Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-10-01


 but one other event as startling. That was the finding some months before of dead body-that of comparative stranger in the place-thrust beneath a thicket on Smoky mountain, on tho very claim which now held Prender- gast and his partner.
 The "amen corner" of the Mountain Valley House had discussed the pros and cons exhaustively. There were many who sneered at the loss of mem- ory and took their cue from Devlin, who, smarting from his humiliation and nursing venom, revamped suspi- cions wherever he showed his battered face. In his opinion Hugh Stires was playing a slick game"
 "Your view is colored by your preju- dices, Devlin," said Fielder. He's been a blackleg in the past-granted. But | give the devil his due. As for the other ugly tale. there's no more evil dence against him than there is against you or me"
 "They didn't find the body on my ground" had been the others surly retort, land didn't clear out the day before either"
 The phenomenon, however, whether credited or poohpoohed, was draw ing card. More than a few found oc- casion to climb the mountain by the hillside trail that skirted the lonely cabin These as likely as not saw Prendergast lounging in the doorway smoking, while the younger man worked, leading a trench along the brow of the hill to bring the water from its intake, which Harry's quick eye had seen was practicable. The spectacle of Hugh Stires, who had been used to pass his days in the l saloons and his nights in even less be- coming resorts, turned practical miner added touch of opera bouffe to the situation that to degree modulated the rigor of dispraise. It was the con- sensus of opinion that the new Hugh Stires seemed vastly different from the old; that if he were playing game" 1t was curious one.
 On the one side was black record, exemplified in Prendergast-cloud in- fanny, a shuddering abhorrence of his past self as he saw 1t through the pitt less lens of public opinion; on the other was grim constancy of purpose, pas sionate wish to reconstruct the warped structure of life of which he found himself the tenant, days of healthful, peace inspiring toll, a woman's face that threaded his every thought. As he wielded his pick in the trench or labo- riously washed out the few glistening grains that now were to mean his dali ly sustenance he turned often to gaze 'lp the slope where, set in its foliage, the glass roof of the sanitarium spar kled softly through the Indian haze. Strange that the sight should mysteri- ously suggest the face that haunted him! Prendergast saw the abstracted re- gard as he came up the trail from the town. He was in an ugly humor The bag of gold dust which he had shown to Harry he had not returned to the hiding place in the wall, and with this in his pocket the faro table had that day tempted him. The pouch was empty now.
 Harry's back was toward him, and the gold pan in which he had been washing the gravel lay at his feet. With noiseless, mirthless laugh Prem dergast stole into the cabin and reach ed down from the shelf the bottle into which each day Harry had poured his scanty findings. He weighed it in his hand-almost two ounces, little less than s20. He hastily took the empty bag from his pocket.
 But just then shadow darkened the doorway, and Harry entered. He saw the action and, striding forward, took the bottle from the others hand. Prendergast turned on him, sinis- ter snarl under his affectation of sur prise. Cant you attend to your own rat killing" he growled. q guess I've got right to what need"
 Not to that" said Harry quietly. "We shall touch the bottom of the flour sack tomorrow. You expect to get your meals here, I presume"
 T still look forward to that pleas ure," answered Prendergast, with an evil sheer. Three meals a day and a rotten roof over my head When I think of the little I have done to de- serve it, the hospitality overcomes me. All have done is to keep you from starving to death and out of quod at the same time. I only taught you q safe way to beat the game, an easier one than you seem to know, and to live on Easy street"
 T am looking for no easy way" re- sponded Harry. whatever you mean by that. I expect to earn my living as I'm earning it now. It's an honest method, at all events"
 You've grown all fired particular since you lost your memory" retorted Prendergast, his eyes narrowing. You'll be turning dominic one of these days. Perhaps you expect to get the town to take up with you and to make love to the beauty in the green riding habit that brought you here on her horse the night you were out of your head"
 Harry started. "What do you mean?" he asked thickly.
 Prendergast's oily manner was gone now. His savage temper came upper most.
 T forgot you didn't know about