Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-12-16
II have discovered your treache

took piece of his cheek between hi:
thumb and first finger and pinched II
to see If he were awake, then read the
words again. this time aloud: Il have
discovered your treachery and fed
Pepeeta." 'Treachery he said
What t-t-treachery Whose tt
treachery? Fled? Fled with whom
fed where? l wonder If l am still
d ID drunk"
At last, and almost with the rapid
ity OF stroke of lightning. the whole
mystery solved itself. 1t flashed upon
his mind that Pepeeta had abandoned
him, and In company with the man
he had so implicitly trusted. The SER
pent he had nourished in. his bosom
had at last stung him. Tearing the
paper into shreds, and stamping upon
the floor, he cursed and raved.
purpose shaped itself instantly In
his mind, and he began It's execution
without delay. He made no confidant.
took no advice; but having smoothed
his rufffed clothing and combed his
disheveled hair so as to excite no
comment and provoke no question, he
passed through the hotel corridor and
office. greeting his acquaintances with
his accustomed ease, and made his
way to the livery stable. He went at
once to the stalls where his famous
team was accustomed to stand, and to
his astonishment and delight found his
horses both there.
Tom" he said to the hostler. did
you hire horse and BIB buggy to a
young couple last night?"
Il did not" answered the surly
groom.
II am in no mood for tr1fling. Out
with it, you scoundrel!" he cried, seiz-
ing him by the throat.
With a sign of terror the groom in
dicated his readiness to come to terms,
and the doctor relaxed his grip. Still
trembling, he told the truth.
DO you know which road they
took?"
He waved his hand toward Ken
lucky.
Put a saddle on Hamlet-no, on Ro-
meo," he ordered, tersely
The groom entered a box stall and
let out the black beauty. The doctor
glanced him over and smiled. And
well he might. for every muscle, every
motion betokened speed, intelligence,
endurance.
The pursuer made a single stop on
his way to the river and that was at
a gun store, from which he emerged
carrying a pair of saddle bags on his
arm. In the holsters were two loaded
pistols
He smiled as he mounted, having al
to-, r.
heart. Once across the river and safe
upon the Louisville pike, he loosened
the reins. The horse, whose sympa
thetic heart had already been imbued
with the spirit of his rider, shook his
long black name, plunged forward and
pounded along the hard turnpike His
hoofbeats-sharp, sonorous, rhythmical
seemed to be crying for vengeance:
for hoof- beats have a language, and
always utter the thoughts of rider.
the forests, hills and houses flowed
past him like a river. Occasionally he
halted an instant to inquire of some
lonely traveller if he had seen a horse
and buggy passing that way, but he
was cunning enough to conceal his
anxiety and to hide his joy as every
answer made him more certain that
he was on the trail of the fugitives.
The road was perfectly familiar. He
had traversed it hundred times, and
not having to inquire the way he had
only to remember and to reflect. An
of speculation had been
through his mind as to where
he should overtake the fugitives.
For a mile or two the road was per-
fectly straight and the rider. shading
his eyes, glanced along 1t. In the dis
tance a moving object attracted his at
tention and as he gaZed at it, long and
stra iningly, the terrible smile once
more wreathed his white lips. There
were only two things present to his
consciousness-the carriage upon
which he was swiftly gaining, and the
fierce shifting of the horses hoofs
which seemed to be echoing the the
cries of his heart for vengeance. on
he swept, nearer, nearer, nearer. He
was now within hailing distance, and
his brain reeled; he forgot his discre-
ton and his plan.
Halt" he screamed, in a voice that
cut the silent air like a knife.
A face appeared above the top of
his foe. With a howl of rage, he
snatched pistol from the holster and
fired The bullet went wide of the
mark and the next instant he saw the
whip lash cut the air and descend on
the flank OF the startled mare. The
buggy lurched forward, and for ah in
slant drew rapidly away. Overwhelm-
ed by the fear that he might be baf-
fed in his vengeance, he drew the
other pistol and fired again more wide
OF the mark than before.
He flung the smoking weapons into
the road, and again drove the spurs in
to the steaming sides OF his horse.
There could be no doubt as to the re-
suit Of the chase after that. The half
maddened animal was overhauling the
fugitives perceptibly at every enor-
nous stride. and in a few moments
more shot by the buggy and up to the
head OF the terrified mare. AS he did
So his rider reached out his left hand
and caught the mare by her bride.
refined up his own horse and threw
both Of the animals back upon their
launches
In another instant the two men
stood confronting each other on the
road, the quack black and terrible, the
Quaker white and calm. Not a word
was spoken. and like two wild beasts
emerging from a jungle they sprang at
each others throats. They were odd