The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-12-16
CHAPTER XVI.

snost the consistency OF cloud Wnen
Gordon leaped the wall and set his face
toward the iron works. Or, rather, 1t
was like the depths of translucent
SeA In which the distant electric lights
of Mountain View avenue shone as
hlurs of phosphorescent life on one
band, and the great dark bulk of Leb-
anon doomed as the massive founda-
lions of 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
2bysses of dull-red incandescence for
the few seconds of its DURATION
slow lightning flash submerged and
half extinguished.
Gordon was passing the country col
ony's church when one Of the torch
like flares Redeemed on the night, and
the glow picked out the gilt cross at
the top of the sham Norman tower.
He flung up hand involuntarily, as If
to put the emblem and that for which
1t Stood out of his life. At the same
instant 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 its 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.
The two 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
to 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 flare blazed aloft like mighty
torch. and the man grounded his weap-
on.
Il beg your pardon, Mr.. Gordon; T.
L took We for somebody else" he STAN
mered; and Tom scanned his face
sharply by the light Of the burning
gases.
WhOm?-fOr instance" he queried
Why-e-yeh-I reckon it don't make
amy diff rence-my telhn' you; you'd
Ought to have it in for him. too. I was
his mind legs and calls hisself Vint
Farley
who are your" 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 lit
tie spell ago. I couldn't think of mare
n better way O. gettin' at"
Gordon interrupted bruskly. Tell
me what you owe Vint Farley. II your
debt is bigger than mine. you shall
have the first chance"
The gas-flash came again. There
WAS black wrath in the mans eyes.
You can tote 1t up for yourself
Tom-Jeff Gordon. Late yesterday
evenin', when me and Nan Bryerson
drove to town for your Uncle Silas to
marry us, she told me what I'd been
zmistrustin' for a month back-that
Vint Farley was the daddy O. her chill
Iern. He's done might nigh everything
short O. KILN her to make her swear
-em on to you; and l allowed I'd jest
put off goin' 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 palings, 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
foundation Of the wall of separation
that had been built up between his
love and Ardea. When he could trust
himself to speak he asked a question.
"Who knows this, besides yourself"
your Uncle Silas, for one: he al
lowed he wouldn't marry us less'n she
told him. l might nigh b'lieve he had
his suspicious, too He let on like 1t
was Farley that told him on you. years
ago, when you was boy"
~He did? Then Farley was one Of
the three men who saw us up yonder
at the barrel-spring?"
Yes; and 1 was another one Of 'em.
I was right hot at you that mornin'; /
shore was"
well. who else knows about it?"
Brother Bill Layne, and Aunt
Nrandy, and Japhe Pettigrass. They
all went in town to stan I'D with me-
and Man."
Then Tom remembered the figure
coming swiftly across the lawns ana
the call Of the voice he loved Had
Japheth told her. and was she ha.tar-
ing to make such reparation as abs
could? No matter, it 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.
GIVE me that gun, and You sh.,,
have your first chance" he conceded
II make but one condition: If you XII
4im, I'll kill YOU"
II was only allowin' to Spite his face
some and rockll do for that W,
can have what's left o. him after %,
1hoo- It'll be enough to kill.
reckon"
At the moment Of weapon-passins
there came sounds audible above ~.
rob and sigh of the blowing engines
= clatter of horses hoofs and tn,
grinding Of carriage wheels on tn,
pike. Gordon signed quickly to Kin
caid and drew back carefully benin,
the bole Of the opposite poplar.
It was the Warwick Lodge surrey
and it stopped at the gate. Two mel
got out and went up the path. and Al
instant later, Kincaid followed stealth
ny.