Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-10-28

his own iron constitution could not
stand the incessant strain which he
was putting upon it. Exposure and
want of wholesome food were wear
ing him out.
If he died like a dog among the
mountains, what was to become OF
his revenge then? And yet such a
death was sure to oVertake him If
he persisted.
He felt that that was to play his
enemy game, so he reluctantly re-
turned to the old Nevada mines, there
to recruit his health and to amass
money enough to allow him to pur-
sue his object without privation.
His intention had been to be abb
sent a year at the most, but a COM
bination of unforeseen circumstances
prevented his leaving the mines for
nearly fve
AT the end of that time, however,
his memory of his wrongs and his
cravings for revenge were quite as
keen as on that memorable night
when he had stood by John Ferrier's
grave.
Disguised, and under an assumed
name, he returned to Salt Lake City,
careless what became Of his own
life. as long as he obtained what he
knew to be Justice.
There he found evil tidings await
ing him. There had been schism
among the Chosen People a few
months before, and some of the
younger members of the church hav-
ing rebelled against the authority OF
the elders, and the result had been
the secession of certain number Of
the malcontents, who had left Utah
and become Gentiles.
Among these had been Drebber
and Stangerson, and no one knew
whittier they had gone.
Rumor reported that Drebber had
managed to convert large part or
his property into money, and that ne
had departed a wealthy man, While
his companion, Stangerson, was COM
paratively poor. There was no cleW
at all, however, as to their where
abouts.
Many a man, however vindictive
would have abandoned all thought OF
revenge in the face of such diff
ficulty, but Jefferson Hope never fal-
tered for a moment.
with the small competence he pos
sessed, eked out by such employment
as he could pick up, he travelled from
town to town through the United
States in quest of his enemies.
Year passed into year, his black
hair turned grizzled, but still he wan
dered on, human bloodhound, with
his mind wholly set upon the one OBJ
iect upon which he had devoted his
life.
At last his perseverance was re-
warded. 1t was but glance of face
in a window, but that one glance told
him that Cleveland, in Ohio, pos
sessed the men in whom he was in
pursuit Of
He returned to the miserable lodg-
ings with his plan of revenge all ar
ranged. 1t cnanced, however, that
Drebber, looking from his window,
had recognized the vagrant In the
street, and had read murder in his
eyes.
He hurried before a Justice of the
Peace, accompanied by Stangerson,
who had become his private secre-
tary, and represented to him that
they were in danger of their lives
from the jealousy and hatred OF an
old rival.
That evening Jefferson Hope was
taken into custody and, not being
able to find sureties, was detained for
some weeks.
When at last he was liberated, 1t
was only to find that Drebber's house
was deserted and that he and his Sec
retary had departed for Europe.
Again the avenger had been foiled,
and again his concentrated hatred
urged him to continue the pursuit.
Funds were wanting, however, and
for some time he had to return to
work saving every dollar for his ap-
preaching journey.
At last. having collected enough to
keep life in him, he departed for
Europe, and tracked his enemies
from city to city, working his way in
any mental capacity, but never over
taking the fugitives.
When he reached st. Petersburg
they had departed for Paris; and
when he followed them there he
learned that they had just set of
for Copenhagen.
At the Danish capital he was again
few days too late, for they had
iourneyed on to London, where he
at last succeeded in running them to
earth.
As to what occurred there, we can
not do better than quote the old hunt
er's own account, as duly recorded
in DR.. Watson's journal, to which we
are already under such obligations.