The Irish standard., 1905-08-26
GAMBLING
WITH FATE
By WILLIAM WALLACE COOK
Author Of "Thc Gold Cleaners: A Story Of
the Cyanide Tauks." "wilby's DAM
"His Friend tho Eucmy,"" ""Rosers
Of Butte" ETC., Etc.
Copyright. 1908. by william Wallace Cook
CHAPTER X.

OANNEL again M ltiE HALF WAY
HOUSE.
Darrell tarried for breakfast at the
Half Way house. Here he had the
first opportunity of testing the ef-
tectiveness of his disguise
The shrinking personality of the
man in corduroys was we'll assumed.
In dismountinS at the stable, Jimmie.
the hostler. wished him Il br,suue
"howdy,' then avertcd his face,
wnked at a friend standing near by
and thrust his tongue in his cheek.
Dislike was written large in the pro-
prietor's face when Darrell entered Tie
office. Darrell save small heed to this
and dropped into a chair with his eyes
ON second man who happened 10 be
in the room at tha, moment.
This man WAS none other than ,,e
youth whose money Darrell had saved
At Hawkblls and who had so we'll re-
paid the debt. The young mans keen
glance swept the fugitive then turned
away without the slightest sign OF re =
osni1ion.
The sheriff Went up War Eagle way
last night" said the proprietor. RESUME
ing his conversation With the youn.
man.
with the intention of investi.a,ny
the eNplosipn?"
81 reel on that's it, He wants TO
make out whether the Sandy Bar chaps
told the facts or jest rllng in IL YER
sion of the Rabian Nights onto him"
i've been up the trail and lool cd
over the ground ana there cant be
the slightest doubt OF what happened. >
There was an undcrtonc of regret and
sadness in the young mans voice
Here's the pint" returned the pro-
prietor, areumenlativcly. lis il. pos
sible to snake u man ofr'n The earth
in that a-way?"
Five hundred pounds OF Gynl-
mite
81 know about that. There aint no
question in my mind blli that that
much giant powder u'd lay oul IL riSi-
ment, but here: would il wine ont the
remains OF a ri2imeni. or OF even one
man? 1t don, seem sensible. not ter
me-"
There wasn't trace Of The wagon
left; and il the wagon was spon2el
out SO eIfectually why not Darrcl?"
1t was the same argument used by
Cliff and it was unanswerahlc
"Well.' was the dO"ged answer. "I'll
alters have my doubts, anyways. One
things sure: Uncle Alb was in luck
ter git jounccd out'n the wagon be-
fore The bow-up. an the team was in
luck ter break away from the WAGON
an git out o range. The sheriff is
comm back this afternoon an then
maybe We'll know more. Wonder who
gets Murgatroyd's thousand dolars?"
ut isn't likely that any one will get
it,"
"Hardly. that's fact 1t was quick
action, don't We think?' The propri-
etor laughed jestingly "'rhe Sandy
Bar boys were saved a bad job that
might have looked ugly for them he
fore they got through"
They'd have lynched Darrell If they
had caught him."
wouldn't they, though? They'd
have hung him hghern Haman an,
tween you an me, it would have been
good enough fer i'm"
"That's where you're wrong" said
the youth, warmly; no mob ever We;
had a moral right to lynch man"
ooh, shucks!''
"And il the Sandy Bar boys had becn
able to carry out their lawless de-
signs they'd have hung q man whose
guilt had yet to be proved"
you're plum crazy" declared the
proprietor.
Where the discussion would have
led the two is predetermined. just then
the Chinaman walked through the o.
flee with his song
"Breakfus' lcddy." he announced,
and began hammering out the alarm
in front of the door.
When Darrell sal down at the tai. .c
the proprietor posted himself at tie
dining-room entrance and watched him
ominOnsly. The III. iiives identity
was not suspected, but the propric or
had heard of the extra plale-rlcln.n,,
Wv uhJ DCioIC anu w dlllSu W otG Al
the insult would be repeated.
1t was not. Darrell made a halt
movement to take The plate from '.,e
table, but dropped ii again after Il
quick glance at the man in he doJr-
way.
The food was brought on, Darrell Mc-
gan to eat and the proprietor V, =
away with a grim smile. Brca . s..
over, Darrell asi ed for IL sheet Of ia CT
and an envelope
In few moments he had written L. @
following:
For the Sheriff: If yon will Il
at the old cabin in the cOulee to q
left of the War Elslc trail. nj ,"r
from the mine, yo. will find s':.n-
thing that will in;e' e:l you"
He did not sign I 'e communca,ia i'm,
but put it into the Envelope se,lcA Z
and addressed it to The Sheriff. Cl
his way back to Anaconda" and .eg.
it with the proprietor for delivery.
When he rode away from The tavern
Darrell was reassurtd. His new per-
sonality had Withslpod the test 49,.
he knew that he could trust ii IN, |
such time as it ceS sed to be SERVICE
able.
But one thing made him uneasy.
That was the doubt, now twice cx-
pressed, that giant powder could b,
SO comprehensive IN les destructive
powers.
To settle his question what could he