The Irish standard., 1905-09-30
CHAPTER Xxx,

CHAPTER Xxx.
Darrell COURTS THE MUSE.
Murgatroyd was taken to jail-not
the one in which Darrell had been con.
fined, but another, where escape could
not be facilitated by the drifts from
Eponay creek-and man was posted
to guard him. Poor McCloud was
borne away to cabin and kept un-
der the constant surveillance of dep
uty marshal.
Payton, interested professionally, as.
sumed personal charge of McCloud,
but nevertheless Merrick thought an
officer should be near him.
Darrell would not return to the Grand
Central. He told Lenyard that he had
deceived Mrs. Gorton and Elise by
posing as McCloud; also that he was
not the sort of man such women should
know and he would never see them
again.
Lcnyard fought barrels arguments
strenuously, but could not shake him.
Before they parted, in the early morn
ing hours. Darrell laid friendly hand
on the young man shoulder.
"You have fought good battle for
me, Lenyard." said he, land l could
be almost happy il you would go to
Elise, talk with her and level the bar
rier that is keeping you apart. She
is prize, my boy, and she loves YOU
there is no doubt Of that. You must
fn11 ho. ~ l,or fn% c,I
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 no
luck-it is Providence"
Where will you go, Darrel?" asked
Lenyard, after short pause
"Any place where can be quiet and
to myself"
II board at such q place and will
take you there"
The boarding house was kept by a.
widow, Il motherly woman, who was
glad to receive Darrell and give him a
comfortable room. tle slept ftfnlly
for many hours, awake 'bctimes and
living over the past.
II he could live his life over. guild
ing himself by his present experience,
he would have done differently. But
now he was-what he was. Change
was impossible.
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?
"The second time you live you prove
your innocence of crime by fastening
1t 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, senor."
"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 scott. He believed.
Early in the afternoon he arose.
dressed himself with care, had his
landlady bring him a light breakfast
and then sat at window, smoking and
musing.
His thoughts we're tinged with -lel-
ancholy and took figurative forms.
Drawing his chair to a table he pat
them on paper to the best of his abil-
ity
There was happy light in the young
mans face as he took barrels hand.
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
man as deserving rs
yourself"
"Please do not overrate me-"