Omaha daily bee., 1911-05-07

What a pity he had not been spared,
whimsey, at Cnce sad and m rthful,
Sc 1ed me. Henry Morvan was dead VT
he had but now been alive in me. Mr..
vii am Hancock hal lately welcomed hlA
old fr ends son from the west Evans, the
landlord had bowed ohseqious TO the heir
OF Morvan-the strange LADY Of the Spur
had warned Mr.. Morvan from his patri-
mony. l alone knew and my faithful
Link-that Henry Morvan was lying In the
g AIS Of the NJ ssouri
The boughs heat insistentlv on the win
dow-the wind must be frcsheninR. NY
mind pursued its whimsey.
How strange-and an how unjust n
world was this I lived in, Tom Bell the
proclaimed highwayman, for whom the
hue-and-cry was out aga'n, must seek his
lonely hunting lodge on en- island in the
marshes, when, II he were hut Henry Nor
van, he could claim a fortune and honorsd
ease thereby. How easy 1t would be- My
hand fell heavily on the table and / sat
breathing deeply.
As sat, above the turmoil Of my
thoughts The boughs at tho window pane
beat a cFdence into my brain "Tap-top,
tap Tap-tap tap! Cne-two, three!'
one loud blow then two quick. Light ones.
The sound rarg NV ga I. "Tap-tap,
tapl OnC-tNo. three"
My breath cut the flame from the en-.
die! / CROPPED my way to the window end
threw II open a n an swurg himself like
a great cat frrm tie branch OF the cherry
to the sill, and so into the room.
'Iirk!"
yes, clpta.n-its Link"
Good"
I shut the window, drew the curtains
c'ose and nut a match to the candle
Presently l n ade him out.
He was a lean man Of 10 years or thcre-
abouts. His black hair was cropped close
and between high check bones his eyes
cleaned like bits of coal. Eyes and cheek
bones were all that spoke OF Indian blood
For the rest nc differed little In appear
aDce fiOn any other man OF the common
sort Ee wore a cloth roundabout and
dark cap, with pantalcons met at the knee
by leathern CATERS.
All in all your stranger would not have
looked twice at the man. Rut. since the
hour rad found him IN st. Louis, starv-
ing and desperately wounded by qra~,
r,lsome flatboatmen, he had shown him
self faithful as a hound.
I shook hands wi h him warnly--I had
sent him ahead Of me from Carlisle, in
Pennsylvania, nearly fortnight before.
why the window, IlnlS?"
TOO many people in the bar-room, Cap
tain" he said in his quiet tones. Didn't
know how you we're fixed Thought maybe
you didn't want anybody TO see me-people
might ask questions, Been in the cherry
tree some time. Thought ! saw q woman $
shadow on the curtain, though and was
u he
fore"
i've Just had a very strange caller-but
never mind that now. Did you find the
lodge7"
Yes. Spent two or three DAYS cleaning
It up. It's all right, Captain. Don't think
anybody's been there since YOU left"
That's likely enough, though it's nearly
eight years since l saw It last. How's the
country?'
The mans eyes lighted. TITS good-all
good! Ducks. fish rabbits-big game too.
One night made a flare by the spring,
and killed deer before an hour was out.
Another time l saw two or three beasts
in a herd-if Il had been thousand miles
west. ia swear they was buffalo"
They were first couslns-wild cattle
descended from cattle strayed from the
farms. Did you make the place fit to live
in?"
'.Everything's ready. Made up beds out
of cedar limbs, and blankets over EN-
Stopped ell the chinks in the roof-weren't
many. Slabs on the floor as good as new.
Cleaned the leaves out o. the spring, and
put new clay right through the whole
chimney. Easy enough clear a place for
Injun corn and potatoes next spring Took
down some buckets and cookin' things
from that town you told me about-Glos-
ter, amt itT'
He stopped. and eyed me from crown to
toe and back again. Captain, think you'll
spoil all them good clothes, roughin' II
down there in the woods"
I smiled with him Very likely. The
tailors in Carlisle were too much for me-
I couldn't hold myself from dressing de-
Gently once again. II was devilish dear
business, thoughts left me only a hun
bred dollars Of all last seasons fur money
But, Link, II was lucky / was wearing the
coat Of a gentleman a little while SINCE
had to take the name of Mr.. Morvan tc
save my neck"
In a dozen words 1 told him of my en-
counter with the landlord, and explained
my ruse with Mr. William Hancock
We'll out of trouble, Captain" said Link
when I had finished Nothing TO do aoW
but make a bee line for the lodge"
For the lodge?" A plan. full formed
leaped into my mind. l stared at him Sc
long that he supposed had not under
stood.
Yes, sir. Be safer II we pull out from
here right off We can reach the marshe,
by tomorrow night"
Link" l said slowly you must star
for the lodge in an hour, but I'm not goinl
with YOU"
You amt going?"
NO, l." I broke off. Listen heal
that"
A olatter OF dancing hoofs arose from
the hard post road before the tavern. In
stinctivsly knew whose horse It was tina
now leapt into a furious gallop south
ward.
who is It, Captain muttsred Link, HI
shot me q keen glance ''Humm! forge
that woman's shadow on the curtain"
Link" I said, keep the lodge ready fol
me. I'm bound to be there soon-perhapI
in day or two-very likely a week Mean
while" paused and regarded him in 4
brown study.
Yes, Captain" he prompted
Meanwhile, Link Mr.. Henry Morvar