The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-01-14
A I official Vendetta
WELDON j. COBB


S-
last evening, leaving me securely locked
in. She will soon return"
why did you not try to escape"
began Hope.
because they have led me to believe,
You desired that remain here"
watt
Gideon Hope flashed from the spot.
Soon he was at the front door. With
great billet of wood he dashed it from
place. Up a stairway he made advance.
and before his irresistible assaults door
after door gave way.
Pale. excited, apprehensve, the fair
captive was brought out into the garden.
Listen" spoke Hope, all thought and
action; You are trembling, weak, ex-
cited. There is much to do. and no time
for immediate explanations. Let me lift
you to the saddle. Ride to the nearest
town. and await my coming"
But you?" faltered Claire, and there
was no installing the tender light that
shone from her anxious eyes upon the
|
and love so devotedly.
81 will remain here for a time. have
something to do" answered Hope seri-
ously
There was the dynamite to dispose Of.
And then, too, he had resolved to con-
front Claire's jailer when she returned,
and force from her lips a confession that
would enable him to inteligently proceed
about q raid upon the inmates of that
other isolated house which harbored the
Kanes and their infamous associates.
II will do as you say" assented Claire.
and moved toward the grazing horse.
"But-wait" interrupted Hope again
He had brought her from the house with
out any head covering or wraps. Now
he explained and left her side momentar-
lily.
He was not gone two minutes, and re-
turning with the articles he had gone for,
he cleared the staircase four steps Mt a
time, as a shrek from the outside warned
him of some peril or alarm on the part
of Claire
When he came around to the side Of the
house the horse had stampeded into an
adjoining field. Upon the green sward
where Hope had left her was Claire, in a
dead faint.
No other person was in view. What
had happened? Quickly Hope lifted her
head in his arms, and murmured his anx-
iety and solicitude into her white, pulse
less face.
Thus several minutes went by, until al
length her eyes opened. She shrieked.
where is he?" she cried, with fright
ened start.
"Whom?" inquired Hope quickly.
"That mani"
"You meant"
Kane"
"He was here." exclaimed Hope, il
absolute amazement.
''Yes!" she painted. looking about her
all in a tremble.
"Whenw
while you were gone" She chung t.
him Historically. 'Oh, Mr.. Hope y sh.
cried, protect me from him if he come.
again"
do not fear for that" assured Hope
"You are certain it was Kane?"
Flutteringly Claire related a singular
story. Hope had no sooner gone into tn,
house than Kane had appeared. Wild
faced, his garments disordered. a broker
chain dangling from one wrist, he hat
burst upon her appalled, view.
He had sprung to her side, seized he,
arm, in hurried accents announced thai
she must at once accompany him in fight
1t was his desire-Gideon Hopes com
mand.
She had struggled. He sought to dra:
her from the spot. Something he caught
from her incoherent words, that she dis
believed and disregarded him, that Hop,
was even now in the house. that the
horse, the satchel, he had brought hither
II called for help" narrated Claire
Suddenly Kane's eyes fared with {
strange. eager light. He sprang toward
the satchel, saying: This is Hopes,
Then it contains the money! If you viii
not go with me. at least 1 have the for
tune Then l tainted away
1.-THE dolt-the victim That satche
| contains-
Hope was interrupted. A flying horse
woman came up the road. 1t was Elita
You here!' she cried, facing Hope
| III
HAS he been here?" she demanded
Your husbandy said Hope.
"Yes-what is that !"
What, indeed. A strange breath. a.
of nature gasping, 1utter of the leave,
of the trees, check in birdsong and in
sect whirr-all caused by a harsh, cut
ting crash at some near distance.
Upon the topmost branch of a lofty elm
a robin had built her nest
AS day broke. she faced the sun, and
began, first. her faint, twittering note
then a slow, low trill, and finally her
full burst of glorious song.
A man dashing through the brush, hat.
less. pale, yet eager, bearing a satchei in
his hand, looked up and echoed the exult.
ant note, and laughed gayy, triumphant.
| ly.
1t was Percy Kane. He had escaped
had been forced to abandon the thought
of taking Claire away with him, but had
he not in the satchel the other half OF
the severed bank notes? Yes his folly
led him to believe. He was rich, and
the money was the main thing, after all
AS he hoped. planned. anticipated a
new future in some new field. thus equip
ped with princely fortune, he grew half
wild with reckless delight
He waved the satchel caressingly, he
plunged on. Soon he came TO a break in
| the landscape. Fair valleys, a radia 1t,
fertile expanse, spread out--the world lay
| all before him!
THE final hour he exulted-"and I
am the victor!"
Yes, the hour had come-but not OF
victory, of doom, instead-the hour OF
ripening dynamite. Retribution and total
extingushment!
He knew no shock or pain-simply :
flashing dissolution. The dynamite had
exploded and he was blotted out
One lasl act of justice the woman,
Elita. performed ere with her unfortu-
nate father, she disappeared from the
scene of her recent endeavors, never to