Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1909-03-26
THE HAND
OF FATE
BY JANE MoUNTFoRT-

. ny JAM MUM NIX ONA-
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Nan crept to her room after
..ul.; s,tre with her father and
threw herself upon the couch.
Some inner consciousness argued
one should not wed where there was
m love; yet her parents were s'., /
l. urging this union with man she
had never seen. Indeed. she had
scarcely heard of him until the read
ing Of her uncle's will when she
learned that his vast eHtates were
left to her and her father on condi-
tion that she marry, within year,
distant cousin, who, since child
hood, had lived abroad.
This cousin being duly notified,
replied that he would return to bis
native country In six months. and
would abide by her decision.
Rather decent of him." thought
Nan. "since Of course he can care
no more for me than I for him; but.
oh. the thought of being traded like
cattle for a paltry house and lott"
Sobbng at the injustice, she fell
into a troubled sleep.
IN her dream she seemed power
less to avert some calamity which
was overtaking her. Then in the
midst Of her despair. she felt a hand
clasp her own. 1t was mans hand.
large but well formed, with a curl
Gus band Of twisted gold upon the
third finger.
The strong pressure gave her cour-
age. and she woke with a smile upon
her lips.
Il will be brave" she said aloud
II will do what ! believe to be right
whatever Lappens."
So the months slipped by until one
night. after an unusually unpleasant
interview, there came no message OF
comfort in dreamland.
Instead. she found herself on a
lonely country road, vaguely stun
bling-not knowing why nor where
she went Shadowy forms passed
In the darkness. and almost In hei
ear came the hoarse whisper.
Pretty good haul that trip-eh
old pal?"
The next moment the moon, par.
TALLY emersing from cloud, showed
her in its pale light. the figure of
man. lying across the path directly
at her foot
As she bent over him, trying IL
an lncomprehensible agony of sus
pense to distinguish his features, &
slight movement of the right arm at
tracted her attention, and she saw
with a start of horror, that the hand
before her, though cut and bleeding
was the hand of her dreams. The
| ring was gone.
As suddenly as 1t had come, th'
vision vanished. Nan woke-callinl
aloud in her fright.
The realism of it haunted her
not for moment could she forge
| that silent form in the road. II
vain she appealed to reason; at las
she had to admit that she loved thu
man of her dreams.
She told herself that, even had h'
once been a reality, which was ex
ceedingly doubtful. he probably live'
no longer.
Her other self-that self whicl
win listen to no reason-cried ou
that she loved him. living or dead
that she would have no other low
but him.
Then for the first time in man
days she remembered her cousin
remembered also that the six month
had passed, with no word from him
The same day. passing a paw
shop. she was startled to see in tn
midst of watches, bracelets, all man
ner of secondhand jewelry, a ban
of twisted gold. Surely there coul
not be two rings of the same curiou
workmanship. Trembling with ez
element she requested a closer vieI
of the trinket.
The clerk named a price and Ma
thought a moment-she had just tn
sum in her purse.
In 10 minutes she had slipped tn
ring on her finger and left the sho
believing herself the possessor {
a valuable clue toward the identit
of the man she loved.
Gentleman in the parlor to Sc
you. Miss Man." said the little mai
who opened the door.
By that sixth sense which all WI
men possess in a greater or less d'
gree. Nan instantly knew who Wa
awaiting her.
lyon are nv cousin?" she sal
simply by way. Of greeting.
He told how he had started
> come to her a month before-ho
be had been attacked and robbed
small town not far away-ar
how he had been nursed back to III
by kind farmer. who had four
him, the next morning. lying in Il
: road. apparently lifeless.
= Nan scarcely listened; she WI
looking into his eyes, and thinkir
there was something about this b
man not altogether unfamiliar. The
rame thoughts Of that other. 81
began nervously TO remove h
gloves.
Suddenly he stopped his recita
Little cousin" he exclaime
May ! ask where you found tn
ring?"
Something about the man inspire
confidence. Pefore she realized
Nan was telling this formerly hat
= suitor the story of the dreams, al
her fears for the man of whose We
4 ~