her unprotected head; then, with q
moan as of some stricken animal, she
buried her head in her hands, refusing
TO be comforted. The memory of his
pallor A. her idle words again rose
before her, his certain hope that for
tune would come TO him, but over all
and through all somethingin her i'll
most soul declared his innocence.
1t was nightfall. The camp slept,
save when the little guard, alert aud
wakeful, surrounded the prisoner, when
suddenly ghost appeared upon the
scene, and a challenge rang out on the
night air.
1T is l." replied a voice. MAY /
say a word to the prisoner" and Meta
Hubert stepped in their midst.
| Yes" they answered and without