Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-02-16


Ever yours anectionately,
STELLA
''P. ST. forgot to say that Rick says
he is very rich man. and he has shaved
OF that horrid beard.-S.'
The presence of the man-servant
alone restrained Kane from some in
sane expression of emotion
Richard Dysart alive and in En-
gland! Then he had not killed him,
after all! The thought brought withit
at first happy reyulsion of feeling.
He was not murdereri
But Dysart was none the less his
victim, and he none the less would
be assassin and an actual robber.
Why, the whole fabric of his fortune
rested on those stolen diamonds!
These thoughts opened up such hor-
rid vista of new troubles and perplex-
tiles that he shrank from them in ter
ror. Yet SO quickly and mechanically
does the human brain work, that
scarcely minute had elapsed since
the perusal of Stella's note before he
had pulled himself together and drew
paper and pen towards him to indite
his reply. He even managed to say to
There must have been great times
at Denecroft last night?"
Never see such goings on, sir, since
Sir Arthur came of age," was the re-
ply. Master Richard, he walks in as
cool and cam as If he'd only been away
a month. But he have growed! And
that rich. My! My!" shaking his
head as one utterly unable to do justice
to the subject
Il judge Master Richard. as you call
him. 10 an old favorite of yours" said
Kane with a smile.
The man chuckled proudly.
1T was me as taught i'm 'ow to sit
'orse and old gun and cast a fly
afore e was twelve, sir. Twas a sorry
day when e went away, and there's
a many'n be happier for is 'ome-com-
ing"
II have no doubt of that" was
Kane's reply. Then he set himself to
answer Stella's appeal. Those few
minutes pause while old Carthew was
speaking had suficed for Kane to de-
eide upon his answer, and this is what
he wrote:
and I do rejoice with you and yours.
shall reserve my congratulations for your
brother until our introduction tonight
for, of course, he will be welcome. Pray
explain to him why I send no formal in
vitation; nevertheless, the best robe and
the highest seat at the feast shall be his.
"Devotedly yours,
"ROSSITER KANE"
When Carthew was dismissed with
his answer, Kane found himself alone
once more, and proceeded to confront
this new dilemma.
Was there ever more grotesque and
puzzling or terrifying situation! The
man whom he had shot, robbed, and
left for dead at the other end of the
world had returned to life and was
that very night coming to dance un-
der the roof of his assailant!
Kane laughed aloud at the bitter
irony of the thing. OF course, he stood
to be denounced on sight before all
his guests as an assassin and thief!
A pretty ending to all his social
strivings after honesty and respecta-
bility!
And Stella! What would she think
of it all? How she would despise him!
With what scorn would she lash the
man who had dared to approach her
with words of love upon his lips. while
her brothers blood was upon his hands
and her brothers property in his
pockets!
A weaker man than Kane, physical
ly, mentally and morally, would have
turned tail and fed; q coward would
have ended It all with bullet. It
was characteristic Of him that he did
neither; no thought OF taking, either
course entered his mind. He would
see 1t Throughout in callous bravado
or because he could not realize the full
weight Of his impending punish ment.
but from q sort of heroic determine
ton to take his medicine" like man.
and from half-recognized feeling that
therein might consist part Of his e1-
piation.
There was but one possible loophole
for escape-though even that could be
only a temporary putting OF Of the
day OF reckoning. 1t might be that
Richard Dysart had not caught a
glimpse Of his features on that memoir
able night; and If so, there was lit
tie danger of recognition or detection
from any other source.
1t was bare chance, yet, the more
be thought of 1t, the more probable It
appeared.
However, q few hours would settle
it one way or the other. So, with the
cool fortitude which had stood him
in good stead in more than one tight
place hitherto, Rossiter Kane proceeded
to devote himself to his guests for the
rest of the day, and at dinner that
night he presided with more than his
accustomed polished brilliancy and
urbanity.
CHAPTER VII.
Richard Dysart's first act. after set
ting foot on dry land at Southampton,
was to dispatch two letters-one to
Marcia at Gatewood, the other to Stella
to Denecroft All his bOyish anger