The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-10-27
CHAPTER XVI.

toward the iron-woIks. Or, rather. It
was like the depths of a translucent
sea In which the distant electric lights
or Mountain View avenue shone as
blurs OF phosphorescent life on one
tand, and the great dark bulk OF Leb-
anon doomed as the massive founda-
lions OF a shadowy island on the other.
Farther on, the recurring flare from
the tall vent of the blast-furnace light
ed the haze depths weirdly. turning the
mysterious sea bottom INTO fathomless
abysses Of dull-red incandescence for
the few econds of its duration-a
slo" lightning lash submerged and
ha.f extinguished.
Gordon was passing the country col
onys church when one of the torch
IKE nares Redeemed on the night, and
the glow picked out the gilt cross at
the top of the sham Norman tower.
he flung up a hand involuntarily, as II
10 put the emblem. and that for which
lt stood. out Of his life. AT the same
instant a Whit of the acrid smoke from
The distant furnace fires tingled in his
nostrils. and he quickened his pace.
The hour for which all other hours had
been waiting had struck. Love had
called. and religion had made it's silent
protest; but the smell in his nostrils
was the smoky breath of Mammon. the
breath which has maddened a world:
he strobe on doggedly. thinking only of
his triumph and how he should pres
emily compass it
Inc -wo great ~poplar-trees. sentinel
Ing what had once been the gate OF the
old Gordon homestead. had been spared
through all the industrial changes.
When he would have opened the wicket
10 pass on to the Lighthouse offices, an
armed man stepped from behind one of
the trees. his gunbutt drawn up to
strike. Before the blow could fall. the
furnace fare blazed aloft like a mighty
torch, and the nan grounded his weap-
on
Il beg your pardon, Mr.. GordontI-
] took we for somebody else" he stam-
mered; and Tom scanned his face
sharply by the light of the burning
gases
"Whom?-for instance" he queried.
"Why-e-yeh| reckon ii don't make
I'M din'rence-ny tellin' you: you'd
ought to have 1t in for him, too. l was
layin' for that houn'-dog at walks on
his hind legs and calls hisself Vint
Farley"
Who are you?" Tom demanded.
Kincaid's my name. and I'm s'posed
to be one o. the strike guards; least
wise. that's what / hired out for a lit
tie spell ago. L could think of mare
a better way o. gettin' at"
Gordon interrupted bruskly. Tell
me What you owe Vint Farley. If your
debt is bigger than mine. you shall
have the first chance"
The gas came again. There
was black wrath in the mans eyes.
you can tote it up for yourself.
Tom-Jef Gordon Late yesterday
e~venin'. when me n Nan Bryerson
drove TO town for your Uncle Silas TO
marry us. she told me what I'd been
mistrustin' for a month back-that
Viut Farley was the daddy o. her chill
lern. He's don might nigh everything
short o. KILN her TO make her swear
'em on TO you: and allowed I'd jest
put off gOln' back West till I'd fixed his
lynn face scat no yuther woman'd
ever look at it."
Gordon. staggered and leaned against
the fence p~aIings. the red rage of muir
der boiling in his veins. Here, at last,
was the key to all the mysteries; the
source of all the cruel gossip; the
VI Tic " separation
that had been built up between his
himself to speak he asked a question.
WHO knows this. besides yourself: '
Your Uncle Silas. for one: he al
lowed he wouldn't arr Us less'n she
told him. 1 might Nigh b1ieve he had
his suspicious. too. He let on like II
was Farley that told him on you. years
ago, when you was a boy"
HE did? Then Farley was one of
the three men who saw IS up yonder
at the barrel-spring?"
yes; and / vas another one Of EN-.
L was right hot at you that mornin': L
shore was
well, who else knows about it?"
brother Bill Layne. and Aunt
MANDY, and Japhe Pettigrass. They
All went In town to STAN up with me
and Nan"
Tbca Tom remembered the figure
coming swiftly across the lawns and
the call of the voice he loved. Had
Jspheth told her. and was she hasten
ing 10 make such PREPARATION as aha
could? No matter, II was too late now.
The fierce hatred OF the wounded saw
age was astir in his heart and Ii would
not be denied or silenced-
TGiye me that gum, and you shall
have your first chance" he conceded
II make but one condition: IL you kin
him, III kill you"
Il was only allowin' to Spite his face
some, and a rock'n do for that. You
can have what's left o. him after I get
thoo-and it'll be enough to kill. I
reckon"
At the moment OF weapon-passIny
there came sounds audible above the
sob and sigh of the blowing-engines-
a CHATTER of horses hcofs and the
grinding OF carriage wheels on the
pike. Gordon signed quickly to Kin
caid and drew back carefully behind
the bole OF the opposite poplar.
II was the Warwick Lodge surrey.
and II stopped at the gate. Two men
got out and went up the path. and an
instant later. Kincaid followed stealth
fly.
Gordon waited for the next gas-nare.
and by the light of 1t he threw the
breech-locR of the repeating rifle to
make sure the cartridge was in place.
Then he. too. passed through the wick
ct and went to stand in the shadow OF
the slab-foored porch. redolent of
memories He had forgotten the les
ser vengeance IN the thirst for the
greater-that he lad come to fling
their misfortunesI into the faces of the
father and the son. and to tell them
that the work was his. He heard only
the voice CT the savage In his heart.
and that was whispering. XIII, kiln"
It was close on midnight when the
door giving on the porch opened and
the two men stood on the threshold.
The younger of the two was speaking.
Its quieter than usual tonight.
That was a good ~move-getting Lud-
low and the two Helgerscns jailed. I
was in hopes we could snafhe old Ca
1eb with the others. He pretends to be
neacemaking, but as long as he is loose,
these fools VIII hang TO the idea that
they're fighting his battle against u.s."
aIt is already fought" said the older
man. dejectedly. My luck has gone.
when Henniker puts US to the wall.
we shall be beggars."