Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-06-04
GAMBLING
WITH FATE
By WILLIAM WALLACE COOK
Author Of "The Gold Cleaners: A Story Of
the Cyanide Tanks" s'Wilby's Dan"
ellis Friend the Rnemy, Rogers
Of Butte Etc.. Etc.
CHAPTER XII.
tcopyright. 1907, BY william Wallace cookI
DARREL FACEs THE ISSUE.

Darrell FACES THE ISSUE.
There was sole-leather trunk in
McCloud's room. 1t was locked but
small key ring in pocket of the cor
duroys held key that gave access to
II.
No papers were found. There we're
two suits of clothes--both of the best
Quality--a supply of clean linen, era
watts and other things usually found in
gentlenian's wardrobe.
Darrell closed the trunk disappoint-
eddy and carried his search through the
closet and dresser drawers. There was
nothing there, all McCloud's belong
ings, apart from what he had taken
with him in the traveling-bag, having
been put away in the trunk.
The fastener had told the clerk he
Intended to return on the morrow, but
1t was perfectly evident that he had
imagined he might be detained much
longer. Had he left Anaconda with the
deliberate intention of destroying him
self?
When he went down stairs to dinner
Darrell was revolving this question in
his mind. In the afternoon he read an
account Of his death in daily paper
and gave diligent attention to the grue-
some details.
1t was a long article and began with
an account of the murder of Sturgis,
the arrest of Darrell and his night es-
cape from the Sandy Bar jail. Then
followed summing up of all the
known facts connected with the ex-
plosion on the War Eagle trail.
Nothing new was brought forward
Out the author OF the account was not
doubter for he dwelt exhaustively
on the vicarious methods of justice and
pointed the whole affair with moral
Next morning another paper had
more TO say on the subject Sheriff
after personal investigation and gave
It as his opinion that the escaped MUIR
derer had been hurled into eternity
In substantially the manner described
by the men from Sandy Bar.
Ahner Gryces bronchos had run
away; the wagon had collided with a
boulder beside the trail, the horses had
broken loose and the shock of the col
liSion had set off the crystalized giant
powder. That explained the arrival of
the runaway team, practically unin-
'ilred, at the War Eagle mine.
Abner Gryce had been thrown from
lhe wagon when it took the turn, but
the murderer bad stayed with it. Con-
sequently there was but one inference
TO be drawn.
Thus far Darrell read with amused
Indifference. The paragraphs that fol-
lowed. however, startled him and filled
him with CONSERVATION.
5 The report went on to state that
Scatterly, in returning from the War
Eagle mine. had had a communication
handed to him at the Half Way house.
Usually he took no notice of anony-
nous letters, but in this particular
case he had made an exception.
The communication had requested
him to call at Kansas Joe's~old cabin
in Lost Horse coulee. He had gone
there but, aside from evidences that
the hut had been recently used, he had
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 emptyl Had Scatterly
made a mistake and gone to the wrong
place?
able Yet, if the sheriff had made no
mistake in the cabin, what had become
or 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
Y would be easy to close his account
tie hotel and proceed to some other
part of the country.
But to do that he must abandon his
designs against Murgatroyd 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-
sake, hoping that no interruption would
come before Murgatroyds guilt hac
been proved. hoping that the ladies he
uas soon TO meet would request moth
ing Of him that would lead 10 his dis
covery-hoping 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
I'm his room and went at once TO the
public parlor on the second floor.
The two ladies were alone in the
apartment and were seated near &
window overlooking the street One