Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-11-19
A ? I Political Vendetta
WELDON ]. COBB


| Npi'l' tIllINdl tdtuldlllS SELL
Reason had succeeded to the furious
reign of passion and recklessness. He felt
that he held the reinS of fate scurely ir
his grasp. He had modified his plans. al
the same time giving reinforcement to the
| power that must eventually enmesh and
| drag to justice the fugitive, Kane.
\ score of truSty. willing aides-those
same who has assisted in overthrowing
the political ring of the state--were now
secretly, diligently searching fer trace of
| Kane.
He could not go far-a beggar-IIope
realized, and after setting his new pro.
jects at work he calmly reflected over the
labor done, the final results attaining
from the closing up of all the strange
plots he had woven to ruin his enemy and
restore to his rights the duped Albert Ire
maine and his beautiful daughter. Claire
All. a new inspiration filed the mans
soul as he comprehended that brisk. bright
morning that he could go to Claire and
inform her that accident-or rather sub
terfuge-had brought Kane to bay, and
no longer need she continue her hateful
part, nor her father remain in obscurity.
True, no tangible evidence sought for
had been discovered by Claire that would
surely incriminate Kane in the Everett
Hope murder. But had he not con
fesSed."
And Gideon Hope shuddered now as he
recalled how sternly infexibe in his reso-
luton he had hidden pure. innocent Claire
Iremalne go even to the altar with the
arch-schemer, but his secret must be
wrested from him.
And now he could go to Claire. tell
her how his plans had fructifed more
speedily than he had anticipated; how
secret information she had obtained con-
cerning the evil schemings of the Trust
had enabled him to bring the soulless
magnates to ruin; how Kane was beg
gar and fugitive, She could drop her
mask, and Albert Tremaine could reap
pear and going into court with the proofs
of the swindlers' infamy Hope had Sc
cured, obtain justice. restitution, riches
He could say to Claire, too-the mans
heart reused. warmed, as he thought of
her sunny face. of the new impetus love
had given to life whenever the brooding
tragedy of the past was temporarily OBJ
scured.
That morning Hope went to the house
where Claire had been living since Sc
curing her position at the works.
He asked for her under the name she
had gone by since assuming her new role.
The landlady greeted him, and looked
and acted curious and puzzled, as she
said:
She is not here, sr-sne has gone"
Gone repeated Hope, blankly.
Yes, sir
"When?"
This morning-early."
Where pa vague sensation of pain
struck the speakers heart.
Il do not know
"Alone"
"N-no, sir. Perhaps a note she left
will explain"
For me?"
"Yes. sir"
She went to her room. returned, handed
her visitor a sealed envelope.
Gideon Hope tore it open-an icy hand
seemed to clutch his heart as he read
chronicle of unfaltering fealty, of awful
sacrifice, of broken-hearted despair.
For Claire was indeed gone, lost, and
Percy Kane had triumphed.
This was what the brief note read
You bade me wed him, if he asked |
because vengeance, justice, demanded He
He was gone inside a moment or two. |
He came out with a iapanned tin box
placed it on table, threw back its coy
nr