The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-01-09
A Brave Coward.
BY Robert Louis Stevenson

as payment was suspended. 1t
was strange to myself that, while /
read these details, ] continued rather
to sympathize with Mr.. Huddlestone
than with his victims, so complete al
ready was the empire of my love for
my wife. A price was naturally set
upon the bankers head. and, as the
case was inexcusable and the public
| Indignation thoroughly aroused, the
unusual figure of ESQ was offered for
his capture. He was reported TO have
large sums OF money in his possession.
One day he had been heard of in
Spain, the next there was sure intelli-
gence that he was still lurking between
Manchester and Liverpool, or along
the border Of Wales, and the day after
telegram would announce his arrival
in Cuba or Yucatan. But in all this
there was no word of an Italian nor
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
con 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 same
mysterious fashion. 1t was only once
referred to by name, and then under
the initials tx. X" 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 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 large part of this
mysterious fund still In his possession.
| was still brooding over the fact,
and trying to torture it into some con-
nection with Mr.. Huddiestone's dan
ger, when man entered the tavern
and asked for some bread and cheese
with a decided foreign accent.
"Siete Italiano?' said l.
Isl, signor," was the reply.
! said 1t was unusually far north to
find one of his compatriots; at which
he shrugged his shoulders, and replied
that 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 home. | 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 out of the bosom OF the sea. The
sun was about setting; the tide was
low, and all the quicksands uncovered;
and l was moving along, lost in I'M
pleasant thought, when l was sudden
ly thunderstruck to perceive the prints
of human feet.
| Step by step followed the prints I'M
! til, a quarter of 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 sepulcher with their
usual melancholy piping. This sun had
broken through the clouds by last eff
| 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 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, l was about to tear myself
| away when a gust flercer than usual
/ fell upon this quarter of the beach,
and / saw, now whirling high in air,
now Swimming lightly across the sur
| face of the sands, soft black felt
hat, somewhat conical in shape, such
as had remarked already on the
heads of the Italians.
| believe, but / am not sure, that l
uttered a cry. The wind was driving
| the hat shoreward and | 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
/ quicksand and then, once more fresh
4 ening, landed il a few yards from
where stood ] seized it with the in
/ terest you may imagine. 1t had seen
some service; indeed, It was rustier
than either of those / had seen that
day upon the street The lining was
red stamped with the name OF the
maker, which / have forgotten, and
that of the place Of manufacture, Ven
edig. This Git is not yet forgotten
was the name given by the sustrians