Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-01-11
CHAPTER XIX.

Old Cy Walker once said, IF the
devil should hang a f'penny bit DER
the middle o. hell, Dave Curtis wouldn't
rest till he got it," and while a scarcely
quotable expression, it best illustrates
the man.
He had deep-set. cold, gray eyes,
never knowing shade Of tenderness;
his hawk nose betrayed the m1ser as
his retreating forehead did the egotist,
and his bloodless handclasp was as
chill as pump-handle in winter. He
was So thin the wind could almost
blow through him; his self-conceit W. is
abnormal, and he was misery mean.
On the back wall of the tall pulpit
from which the Reverend Jones each
Sunday explained Gods plan of saliva
ton, with occasional descriptions OF
The city with Jasper walls and pearly
gate, as we'll as the other place-were
the Ten Commandments. David had
to read them once a week at least, and
the Thou shalt not Steal" as the years
rolled on, seemed to spite him more
and more. Often he would resolve not
to- read it, and then it gave him no
peace until he did. 1t was like mag
net, and out of the entire ten the one
that drew his eyes first. And then, his
solitary, unsocial, and selfish life
worked its inevitable result He grew
more superstitious, and the fear that
AMI might return in body or spirit
haunted him at night. He saw him in
his dreams, imagined him peeping into
the house when a board creaked, and,
waking in the dead of night, he read
Thou shalt not steal. glowing in the
darkness. He grew timid, dared not go
alone to dark rooms for, fear of meet
ing AMI, and as his mind became dis
eased from brooding over the super
natural, the ghost faint increased.
And now. in the midst of all these
fears, came the desire to escape. them
1t followed the call from q stranger
who sought to buy his most valued
possession, the Mizzy power---in, fact,
sequence to that. In spite Of his con-
ceit, David realized he had but few
friends, and now to turn his possessions
into cold cash and establish himself
elsewhere seemed wise. He had, In
his business dealings, visited Riverton
often, and there received more or less
consideration as the wealthiest resident
of Greenvale-an homage very sweet
to him. He would escape the sight OF
old Cy, Aunt Comfort, Angie, md other
reproaches, and best of all, as he i'm
agined, escape the haunting fear, OF
| AMI. E.<l !. ...,.~-
Then came Martin with his astonish.
Ing proposal to buy the Mizzy falls.
and. during that sharp bargain-drixing,
to tnsinuate facts and dangers that
gave David cold chills. Il had resulted
in his securing $1,000, and also an ad.
dition to his stock Of ;worriment al
most unbearable. It was q proposal
and payment also; j, that David, shrswd
villain that he was. could not fathUm.
He had heard on all sides that Martin
had returned to Greenvale wealthy. He
knew Of his youthful attachment 70
Angie, and his now open and pointed
attentions which undoubtedly meaut
marriage: and as If this combination
Of danger was not sufficient, this bold
young man who carried a big roll ol
money as IL Il were q handkerchief
had limited Of Angles legal right
against his. that could most likely ID
sustained by law! And now, the more
David pondered over this business
Transaction, the more sure he was that
It meant Z lawsuit later on. He haa