The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-12-13

1T Was NY PARTNER. JOHN HAMMOND.
about. and II was the same with the
elder Of my companions. Often was
aware that sbe shuddered and started
Ms II waking from no pleasant dream.
Then I knew that she had been think.
Ing Of our adversary. Richard stend.
hall, whom she feared with the sim.
pllcity VI superstition as though he
were the devil. Sometimes In such mo.
ments she would cast q quick glnnce
at me as II were her sole reliance In
this Just contention.
Upon the whole. II was highly emo.
tionAl evening for me and for tils rea
son keeniy delightful.
when I had parted from Mrs. Des-
borough and pretty Miss Alice after q
bit Of supper Il was past midnight,
mild, clear aud with q growing moon
now falling toward the west. was IN
no mood for sleep. Ny mind refreshed
Itself upon iis own delight. and 20 Il
happened y took long detour to
pass by stendhalrs home-the Iron
House." a. it 10 called. because Of the
abundance OF that strong metal In and
around II.
There IL a tall Iron fence upon the
avenue side. and the black arch over
the great gate rises twenty feet al
least. The cumbrous bolts were al
most on level with my eyes. The up
right bars which took hold upon were
bigger than my hands could clasp
This formidable structure. seemingly
designed for giants, dwarfed me IL
body, yet enlarged my spirit, for Ia
the dark mass OF that great house thsr,
was q single lighted window In the
second story, and I believed that stend
hall burned bis lamp 10 late to seek fol
refuge against my attack.
This was by no means the nrst time
had stood before bis gate. His house
40 ponderously defended. the courtyard
always deserted by day and crowded
with black shadows by night. had ex
ercIsed a strong fascination upon my
mind long before ] dreamed that the
man himself would ever DO more than
a name TO me. His homo fitted him 81
well! His iron hardness Of heart. hls
long defiance OF the law, his incredible
wealth locked up In steel behind the
doors OF banks, the mystery OF bis
ways-these and many other Images
had enjoyed years ngo, when the scene
was new 10 me and Stendhall charmed
my fancy as n type Of the most mon
strous product OF our era, the throned
brigand Of industry.
The broad window whence came the
light In a waverlng tracery around the
edges of the curtain had once been
pointed out to me ~ belonging to the
room where stendhall received the most
intimate OF his visitors and concocted
his most intricate consplracies. He, In
deed, formed many alliances and seem
cd TO have no need Of caution. distrust
ing oil men, but fearing none, scornlna
treachery. often betrayed, yet never e
his hurt.
As I watched. the light was slowly
lowered. Frugal Stendhall. being about
TO leave the room for little while, hat
turned down the gus, Presently J saw
q Eleam through a panel OF stained
glass upon stairway. Then the dooi
Of the house was. opened and two men
appeared, They were no more thar
shadows under the oyerhanglng heavy
roof OF the stone plllared portlfo, yet
one of them was so tall that II mus
be stendhall. The other disclosed nc
recognizable characteristic. They walk
ed slowly along the portlco, which end
cd at the wall Of an adjoining build
Ing. For perhaps two minutes they
were Invisible to me. Then stendhal
returned alone and entered the house
What had become Of the other man