The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-01-07
CHAPTER yX.-fContinued.)

''Be reasonable" equally retorted Kane
lit will pay you, believe me. You are
surprised. cropping in the dark, at sea ;
better let me be you pilot, for spell at
least"
Listen to me- snarled Hope fercely,
striding up 70 the man and seizing one
shoulder in his biting grasp until he
WINGED with a covering shudder-'I dis
covered you by accident, but fortune
would sooner or later have led me to
your lair!'
Lair" derided Kane loudly-"don't
you see it is rather a PRISON."
Il came" huskily pursued Hope, ito
demand Of you your wife,"
Which is cool, eh?" Knocked the mis-
creant.
"And just. You defy me"
"Not so; at the first step 1 show her
to you
"That woman ~ hotly cried Hope.
"My exactly"
"No,"
Mrs Percy Kane"
"A liel''
"Elita -
This name Kane called in a clear, quick
tone.
Gideon Hope started. Its mention
aroused some hint, some vague memory
of the past.
II was an unusual name: whore had
he heard it before? under what circum-
stances connected with a dark chapter in
the black life of this man of plots and
cruelty?
Before his perturbed mind could focus
and connect the loose ends oil the dim
chain of retrospect. a silken swish again
swept the atmosphere. A shadow crossed
the draperies, they parted. The woman
of the tragic face and fathomless eyes
stood in their presence, statuesque and i'm
pressive as before.
Uncompromising sternness was in the
glance she bestowed on Kane. He es-
sayed a familiarity that was uneasy de.
spite his audacity.
This gentleman" he said slurringly
with a light gesture towards Hope, dis
putes my statement that you are my
wife"
''He need not" coldly returned the
woman.
proof, ElitaT'
She reached within her corsage, pro
duced folded paper, unfolded it, and in
an automatic way held it. before him.
Hopes quick eyes read the words
traced across it. In due form OF legality
and indsputable genuineness it evidenced
that a duly appointed officer of the law
had Joined in holy wedlock this man
Percy V. Kane. with this woman, Elitd
Marsden, upon a certain night; upon q
night, in fact, succeeding to the consum-
nation of that political vendetta which
had seen the extinguishment of the stock
swindler's social and commercial career.
II know-now involuntarily cried
Gideon Hope-and quick as lightning.
That is. he knew who this woman was
he remembered" the name 'Marsden'
supplied the missing link-this woman
was the daughter of that unfortunate
man, Gabriel Marsden. who intruding up
on Kane at the acme of his greatness with
threatening fierceness, had been sent to
Jail on a trumpet up charge, and, for al
Kane knew, languished there now, or was
q wanderer, q fugitive, with broken life
and blasted energies.
And this woman-Elita-was the fair
innocent girl Kane had welded in a dis
tant Ohio town, deserted. placed in an
insane asylum, and then, securing a di
yorce by fraudulent means, forgot her
until the fateful day when her father
brought him word to have care for him
self. for she Lad escaped and was 'or
his trail -
A Nemesis, truly ,-dimly, but with /;
haIf-suspicion that she was Kane's gaoler
Hope began to read between the lines.
as that ALP fell from the womani
lips in hard. metallic tones.
Yes" bowed Kane simply, and she de
parted with the same uncanny tread tina
had signalized her appearance at his hail
Hope drew a perplexed hand across hi
clammy forehead. He almost unconsci
ously dropped to the chair that had beer
proffered by Kane. yoidly he gazed at TIL
schemer who always seemed to have som
strong trump card in reserve.
"Explain.' he said in cracked, DIR,
tones.
Kane laughed jarrinsly. On the tabi
near by was skein of silk, lying besid
some fancy embroidery work, carelessl,
left there, it seemed, by some feminin
worker of the household.
With his deft, nervous fingers, Kan
seized it. twirled, twisted, disarranged il
A hopeless mass of mingled threads, b.
cast it into Hopes lap.
a tangle-a riddle" he scofed-"a
Soon hope to solve the enigma to which
alone can furnish the key
"A challenger cried Hope wrathily
"You forget: / have found you hav
escaped. defeating your kind intentions 70
my welfare. / have but 10 proceed on m,
way. apprise the police, and"
''Stop there" directed Kane insiruat
ingly, leaning forward and fixing hi
glance significantly upon his visa Wis
'you forget"
Forget what?' roughly demande,
Hope.
claire ~
Hope shivered from the shock. True
1t was Claire now, Claire only: any
thing and everything for Claire,
1--WE have arrived" pronounced Kan
bluntly, lat a vital, inal stage of tn
game. But / know your hope, you
tiought-the woman Well, then. NOV
without me. move against me, and yol
may win. But she will be lost"
The dire threat struck a chill to Gid
con Hopes staunch heart.
Il am reckless because | am beatal
man. continued Kane-"I am, too,
desperate one. But it is not you who hav
circumvensed me. You made a great pla
"a stake and a trust for the stake. Blu
] had the reserve-that money. Even o
half of that you robbed me-the sewers
bank notes. Well, you had cut my claws
for without money / was at the law
mercy Still, / proved myself a resource
full man. There was Claire-the peerless
Claire-whom you fairly drove into m
arms"
CHAPTER XII.
Hope CRASHED his teeth. but he tried t
content himself for the sake of the fact
Kane might divulge.
II am going to tell you little history,
proceeded Kane, because | have poin
to gain-because have a compact, bar
gain. to make with you"
"No,'' declared Hope, uncompromising