Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-12-03
CHAPTER XIX.


him from the revolver aimed upwards
from the garden.
Thence had arisen the brief instruction :
Drop the big one-he's a special J"
Jump, | tell you!'' insisted Warren
They dare not injure me. In two days
| shall be free, but you-man the dyna-
mite Save the innocent lives at that
hotel-"
Yes :" cried Hope. inspired with the
holy purpose indicated.
He leaped backwards. In half a minute
he was safe in the shelter of shrubbery, in
half an hour, at the end of a keen run,
fully four miles away from his recent
prison place.
Now he sat down on fallen tree to
regain his breath and calculate what was
to be done, and the speedicst way of ac-
complishing it.
He had conversed so generally with
Warren that day that he knew he must
lose no time in heading straight and
swiftly for the hotel where the satchel
of dynamite lay.
Hope put aside the exultation of free
DOM the complications of the escape. even
all thoughts of Kane. of Claire, as he
realized the sacred pledge he must fulfill
at all hazards.
Murryvile was 20 miles across country
BY going back six in the direction of the
asylum he could strike a railroad. but it
might be to run directly into nest OF
attendants on the lookout for him. Again
he knew nothing of the train schedule. lie
resolved to press onward on foot trusting
to general ideas of direction and distance
to cover the straight twenty miles before
daylight.
But. a man badly injured in brutal
melee and shut up in an unwholesome
prison for a week, Hope found that he
was scarcely in normal shape. He pro-
cepded more slowly than he had calcu-
lated The lonely country road oppress
ed him. He became footsore and dizzy
headed.
Hope welcomed light shining in the
distance He kept it in sight as bea-
con. and traced it to the window of
cabin near a quarry.
A knock at its door brought thither
an uncouth aborer, sleepy eyed and un-
civil.
What you want?' he challenged
gruffly.
"A horse. or a horse and vehicle" re-
sponded Hope promptly. only for few
hours See-I will pay literally to Sc
cure the means of getting at once to
Murryville'
1--WE got no horse" advised the man.
"and there's no place between here and
AIurryville that | know of where you
could get a rig-hod on. he interrupted
himself; there is
"Where:" eagerly demanded Hope.
$50 down the road a mile
"YesT
you'll come to the old Thorndyke
place. Some strangers have rented 1t
lately, and they keep horse and car
riage-I've seen EN-
Good" !"
Hone tossed the man coin as re-
ward for his cheering information, and
put forward with renewed ardor.
The district was rough, barren and not
a habitation did he pass until he came
in sight of what had once been quite
pretentious residence, probably formerly
that of some person interested in the
quarries in the vicinity.
1t was lighted up, front and side. AS
I
bes at the rear.
81 must get a conveyance here he
ruminated. 1T is only ten miles to
Murryville, but l don't seem to be able
to walk it on foot. | am dreaming
These last words fell from his lips in
a wild gasp, as, crossing an unkept gar
den space, he fixed his eyes upon man
seated in a lighted room, and smoking
leisurely.
The windows were open, the lamplight
showed him plainly
percy Kane"
Like one in a trance, rooted, lncredu-
lous. Hope gazed in at the man. His
temnles throbbed. the old fever of hatred
and vengeance crowded back the mission
that had strangely guided him to this
spot. to this vital, unaccountable discov-
cry.
Firmly he set his lps-his hands clos
ed unclosed-his breath came hard. Gid
con went around to the front. An open
door showed a hallway-at its end the
room in which Kane sat.
"IIe shall tell me-of her-of Claire ~
hissed Hope and noiselessly entered the
place.
As he crossed the threshold of the
inner room Kane sprang up. His eyes
dilated. He brushed one hand swiftly
across them. as if to exclude an unreal
vision. though he paled, and his lips part
ed, aghast.
The sternness of conformation was lost
for Hope, for as Kane arose a singular
revelation caused the former to stare in
amaze.
About one wrist of Kane was bright,
strong handcuf, and a chain ran from
this to a stout marble pillar of the orna-
mental fireplace.
Lost in wOnderment and mystery, Hope
exclaimed:
What does this mean?'
! Kane had grown steadily whittier. But
a bitter sardonic sneer made his evil face
now rather defiant and reckless than af-
frghted.
His lips parted, but ere he could speak
there was a sound in the adjoining room,
: a swishing frou-frou, like the rustling Of
silken skirts.
Quick as a fash, Kane turned, pointed
through the opening connecting doorway,
and said in bitter mockery:
! ASK her ~