The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-12-03
CHAPTER XI

OI1aI M.
An aspiration ringing as a hosanna
left the lips Of Gideon Hope, as his steel
knit fingers met about the shrinking. quiv-
ering throat of the man whom be had
hornded down.
The esctasy of a mighty PASSING sway
ed his soul. merging every emotion into
one all-absolving conception of vengeance
stern. swift, complete.
He had found out his enemy THE
fruition of the task of the years was at
h and self-confessed murderer writhed
III his powerful grasp, and at his mercy !.
P.fo:, his eyes there seemed to float
blur OF blood. In lightning-quick
series the chair-oscuro of events painted
the vivid pictures that grouped about this
present tragic denouement marvel-fring-
ed history of rare human interest.
For this man-his victim, ROW
wrecker. swindlers political master. mill
liollaire-Gideon Hope had abandoned
ambition, position. happiness, peace.
He, Percy V. Kane, had robbed him
of his brother and was about to steal
from him, too, the woman he loved
And now, while the turbulent mob of
| ward heelers and excited sensation-seekers
surged in the street below. amid the crash
of all his millions and the disaster of per-
manent political obliteration, Kane lay In
his clutch a broken. wretched, covering
thing.
.Listen"
Close to the marble-white face OF the
PROSTATE man he had dragged to the floor
of the balcony, Hope bent his hot, kissing
breath. At riot In his brain ran all the
| formidable facts of guilt with which he
had invested his downfall. And the other
shuddered, for he felt that doom, sudden
and sure, enmeshed his willy soul at last.
WHO are your he painted, struggling
| to arise
"WhoT-a grinding laugh-sardonic.
| full OF bitter triumph-cut the air.
| dream! Guess-remember the avenger
Go back the years-Chicago, your rotten
stock -jobbing swindle, the man you MUIR
dered because he had probed your secrets
and in another hour would have given the
facts to the commercial world-my broth
er. my brother, Everett Hoper'
The name was pronounced in a sob.
| Religiously at that moment Hope con-
sidersd himsef the appointed instrument
Of almost zine justice. Yet. the thought
| revived I the sunny-faced brother. so
cruelty ut to death, wrung his soul to
| anguish.
Your brother!' gasped Kane. The
face on the transparency 1t was you.
| then"
His striving limbs fell inert, his eyes
were horror-stricken. Now he knew; in
fash he traced the hidden hand. the
motive, that had so fatally pursued him =
from affluence to ruin, from proud power
| to the threshold of the gallows' gate
run down. he murmurmed, in a lost
| and helpless tone.
"Yes," came the prompt, discordant re-
| Spouse. Il swore it have achieved il.
And you-you have acknowledged ALL The
| face of the dead on yonder canvas-Aye
you remember it. 1t brought confession
to your lips. And / can only drag you to
| Jail That does not give me back my
| brother-poor, pitiful recompense. But
you shall listen, you shall know what tire
less resolve has done to rid society of its
worst foe. / have snatched the cup Of
Croesus from from your lips-I have I'M
dermined your every ambition. Thus /
have done il. Writhe, weep, rave, but
naught will avail you. Your hour has
come !"
SO Gideon Hope ferventiy believed.
This was his moment of triumph. Into
the craven, crushed face he shouted his
story-a record almost Incredible He did
not mention his helpers-only of the
plain, strong facts he told, of the giant
strokes that had assaied the great wall Of
power and wealth, and battered down ev-
cry approach, destroyed every drawbridge
of escape.
He was in a frenzy as he spoke. He
could have torn the wretch in his grasp to
pieces. He felt all his usual calm and
steady methods fly to the winds, but he
rocked little. Here was the climax he had
striven for. this the final arraignment,
and he poured forth his soul.