Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-10-27
GAMBLING
WITH FATE
By WILLIAM WALLACE COOK
Author Of 1.-THE Gold Cleaners; A Story Of
the Cyanide Tanks" "wilbys Dan"
"IIisFhend the Enemy, Rogers
Of Butte" ETC.. Eto.
GCopy right, 1905, by William Wallace Cook

t.iC nut udh Dttll ltNVhNis ucNNs 10 hufN
found nothing and no one. The letter
was, therefore, looked upon as hoax
and Scatterly's aversion for unsigned
messages was intensified.
Darrell threw aside the paper lighted
a cigar and leaned back in his chair.
A throbbing fear was leaping along
his nerves.
The cabin empty! Had Scatteriy
made a mistake and gone to the wrong
place?
While possible this was hardly prob
able. Yet, if the sheriff had made no
mistake in the cabin, what had become
of McCloud?
Darrell got up and walked out of the
hotel into the cooler air His situa-
ton had become greatly complicated
and the issue confronting him was
very trying even to his iron nerves.
Should he retreat? he asked himself.
1t would be easy to close his account
at the hotel and proceed to some other
part of the country.
But to do that he must abandon his
designs against Murgatreyd. Murga-
troyd, the real murderer. would be left
immune by barrels withdrawal from
the scene.
That was the point that decided the
fugitive. He would face the issue, hop
ing that Scatterly had made some mis-
take, hoping that no interruption would
come before iurgatroyd's guilt had
been proved, aUping that the ladies' he
was soon to meet would request no h
ing of him that would lead to his dis
covery--hopins everything, in fact,
that seemed impossible.
When he re-entered the Office he was
his same calm. resolute self and had
made up his mind to fling his defiance
in the very teeth of Fate.
Early in the afternoon the coming
of Mrs. Gorton and Miss Avery was
announced by the clerk. Darrell was
In his room and went at once TO the
public parlor on the second floor.
The two l"dies were alone in the
apartment ard were seated near a
window overlooking the street One
was rather stout and with tinge of
grav in her dark hair the other was
young, slender and with a face of rare
loneliness.
Both rose and turned toward Darrell
as he entered. The elder advanced a
step.
"NIr. McCloud?" she asked.
"At your service, madam" he an
swered with a bow.
81 am Mrs. Gorton," went on the
elder lady, presenting her hand with
a cordial smile, land my companion is
my niece, Miss Avery"
There was a settled sadness in Miss
Avery's face which touched Darrell to
the heart and made him ashamed of
the part he was playing. The difficult
ties Of his assumed role were to COM
mence with this moment, as he knew
full we'll.
He barely touched Miss Avery's small
white hand.
TT gives me great pleasure" said he,
ITO meet the friends of Lorry Ormsby."
"You have received Mr.. Ormsby's
letter." queried Miss Avery.
THAT came to hand several days
ago."
Here is another, Mr.. McCloud,"
said Mrs. Gorten, rendering him a
letter; after you have read it, if you
can spare the time we will tell you the
nature of our errand to this part of
the country. We are entire strangers
here and are very grateful to Mr.. Orms-
by for directing us to you"
They resumed their seats and Darrell
drew chair near and excused himself
while he read the communication from
Ormsby. The envelope was sealed,
which Darrell accounted strange if il
contained simply letter of introduce
ton.
AS he read, the eyes of the two Ia
dies stole furtively to his face. They
were not prepared for the sudden
Whiteness they saw there, the sharp,
almost imperceptible compression of
barrels thin lips, the convulsive move
ment OF the slim, white fingers that
held the sheet from which he was read
Ing. Puzzled and interrogative glances
passed between the elderly lady and
her niece.
DarSel seemed distracted. He held
the letter long enough to have read it
half a dozen times. The writing ran
as follows:
Dear Junius: This will be handed you
oy Mrs, Gorten and Miss Avery. There
u something about the man whom they
are seeking which they do not know and
which do not care TO have them know
yet awhile. In your own time and when
you think best you may give them the
Information. Through private sources
have learned that the man has taken an
ether name, and when these cities are
resorted to 1t is clear that something Is
wrong Miss Avery has experienced