The Washington herald., 1907-02-17
CHAPTER XXI.
The "king's" Awakening.


When king PlummeT left Harley and
Sylvia on the plain he strobe blindly for
ward, his heart filled with rage. grief.
and self-accUsation. He said aloud:
William Plummer you are fifty years
old, ana you have made of yourself the
damnedest fool in the whole Northwest -
Hitherto he had always held the belief
that If Harley were away she would soon
forget him and would be happy as his
wife. Now he knew that this could
never come TO pass, and the truth filled
him with dismay.
He had ridden across country with no
knowledge of Mr.. Grayson's presence in
Grafton until he was very near the place;
then when lac heard of it. he was over
wheimed with a great desire TO see these
people and bid them defiance. He was
man who fought his enemies. and he
would show them what he could 90. So
he rode into Grafton. and slipped quietly
into saloon to get "a tonic He was a
border man. bred in border Ways and
usually liquor would have had 70 effect
on him, but to-day it was fire to = brain
already on fire. All his grievances now
became great wTongs-he was an injured
man whom the world prosecuted; Gray
son. for whom he had done so much in
political life, had betrayed him; the girl
whom he was going TO marry had be
trayed him, TOO, and this young Eastern
slip. Harley, was surely laughing at him.
These thoughts We're intolerable to the
King" who had hitherto been victorious
always, and now mis- rage centered on
Harley; he saw Harley everywhere, NJ
every point of the compass, wherever ne
looked. and when he came out of the sa-
loon and went down the deserted street
he saw Harley in reality, strouing along
aEsentiy, his eyes upon the ground. He
thought first that the correspondent was
on his way TO join the crowd around the
speakers stand, but he soon perceived
that he was going in another direction.
It was king" Plummer's FIRST impulse
there was still liquid fire in his veins
TO overtake Harley and demand the only
kind Of satisfaction such a man as he
should have Then he wished TO sec
where Harley was going. because he had
premOntiOn-false i'm this case. the
meeting was by acCident-that lac was on
his way To Sylvia: SO he decided TO fol-
low as an animal stalks its game Only
the most powerful emotion cOnjOined with
other circumstances could have made the
King DO such a thing, as his nature
was essentially open. and he loved open
methods. Yet he trailed his enemy with
the skill and cunning of an Indian.
He saw Harley and Sylvia meet. and ali
his suspicious We're confirmed. Again he
felt the fierce impulse and It was TO rush
upon the guilty pair. but he restrained
Il and still followed His perceptions
were trained TO other things. but ne was
in no danger Of being seen by them; they
were too much absorbed in each other,
and all the world passed By them I'M
noticed. The King" though a rough.
blunt man. saw this, and it made the
fire within him burn the hotter.
He saw them stop at last. he saw Har-
ley kiss Sylvia and then he saw the girl
turn away. He waited until he saw SyI-
via pass over the swell, and then he took
his opportunity. Whether lie would have
fired if Sylvia had not come he could not
say TO himself afteTward in his cooler
moments. Remorsc upon this point tor
tured him for some time
When he turned away he saw nothing
He was agitated by the powerful truth
that Sylvia preferred death with Harley
10 life with him. and all his views were
inward. He still did not know what he
would do. but there was much OF a NOV
ing nature 10 him in the scene that he
left. He had never before seen such a
look on "a womans face as that on SyI-
Was when she threw herself upon H.r-
ley's breast and deficd his bullet: it vas
beautiful and wonderfully pathetic. and
something like a sob came from the burly
king Harley too had borne himself
like man; there was no fear in the face
Of the Eastern youth when he looked into
the muZzie OF the pistol that threatened
instant death; king Plummer remem-
bered more than once I'm his early DAYS
when he had been covered by the Ieveled
weapon of an enemy, and he knew how
hard it was in such a case TO control
ones nerves and keep steady. He could
not help respecting a courage fully ths
equal TO his own.
He wandered on in a series of circle,
that did not take him far, and in a half
hour he stopped at the crest of a swell
higher than the rest He saw Sylvia
and Harley far away-but be knew them
well-walking side by side well. I sup
pose they have The right he said. mood
ily. The tire within him was dying down.
but he added: "TH be damned If ] look
AT them making love"
The king had the habits bred by
long years Of necessity and precaulion.
and unless the distracting circumstances
were very powerful be was always a keen
observer OF weather and locality. Now