Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-04-21
CHAPTER XIV.

Riding up the pike one sun shot at
ternoon in the golden September. Tom
saw Ardea entering the open door of
the Mcrwenstow church. copy, drew
rein, flung himself out OF the saddle
and followed her. She saw him and
stopped in the Vestibule, quaking lit
tie as she felt she must always quake
until the impossible chasm of weldock
with another should be safely opened
between them.
Just a moment" he said, abruptly.
There was a time when I said would
spare Vincent Farley and his kin for
your sake. That was a year ago.
Things have changed since then; I
have changed. When my father is bur-
led, shall do my best to fill the
mourners' carriages with those who
have killed him."
How Is your father to-day?" she
asked. not daring to trust speech 9TH
erwise.
He Is the same as he was yester-
day and the day before; the same as
he will always be from this on-a
broken man."
You will strike back?" She said it
with infinite sadness In her voice and
| an upcasting of eyes that were swim
ming. Il don't question your right
but pity you. The blow may be just
don't know-yet 1t will fall hardest
| on you IN the end. Tom"
His smile was almost boyish in it's
| frank anger But there was a mans
| sneer in his words.
| Excuse me; forgot for the mo-
ment that we are in church. But 1
am taking consequences, these days"
| She looked out from the COOL dark
| refuge of the vestibule when he mount
ed and rode on. and her heart was full
1t was madness, vindictive madness
and fell anger. But it was a generous
wrath, large and man-like. 1t was not
to be q blow In the dark or in the
back. as some men struck: and he
would not strike without first giving
her warning. Ardea had been cross
questioning Japheth about the assault
at the Woodlawn gates-to her own
hurt Japheth had evaded as he could,
but she had guessed what he was keep
ing back-the identity of the two foot
pads blackened to look like negroes. Il
was a weary world. and life had lost
much that had made 1t worth living.
Tom was deep in an inventive trance,
with vengeance for the prize to be won
and for the means to the end. iron
works and pipe plants and forgings-
especially the forging OF one particular
| thunderbolt which should shatter the
Farley fortunes beyond repair. When
this bolt was finally hammered into
shape he had an hours interview with
Major Dabney. and took a train fol-
New York.
A telegram from Norman, beggine
him to come back to South Tredegar al
speed, overlook him. For three days q
gentleman with shrewd eyes and q
hard bitted jaw, registering at the
Marlboro as "A. Dracott, New York
had been shut up with Mr.. Duxbury
Farley In the most private of the com.
pany's offices in the Coosa Building
and on the fourth day Norman haC
made shift to find out this gentleman.
business. Whereupon the wire to Tom
He caught a slow train back. and wa!
met at a station ten miles out OF town
by his energetic ex-lieutenant.
"Of course, didn't dare to don any
thing more than give him a hint" wa
the conclusion of Norman's exciting
report Il didn't know but he Nigh
give us away to Colonel Duxbury. Sc
without telling him much OF anything
l got him to agree to meet you at hi
rooms In the Marlboro tonight afte
dinner. Then 1 was scared for fea
my wire to you would miss"
You are a white man, Fred. and
friend to tie to-" said Tom: which wa
more than he had ever said to Nor
man by way OF praise in the days .
master and man. Then, as the trai
; was slowing into the South Tredega
!. station: IF this thing wins out, you
! come in for something bigger than 20
, had with Gordon & Gordon; you ca
: bet on that"
1t was ordained that Gordon shout
y anticipate his appointment by meetin
v his man at the dinner-table In tn
: Marlboro cafe; and 1t was accident {
: design. as you like to believe, this
/; Dyckman should be sitting two tabls
a away, choking over his food and lister
e ing only by the road of the eye, sine
o he was unhappily out of ear rang
When the two passed out to the elevs
W tor. the bookkeeper rose hastily an
j made for the nearest telephone. Thi
l., | AZ lea ST. WAS not accidental