Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-12-19
CHAPTER XIV.
irst Stroke for a Fortune.


First Stroke for a Fortune.
Please go away"
listen to me then. Miss Vida! |
love you, yes, with all my heart. Only
say that you will accept me, and l
will ask your adopted fathers permits
sion tomorrow. He will not, know,
refuse me- have helped him in the
past you know that. In the future
shall make 1t my business to re-
ward all those who have been kind
to my wifer'
"Oh, please hush 60 away! |
have answered you a score of times
before. Can you not believe me?
There Is no more to be said!"
| You love another. II so, let him
| beware the anger Of James"
Hush. tell you! ask you only
to 30 away. | have no wish to hurt
your feelings. do not love you - |
never shall love you. 1t is an impos-
sihility. There is there is - a bar
between U.S.
"Ah," said James Kahn. Hereby,
II know Vic Morris!"
NO. no, something quite different"
said Vida. eager that she should
bring no harm to her friend - or
rather her gond old Dicks friend.
Though. indeed, Vic would have
thanked her little for the denial. He
would gladly have affronted the pos
stble Anglers OF James Kahn, includ.
ing the dagger in the Serbs waist
band (if he had known Of it. for the
privilege Of being that bar which
shut off forever the love of Vida
Bryan from Jacob Romer's Chief of
staff.
mot Vic Morris?" said James
Kahn, then who?"
No one" said Vida breathlessly
81 do not love you. that is all"
"But you will learn" he pleaded
Il will be your slave. will make vol,
love me. 1t is in our race. Life and
death are little to us compared with
the woman we love. II any man comes
between us let him have a care
for his life. He shall never live to
marry YOU / will watch you day and
night"
A brilliant illumination suddenly
sprang from the window of the gar.
ret chamber used for visitors, and
situated Immediately above Vdas 1t
h1cRered, increased in power, concen-
trated with sudden click, and re-
vealed James Kahn standing in his
long cloak blinking beneath the shell
ter Of the Douglas pine.
Come out O. that, We hulking
Dago! see you and your Mother
Hubbard's mortcloth. Come out like
man and say what We have to say
to Billy Bryan, instid ay completing
Wild poor mans only daughter -
an donly then half ay her hist
James Kahn stopped. turned. and
would have fed. But with a couple of
full-sized navy revolver bullets one
Of which tore through the nine
branches overhead, and the other
Went howkIng like trenching mole
In the needle-covered earth - Undue
ed him to change his mind.
He stopped where he was.
Stand We there. me pretty moon
light boy said Billy Bryan vida,
honey, shake up Dick, and tell him to
come here minute. If pistol shots
went fetch him. Don't move, you! /
have you covered. and I'll tunnel ye
like the Straits o. Dover. Faith, We
will never be seasick again!'
In a minute old Dick came shut
fling out IN loose footgear, and hastily
wrapped in long sea cloak which he
had used when the mists were thick
and chill about the Mickle Ross and
the glasses of the lantern grew blur
red and uncertain with the CONCEAL
ing Of Ice crystals.
What is It, Billy
"Hould away. don't We joggle nv
arm. Dick!' cried Billy; this navy
league might go off and make hole
in certain kind gentleman down
there - gentleman, who, by his own
tale, wants to speak with you and me,
Dick about the marrying and Civ.
ing In marriage Of our joint-stock
daughter which her name is Vida
Bryan. and her nation that Of Dick
Finnan. Step up, my lad. and speaI
your mind to the Vida Bryan. Paternal
Syndicate sharp. too, for there's
a witch in my right forefinger Ihnt
l am apt to suffer from when kept
wattln' over long,"
Slowly out of the dazzling circle
thrown downwards by the lighthouse
mans acetylene lantern, the figure in
the shelter of the Douglas pine step
ped forward. The illumination follow
ed him like searchlight. And 1t was
evident also that SO did the navy re.
yolver. A steely CLINT above the bep.
knuckles OF Billy Bryan's right hard
afforded to James Kahn this useful
information,
What Mr.. Kahn" cried old Dick,
SO astonished that he could hardly
utter the words; why, sir, what has
brought you here at this time o.
night - anything wrong at the pits''
No, Finnan. certainly not said
the Acting Manager. determined to
make the best of 1t. 1.-THE fact is. I
was on my way to the Castle, and AS
! paused to take look that all was
right about the cottage (there mad
been wandering bands of doubtful
characters abroad ever since the frej
this lunatic. | must presume some
friend OF yours = took me for bur.
glar and Aired two shots at mel"
. She's twitchin'!' said Billy.
will you oblige me by asking him
to put up his revolver, Mr.. Finnano"
"Warnin' Number one" said Billy,
special for them that doesn't tell tho
truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth. as the Good Book