Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-10-23
CHAPTER XXI.

~ AY was breaking as Glenster
came down the mountain. With
the first light he halted to
- scan the trail, and, having no
means Of knowing that the fresh tracks
he found were not those of the two
riders he followed, he urged his lather-
ed horse ahead till he became suddenly
conscious that he was very tired and
had not slept for two days and nights.
The recollection did not reassure the
young man, for his body was weapon
which must not fail in the slightest
measure now that there was work to
do Even the unweicome speculation
upon his physical handicap offered re-
lief, however, from the agony which
fed upon him whenever he thought OF
Helen in the gamblers hands. Mean
while the horse, grooming at his mas
ter's violence, plunged onward toward
the roofs Of Nome, now growing gray
in the first dawn.
1t seemed years since Roy had seen
the sunlight, for this night, burdened
with suspense, had been endlessly long
His body was faint beneath the strain.
and yet he rode on and on, tired. dog
ged, stony, his eyes set toward the sea,
his mind storm Of formless, whirling
thoughts, beneath which was an unde-
WAITING, implacable determination.
He knew now that he had sacrificed
all hope Of the Midas, and likewise the
hope Of Helen was gone; in fact, he
began to realize dimly that from the
beginning he had never had the posi-
bility Of winning her, that she had
never been destined for him and that
his love for her had been sent as a
light by which he was to find himself.
He had failed everywhere; he had be-
come an outlaw; he had fought and
gone down, certain only of his recti-
tude and the mastery Of his unruly
spirit. Now the hour had come when
he would perform his last mission, de-
irving therefrom that satisfaction
which the gods could not deny. He
would have his vengeance.
The scheme took form without con-
scious effort on his part and embraced
two things-the death of the gambler
and a meeting with Mcnamara. or
the former, he had nc more doubt than
that the sun rising there would sink
in the west. So we'll confirmed was
this belief that the details did not en-
gage his thought; but on the result OF
the other encounter he speculated with
some interest From the first McNa-
mara had been riddle to him, and
mystery breeds curiosity. His blind,
instructive hatred Of the man had as
sumed the proportions Of mania; but
as to what the outcome would be when
they met face to face, fate alone could
tell. Anyway, Mcnamara should never
have Helen-Roy believed his mission
covered that point as we'll as her de-
lsverance from the Bronco Kid. When
he had finished, he would pay the
price. If he had the luck to escape,
he would go back to his hills and his
solitude; If he did not, his future would
be In the hands Of his enemies.
He entered the silent streets unob-
served, for the mists were heavy and
low. Smoke columns arose vertically
In the still air. The rain had ceased,
having beaten down the waves which
rumbled against the beach, filling the
streets with their subdued thunder. A
ship anchored in the offing, had run
in from the lee Of Sledge island with
the first lull, while midway to the
shore tender was rising and falling.
It's oars flashing like the silvered
feelers of a sea insect crawling upon
the surface Of the ocean.
He rode down Front street needless
Of danger, needless Of the comment bis
apnea-orcn rr.rr',+ create and. unseen.