Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-10-08
A Political Vendetta
WELDON J. COBB
CHAPTER III.


facade and mnaretted roof-this set ir
the midst of garden full of sweetness
taste and grandeur.
On lower level were as many as fifty
neat new frame dwellings in various
stages of construction, but none occupied
death or deSolation held dumb this por-
tion of the singular landscape,
Again. at the owermost grade of the
grassy slope black, grim stacks arose
from wilderness of frame and stone fac
tory buildings-but there were no brst-
ling. red-lighted windows; all was cold,
dark and lifeiess. Here, too, was silence,
deep and mournful-a dead or sleeping
city of industry.
There was light only at the palace on
the hill. Toward it. up the cindered
road, smooth as a race course and bor-
dered with a neatly cut stretch of sward,
a man plodded his way in the gossa mer
moonight-Gideon Hope.
He was five years older than upon that
eventful night when the star of his des-
tiny had set in clouds of storm. disaster
and sorrow. but the stalwart form was
yet straight as sapling-that face,
which always reminded of the faces one
SOuelluieS sees Oh Oiu NOmdn uleualS, pre-
served its original statuesque dignity and
contour-only, the eyes were deeper set,
the lips closer drawn.
He had pushed up his hat from his
brow, as though he were fevered and the
falling dew a grateful boon. Once he
paused, to sweep with a glance, first sar.
donic and then almost sad, the deserted
factories, the silent homes, the towering
residence on the hilltop. Immediately
this passing interest departed-his mind
seemed to react upon itself, his head
dropped, and he resumed his way with the
firm. studied stride of a man with def
mite purpose goal in view.
Like thunderbolt from pure heaven
had fallen the announcement of the chief
of police that dreadful night in the long
ago-its memory was with this man now
as it had been night and day, increasingly |
through the long, dragging years.
He recalled, even now, words he had
spoken, questions he had asked, mechan-
ically, like man under leaden spell
'Who shut my brother in that trap of
death?'
1T will never be known ~
who was last seen about the works?"
The manager
His name?"
"One of his names is Percival Keene"
Where is he?'
Vanshed-lke the Others"
"You can give me his picture?'
"Yes-but he has twenty aliases,
-oyal fortune to dissipate in obscurity."
II shall find him.
That had been his object, his one mo-
tive for life. Since then Gideon Hope
had hunted half the globe.
To his quick mind the truth was plain.
His unsuspecting brother had visited the
works, lad made some vital discovery of
the company's rottenness-fatal informa-
ton, which would mean prison and ruin
for the schelners. He had died with his
secret
Who had shut him in? 1t might never
be discovered. But there was one respon-
sibe head of rascality-"Percival
keane."
This sweet, soft summer evening Gid
con Hope knew at last that he had sue
ceedetl-he had found his man.
Up the hill and on he plodded. Now
the elegant mansion was squarely before
him; what a paradise ;
From sumptuous longing room a
colored lamp threw opalescent glinting
rays across a Sheltered screened porch.
A man, august and noble of visage oc-
cupied a large chair.
Before him huttered a feminine form
arrayed in f1eecy white, with face so
radiantly rare and beautiful that Gideon
Hope, pausing, had eyes only for her for
the moment.
She put a newspaper, some cigars, a
cup of some invigorating mixture at the
elbow of the occupant of the chair upon
a delicate little stand.
He nodded, forced a dismal, wan smile.
She caressed him tenderly, and vanished
through the open French window.
Gideon had come up the winding gravel
walk slowly. Now in shadow, he stood
and watched the man as he sat alone.
The latter arose with fierce, restless
sigh He walked to the edge of the porch,
pressed his face to a north screen, and
his vision could thus take in at one
sweep all the salient points of the glori-
Gus landscape.
But its beauties evidently he'd no
cha rms for him--even at distance his
face and manner showed that what he
saw depressed and excited him alike.
He threw out hand with an express
i've gesture--like one in mute, choking
despair: tottered back to his seat. His
head sank in his hands. his frame shook
with deep internal emotion.
Gideon came up the steps.
lie noiselessly opened the outer screen
door, silently approached the table, and
sank into a chair opposite the other
unheard unseen.
His eye dwelt momentarily on the win
dow space where that fairy vision of
grace and loveliness had futtered a mo-
ment before.
His glance wandered past the exquisite
draperies, across a rug worth its weight
in gold made in far away Persian looms,
and then up the decorated wall to a full
length oil painting.
This seemed to speak-it was in color
and expression the faithful presentiment
Of the beautiful girl who had just passed !
before IL.
CHAPTER III.
Gideon Hopes eye softened-a rapt
longing sadness drove from his face some
OF it's natural grim ferceness.