Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1899-11-17
SCOTS Revenge.

- T was nearly midnight. Stanley
Robshaw, rising young lawyer,
was humming to himself the latest
comic song as with his latchkey he let
himself into the quiet house where he
rented suite of rooms.
1t struck him as odd that the stair
case gas jets had already been eX-
tinguished. Probably the janitor and
his family had already retired to rest
in the basement; but his friend Grand,
the well-known surgeon, who resided
on the ground floor, was not in the
habit Of going to bed so early. Per-
haps, however, he had been called out;
but even- in that case, why was there
no light? Such were Robshaw's re-
Elections as he groped his way upstairs
to his sitting-room, which room was
Slso in darkness.
The lawyer was in the act Of feeling
for his matches in their accustomed
place upon the mantelpiece, when he
fancied that he heard, close to him, the
sound of some one breathing.
"Who's thereW he exclaimed.
Scarcely had he spoken, when an
arm was passed round his neck, and
linen rag, that smelt strongly of chic
reform, was thrust against his nostrils
and crammed into his mouth. At the
same time cord or strap was passed
round his legs and drawn tight. All
this happened in an instant. Stanley
RObshaw resisted violently, and almost
got his mouth free from the gag. Then
came crushing blow on the head, and
he knew no more.
The beating of a million Nasmyth
hammers, the jangle Of hundreds Of
brazen bells, the roar Of waves on an
iron-bound shore-these and similar
noises were coursing with lightning
speed through Stanley Robshaw's
brain as he recovered consciousness
Gradually his heart regained its nor
NAL beat, and he remembered what
had happened and realized how he was
situated.
He was sitting in his accustomed
easy chair, to the legs and arms of
which his ankles and wrists had been
firmly bound-so tight that the pain of
the thongs had probably some part in
restoring him to consciousness. A
wooden gag was fixed in his mouth.
One of the gas jets had been lighted,
and the shutters were closed.
Three men were in the room, busily
engaged in packing into portmanteau
the handsome silver cups with which
the sideboard was laden-for the law
yer had at one time been a famous ath-
lete.
A half-gasp, half-groan, whistled
through the prisoners nostrils, and at
tracted the attention of the busy trio.
Hes coming around" muttered one
of them.
Leave him to me-" was the whis-
pered response of another; "I'll settle
his hash, while you and Tom pick up
the swag"
And, crossing the room, he placed
himself directly opposite Stanley's
chair, in such way that the light
shone straight upon his face.
"Do you know me, Mr.. Stanley Rob.
shawn he demanded, in a stern and
,menacing tone.
Stanley gazed steadily Mt him. AS
he looked the room and It's inmates
seemed to disappear. AS long-forgot-
ten dream he saw, looking down from
the dock of crowded court, n tall,
wiry figure, clad in rusty black. Once
more he beheld those steely blue eyes,
and that cadaverous, long-drawn face
framed by wiry locks of iron-gray
hair. Once more he saw those thin
murderous lips open, and heard, in
measured, relentless tones, the pro.
phetic threat: 1--WE shall assuredly
meet again, Mr.. Robshaw; and then
for the last time, you will have seen
the light of day"
Yes, he did indeed know Kingson
Scott, alias Ryder the blackleg, the
swindler, the man whose cleverly de
vised Insurance fraud had driven him
into suicides grave his old school
and college friend. Despite his snow
white hair-now closely cropped-and
his stubbly beard he knew the fellow
and he writhed In agony of spirit as
he realized that this man-this wild
beast, rather-had him in his power
He knew well the meaning of the
mocking glare in his enemy's eyes. He
was doomed; well, he would meet
death as an American should. Real
izing his wandering senses, he gazed