The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1910-06-30

THE WHEEL
OF FORTUNE
By CLINTON DANGERFlELD.
Copyright, by j. b. Lippiucott Coz

| --------------~
(Copyright, by ], b. Lippincott Coz
The alarmed echoes caught up the
crack of Carshalton's rifle Ringing the
sound from rock to rock IN the raNihe
| below. A second shot followed the
first so quickly that they might nave
| been deemed one, but the effect was
| twofold, for with the first John lex
| ford reeled in his saddle, with the
second his startled horse came crash
ing to the ground.
The bursting of a rotten girth saved
Rexford from being crushed to death,
the horse rolling clear of him III It's
last struggles. AS it was, his case
was bad enough for his right leg was
broken and over him stood Carshal-
ton seller of all properly unstable
things, who was just now about to
close deal on his well-salted Lady
In" silver mine which would make
him some fifty thousand dollars richer,
and the purchaser so much the poorer
for the rest of his life.
TO be sure. Col Wayne, the would
be buyer. had sent ReXford to give
an expert opinion on the mine. And
Just here had arisen a serious differ
ence of opinion between ReXford and
Carshalton.
Experience had so far justified
Carshalton in the belief that experts
were Of two kinds either they were
fools who knew nothing about the
customary mine ruses, and therefore
were easily handled, or else they were
wise men who, on the receipt OF due
consideration, saw everything through
rose-colored glasses. ReXford had dis
concerted him by belonging to neither
class, and had outraged Carshalton
by his outspoken remarks concerning
the worthessness of the Lady Lu'
and by contemptuously refusing the
heavy bride delicately offered him.
The victor now coolly proceeded to
help himself to the fallen mans pa
pers, especially a written message Of
warning which ReXford expected to
send by wire the instant he reached
the foot of the mountain. BY a little
work this message could be altered
to satisfactory wording, and yet APP
pear to be written in ReXford's hand
all the way through, this copy being
held for proof later.
Rcxford. despite his agony, drew his
revolver on the vulturedfaced shar-
per approaching him. but a snap was
the only result. Carshalton laughed.
Didn't reckon I'd leave your pistol
in fix to spoil the whole thing, did
you?" he asked. Come now-quiet
with your hands. You cant stop me
All this is your own fault, anyway, you
blamed fooli"
Without more ado he went whistling
down the steep mountain road to his
horse, fastened 50 yards below, once
mounted, he made all speed possible,
though the ground was yillainously
rocky, set with sharp limestone frag.
ments.
For few seconds ReXford lay still,
| in exceeding bitterness of soul. Or
dnarily the matter would have been
| bad enough. but to stand we'll in Col.
| Waynes eyes was more than life to
Rcxford, since the colonel's pretty
daughter idolized her father, and the
| best passport to her favor was the
| good will of the father and daughter
| onel. Now both father and daughter
would despise him, for on the strength
| of the telegram he knew Carshalton
would send at once, in the expert
own name, the deal would be closed
and the colonel practically ruined.
He looked around him in frantic
desperation. TO the right lay his dead
| horse. To the left the fragments of an
old oX-wagon abandoned by some dis
gustcd bark hauler who had in vain
| undcayOred to use the discarded noun
| tain road
The wrcckage seemed significant Of
how little hope he might have Of
| passcrs-by. RcXford groaned aloud
his wound reminding him that he
| might die there, so far as Carshalton'
| mercy went.
|
! again and again, but only the echoes
or the shrill cry of frightened wood
peckcrs answered him. His heaJ
| dropped on his arms: he abandoned
himself to despair for what seemed {
century.
Then suddenly the stiffness of tn,
| mountain woods was broken. Plain
tive. sweet, tuned to a monotone, cam,
the voice Of a woman,
The melody, dropping like honey o
strange sweetness from her lips, wa!
only wild camp-mecting hymn, bu
Ellen McArthur's thoughts We're no
ON the church Wrapped in a nader
| dream of her own, not less potent,
| glamuurous for it's primeval qualities
She came ON swift, bare feet arount
the corner, and found herself shocke,
from her visions Of love to a compre
honsion of tragedy,
"Was that you ahollerin'?" she erie,
in quick repentance II never lowe,
there wuz anybody in trouble-jes
thought twas one O them vale
| hunters yclIin to his mates. Tn
idgits air alters gettin losted. What
the natter
"My leg is broken" said Rexfor
feverishly Look here, girl, there
man gone ahead Of me. He want
TO send a message by wire at the sta
ton below. Mine must get in frs