Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-05-09

IA fore Colonel Moreau. bark.
s& ening at length to the call of
8tE2) the river. returned to his old
haunts in New Orleans When he did
SO it 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 his old niche Of fame
premier professional gambler Of the
Mississippi. Quite aside from all finan-
cial reasons-the fact that more
skillfui and successful rival was gar
nering the major spoils Of the river
the news of his victims recovery was
seriously disquieting to the honorable
colonel. and had he been forewarned
he 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 a bullet in the back
or the smirching Of whatever little re-
NAMED Of his once fair reputation,
and had he even remotely suspected
that he would recover he (Moreau,
would not have prevaricated so cheer
fully and with such abandon to young
Randall. How much did the boy now
know? That was the all important
question. Kirby. of course. had learn
ed that he stood accused of the late
John RandaIrs suicide. but had he
taken the trouble to refute It? Mo-
reau did not think SO. 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 he would.
rs a matter Of duty. have proved his
innocence. But they. believing him
dead, had not done SO, and he refused
to take the initiative, partly because he
could not give absolute credence to
the rumor, but in greater measure
because of the demands upon his
time. After all. it did not matter. 1t
meant only another tally to the score
of Jack Moreau. and all would be
wiped out by that gentleman's death,
an undertaking upon which he had
definitely decided. What stood be-
tween them could be eradicatcd only
by the bullet.
Meanwhile the passing year had
brought with 1t many changes for the
surviving members Of the Randall fam
lily. Life Is tenacious. and they had
persisted in surviving as best they
could 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 at least saved from pauper-
ization. for they were entirely igno-
rant Of Kirby's recovery or the meas
ures he had voluntarily taken for their
protection.
To the only girl. Adele. had fallen
the brunt Of suffering. The General.
a child of eight. was too young to fully
comprehend his loss. while Tom. a
hot headed youth in his early twenties.
occupied all his time with the planta-
ton and devoted all spare moments to
nursing his hatred against Kirbys
memory. While glorying in the lat
ter's supposed death he deplored that
his hand had not effected it. Where
grief had paralyzed Adele 1t had but
further aroused the boys militant and
aggressive nature. adding. moreover. a
veneer Of youthful and bitter cynicism.
He abhorred Kirby's memory with an
intensity passing the hatred Of mar
and. even had he been stranger to
the then prevailing and primitive no.
lions of justice. would. had lie known
the other lived. have Immediately
sought him out and killed him. If his
fathers memory demanded that no re-
sistance should be made to the gam.
bler's claim 1t likewise demanded that
the latter should not live overlong 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.
sibility Of Kirby having survived Mo-
reau's sincere attentions. Then he
would break out in an ungovernable
fit of fury and hatred.
"Supposing that scoundrel has lived
and intends reaping the reward Of his
crime" he would cry. HE gained
that deed by the vilest scoundrelism
ever practiced. Well. let him make
good his claim II he can"
Put who will dispute it," Adele
would lifelessly inquire. piucking at
her black dress. while twin patches of
scarlet would begin 10 burn In the
dead white of her face. DO you think
we could stoop to ask mercy from a
man of that stamp? Whether the
deed was gained honestly or not, 1t
does not matter. Fathers signature
Is on the paper. and we must stand
by 1t. Tom. You know that. Any.
way" she would finish drearily. "what
does 1t matter? What does it matter
where we go. what we become: Let
this Mr.. Kirby-if that be his name
finish the work he began SO we'll"
Ill wish you could pluck up
little more spirit, Dele" he would re-
turn, soiicitous and resentful in the
one breath. Doesn't the thought Of
that scoundrers possible recovery
make your blood boil? Don't you ever
consider the thought Of you and the
General and me being rendered abso-
lutte paupers? Think of what 1t would
mean to leave the only home We have
known
Il have thought Of all that until
s-Iy i1,D b,nr .nHS
she would interrupt colorlessly. II