The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1910-06-30
CHAPTER ".

OnAk y I'M Nv.
III lLMOST one year elapsed BE-
|IAI fore Colonel Moreau. bark
ening at length to tho call Of
8 the river. returned to his old
haunts b New Orleans. When b. did
20 II was to learn that his supposed
victim had entirely recovered from The
effects Of the Honorable combat" and,
In conjunction with his partner. had
reoccupied bin old niche Of famo-
premier professional gambler Of tie
MississippL Quite asids from al Imam
cial reasons-the fact that Q more
skillful and successful rival was gar-
nering the major spoils Of the river
the news Of his victims recovery Was
seriously ,dlsQuieting to the hoaorabls
colonel. and had he been forewarned
be might have Indefinitely prolonged
his acquaintance with the more health
full climate Of Mexico. He knew that
Kirby was not the type Of man to for
get or condone . bullet In the hack
or the smirching Of whatever little re-
manned Of bis once fair reputation.
and had be even remotely suspected
that be would recover be (Moreaub
would not have prevaricated 20 cheer
fully and with such abandon to young
Randall. How much did the boy now
knowf That was the all important
question Kirby. Of course. had learn
ed that be stood accused Of the late
John Randall's suicide. but had he
taken the trouble to refute 1T Mo-
reau did not think 20. and Moreau
was right.
Kirby had but vaguely heard Of the
unjust accusation and. having been
long since casehardened to calumny
In all its phases. paid little II any at.
tention. Had any member Of the Ran
dali family sought him out be would.
as matter Of duty. have proved his
innocence But they. believing him
dead. had not done 50. and be refused
TO take the initiative. partly because he
could not give absolute credence to
the rumor. bur in a greater measure
because Of the demands upon his
time. After all. 1t did not matter. IL
meant only another tally to the score
Of Jack Morcau. and all would be
wiped ont by that eentlenlan's death.
an undertaking upon which he had
definitely decided. What stood he
tween them could be eradicated only
by the bullet.
Meanwhile the passing year had
brought with It many changes for the
surviving members Of the Randall fam
lily. Life Is tenacious. and they had
persisted in surviving as best they
coulj the shock incident upon their
fathers suicide. The one small meas
ure Of satisfaction In the whole ter
rible affair was the knowledge that the
despoiler Of their home had promptly
met his death and that In consequence
they were az least saved from pauper-
izafion. sor they were entirely igiio-
rant OF Kirby's recovery or the meas
ures he bad voluntarily taken fer their
protection.
To the only girl. Adele. had fallen
the hrunt q suffering. The General.
child Of eight. was too young TO fully
comprehend his loss. while Torn.
hot headed youth IN his early tweniies.
occupied III his time with the planfa.
ton and devoted al spare moments 70
nursing his hatred against Kirby's
memory. Willie gIorying IN the lat
tcr's supposed death he dcplorcd that
his hand had not effected Il. Where
grief had paralyzed Adele II had but
further aroused the boys militant and
aggressive nature. adding. moreover. q
veneer Of youthful and bitter cynIcism
lie abhorred Kirby's memory with an
intensity passing the hatred Of man
and. even had he been O stranger 10
the then prevailing aud primitive no
tons Of justice, would. had be known
the other lived. have Immediately
sought him out and killed him. n his
fathers memory demanded that no re-
sistance should be made 10 the gam.
blers claim II likewise demanded that
the latter should not live oyerlong TO
enjoy his newly acquired property.
More than once, as II uneasy intui-
ton sought to prompt the truth. the
boy had suggested to his sister the pos
ribiIity Of Kirby having survived Mo-
reau's sincere attentions. Then he
would break out In an ungovernabie
ft Of fury and hatred.
"supposing that scoundreI has lived
aud intends reaping the reward OF his
crime" he would CRY. "He gained
that deed BY the West scoundreiism
ever pracficed. Well. let him make
good his claim II he can
"Put who viii dispute itYs Adele
would IifeIessly inquire. pIucking at
her black dress. while twin patches Of
scarlet would begin to burn IN the
dead white Of Der face. aDo you think