Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-11-17

strenuously, but could not shake him
Before they parted, in the early morn.
Ing hours, Darrell laid a friendly hand
on the young man shoulder.
You have fought a good battle fol
me, Lenyard," said he, "and 1 coulG
be almost happy if you would go tt
Elise, talk with her and level the bar
rier that is keeping you apart She
Is a prize, my boy, and she loves you
there is no doubt of that. You must
tell her of her fathers fate, but first
let the Joy Of reconciliation with you
prepare her, in a measure, for the evil
news. For years l have been a firm
believer in luck, but here there is nc
luck-it is Providence"
Where will you CO. DARRELL" asked
Lenyard, after a short pause.
ANY place where can be quiet and
to myself"
81 board at such a place and will
take you there"
The words of the Mexicana at the
Half Way house came to him continu.
ally. "You may be honest, but you
can never be honorable"
These words brought up the rest
Of her enigmatical prophecy and the
twisted sense became clear.
You are to die and after that you
are to live" Had he not died as Oar.
rel and lived as McCloud?
1.-The second time you live you prove
your innocence of crime by fastening
it upon yourself" AS McCloud he had
fastened the murder of Sturgis upon
himself and proven the innocence of
Darrell.
And the queen of hearts who was to
link her fate with his! Was that not
Elise Avery?
But the Mexicana was wrong. The
girls fate and his had not been linked
together and never would be.
As this occurred to him, he also re-
membered how he had CURLY cut the
fortune-teller short. 1t is possible she
would have qualified that particular
utterance if he had given her time.
The Mexicana was right. Cards had
made him what he was and it was con-
sistent that cards should tell him what
he was to be-and do.
And then the other was saying:
Beware of three knaves and two red
sevens, senior"
"Why?'
when you hold that hand you never
leave the table alive!"
At the Half Way house he had
scoffed at the oracular words Yet
here, at Sandy Bar, with month be-
tween him and the fortune-teller, he
did not scoff. He believed.
Early In the afternoon he arose,
dressed himself with care, had his
landlady bring him light breakfast
and then sat at a window, smoking and
| musing.
His thoughts were tinged with mel
ancholy and took figuratve forms.
Drawing his chair to a table he put
them on paper to the best Of his abil-
ity.
When he had finished and had light.
ed another cigar and leaned back with
contemplative eyes on his work rap
fell on the door. In answer to his re-
quest Roy Lenyard entered.
"Bless you, my lad" murmured OAR
rel. You've done it, haven't you?"
II have made my peace with the
dearest girl in the world" exclaimed
Lenyard
And you will be happy. Elise Az
cry is woman to make any man hap
| py-especialIy man as deserving as
yourself"
please do not overrate me-"
81 couldn't do that. Sit down."
ELISE and her aunt want to come,
went on Lenyard, seating himself.
you have told them about-Stur-
gis?"
Eyes. 1t was hard, Darrell, to mai
her happiness, but Elise is bearing VI
nobly. She had expected the worst and
that prepared her, in way"
"Yet you did not tell her the worst?'
"That her father had changed his
name and had become a gambler? No
spared her that"
at was best that you did So"
81 told Elise how you helped me
Darrell; told her how l had come GU
to this country entrusted with money
by some eastern friends who reposet
faith in my integrity and was to exam
inc mine and close deal for its pur
chase. She knows that l was false t.
my trust and lost the money at thu
gambling table and that you won i
back for me. That is why she want!