The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1909-02-19
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
N N By HALLE
0dk0ll ERMlNlE RIVES
Heart Coura !
Sanders0n :: :: ::::.

T To Jessica, standing with hands close
clasped, the music seemed the agony
of remorse for past fall, the cry Of a
.forlorn soul, knowing itself cast out
appealing to its good angel for pity
and pardon. Hugh had often played
to her. lightly, carelessly, as he did all
things. She had deemed It only one of
his many clever, amatenrish accom-
plishments. Now It struck her with a
pang that there had been in him a
deeper side that she had not guessed.
Since her wedding day she had
thought of her marriage as a loathed
bond, from which his false pretense
had absolved her. Now a doubt of her
own position assailed her. Had lone
illness and outlawry driven him Into
the career that had made him stunned
even in this rough town, a course
which she. had she been faithful to
her VOW for better. for worse" might
have turned to his redemption? God
forgave. but she had not forgiven.
Smarting tears scorched her eyelids.
For Harry Sanderson the music was
strongly in the first tongue it had
found The slumbering qualities that
had stirred uneasily at sight Of the
face on the balcony awoke. Who he
was and had been he knew no more
than before. but the new writing self
consciousness, starting from its sleep
with almost sense of shock. became
conscious of the gaping crowd, the
dusty street. the red sunset and of
himself at the end of vulgar brawl
saving a violin in silly braggadocio in
a hotel doorway.
The music faltered and broke off
The bow dropped at his feet. He
picked it up fumblingly and turned
back into the office as a man entered
from a rear door. The newcomer was
Michael Halloran. the hotels proprie-
tor. short. thickset and surly. Asleep
In his room. he had neither seen the
fracas nor heard the playing. He saw
instantly. however. that something I'M
usual was forward and. blinking on
the threshold. caught sight of the man
who was handing the violin back to Its
owner. He clinched his fist. with a
scowl. and started toward him.
His wife caught his arm.
"Oh. Michael, Michael" she cried
Say nothing lad. Ye should have
heard him play
play" he exclaimed "Eet him go
fiddle to his side partner, Prendergast,
and the other riffraff he's run with the
-! p 49, +. - b. ~ 70 2 ar
~. Take yourself from this house,
Hugh Stires"' he said. Whether alrs
true that's said Of you don't say, but
you'll not come heree'
Harry had turned very white. With
the spoken name-a name how familiar.
his eyes had fallen to the ring on his
finger-the ring with the initials n. S
A sudden comprehension had darted to
his mind 4 score of circumstances
that had seemed odd stood out now in
a baleful light The looks CT dislike in
the barroom. the attitude of the street
this angry diatribe all smacked of &C
ouaintarce. and not alone acquaint
ance but obloQuy. His name was
Hugh Stires. He belonged to this very
town. And he was man hated. de-
spised. forbidden entrance to an Tn
couth hosiery. an unvelcome visitant
even in barroom. He turned to Eel
der and said in q low voice to him.
not to the hotel keeper or TO the room
full:
When ] entered this town today
did not know my name or that ] had
ever set foot in It before ! was struck
nothing beyond that time. It seems
that the town knows me better than
know myself"
He turned quietly and walked ont of
the door. Pavement and street were
kuhhub of excited talk. The groups
parted as he came out, and he passed
between them with eyes straight be-
fore him.
As he turned down the street a frag-
ment of quartz thrown with deliberate
and venomous aim few from the sa-
loon doorway. 1t grazed his head,
knocking of his hat.
Tom Fielder had seen the flying mis-
sile. and he leaped to the center of the
street with rage IN his heart. IF ]
find out who threw that" he said. IN
send him up for II, so help me Cod"
Harry stopped and picked up his hat
and as he put it on again turned a
moment toward the crowd. Then he
walked on down the middle of the
street, his eyes glazing, his face white,
into the dusky blue Of the falling twi-
light.