The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1912-08-15
BY RANDALL pARRDsN
A Fiaaieth Anniversary
COPYRIGHT. 1909. BY A. c Med-uRc q co.


the conditions of birth. He Possesses
all the feelings natural to humanity
and Ii here now in peace. Will you
listen to me? Will you hear the storyf"
Yes slowly. almost reluctantly. y
will listen. but-but make him stand
where he H."
HE shall not move until am done.
Miss Jean. and can explain all in
few words. You had scarcely left me
alone when this door was pushed open
ana l saw reflected In the mirror there
the awful face Of that woman who
eeema to haunt this house. l sprang
toward her. but tripped and fell. 70
that when I reached the hall she had
vanished searched every room on
the door vainly. Although my own e.
cape depended on my getting away At
once. did not dare leave you con-
parativeiy alone hero With that crsa-
ture at large. found OBrien on
guard below and set forth myself to
explore the tunnel once more. Halt
way through met Dauiels. 1t doesnt
make any difference what happened
between rs down there. nor how be
came to be there. but told him. about
this woman-that you. as well as l.
had seen her. and he wanted to ask
you something. VIII you answer him
She looked at the man, wetttng heS
lips, her eyes opened vide In bswil
derment
"Yes," she said, II will answer"
Daniels spoke with difficulty.
"Wal, miss" hs said, forcing his
words out. II reckon yer don't think
none too much o me, an 'spect l
hev done some pretty blame mean
things. but they weren't a darn bit
meaner than what's been done ter me.
When I went OF ter ther war he'd
a cabin up on Lost Crick, whar l
thought 1t was safe, an left q wife
an three kids thar awaitin' my comm
back. Las night got a chance ter
ride thet way. an l found some hell
hounds he'd burnt ther cabin. an either
murdered ther woman an ther kids,
or else drove EN- inter ther hills.
couldn't git no trace O them high or
low. an naturally laid 1t up agin your
people. Now. miss. maybe I'm tough.
but I'm man enough ter care a heap
fer my wife an ther kids fist ther
same, an l started out ter find what
he'd become o. them. Thet's what
fetched me yere. an I come nghtin
mad. reckon yer know what we
uns are in ther mountings. an how
hard we hate. Wal. never hated no
worse than ! do now"
MIR. Daniels" she broke in, II have
been taught to fear you. but l am not
afraid now" and she looked quickly
from his face into mine. You seem
to think that we-that lem Donald
has burnt your cabin. driven your fam
lily out: but it is not SO. | know 1t Is
not so. IL am just as sorry as any
one to hear this-indeed | am. for
have met your wife She-she was
kind to me once. years ugo."
The man choked. much of the stern
ness gone from his haggard face.
"Yes. she told me bout thet. an 1t
was because you'd know her thet !
kim yere ter question yer. Their leften-
ant says you saw ther woman who
has been murderin' In this house. II
yer did. want yer ter tell me ther
truth-was It Maria?"
"Yes. IL saw the facew she an
swered. shuddering. The very mem
ory seemed painful. "An awful face.
scarcely human. 1t was white and
haggard. with wild black eyes and
wisps of gray hair dangling on either
side. 1t seemed to me like vision OF
hate, and cannot Danish the recollec-
ton from my mind But-but l never
saw TINT face before-never; as God
hears me. It was not your wife"
A long moment the mountaineer
looked Mt her. apparently seeking the
truth in the girls eyes. then he col
lapsed into the chair. shuddering as he
buried his face in his hands.
l could scarcely realize tho truth
that this grim mountaineer, savage in
cruel instinct. utterly devoid OF hu-
90