Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-03-05

strong as he was physically, brilliant
as he was mentally, there was NOR
tai weakness in his blood; and search
as he might the history of his ances-
tors, their lives shed no light upon
his own.
In stating that his face had been
granted that dubious honor and con-
Germ of the perpetrators of the rogues'
gallery, he had merely given rein to
a seizure of soul-bitterness. But there
was truth enough in the statement
that he had been short in his accounts
many thousands at his fathers bank;
gambling debts; and in making no ef-
fort to replace the loss, he was soon
found out by his brother, who seemed
only too glad to dishonor him. He
was given his choice: to sign over his
million, due him year later (for at
this time the father was dead), or go
to prison. The scandal Of the affair
had no weight with his brother; he
wanted the younger out Of the way.
Like the hot-headed fool he was, he
had signed away his Inheritance TAX
en- paltry thousand and left Amer
lea, facing Imprisonment if he re.
turned That was the kind of broth
er he had. Once he had burned his
bridges, there came to him a dozen
ways by which he could have extri-
Gated himself. But once a fool, always
a fool!
Disinherited, outcast, living by his
wits, ingenious enough; the finer
senses callousing under the contact
with his interiors; a gambler, a hard
drinker periodically; all in all, fine
portrait for any gallery given over to
rogues. And he hadn't worried much
over the moral problem confronting
him, that the way OF the transgressor
is hard. It was only when love rent
the veil of his faulty that he saw
himself as he really was.
Love! He gazed ahead at Fortune
under the mammal. That guileless
young girl as she was should enchain
him! That the sight of her should
always send a longing into his soul
to go back and begin over! His jaws
hardened. Why not? Why not try
to recover some of the crumbs of the
fine things he had thrown away? At
least enough to permit him to go
again among his fellows without con-
stantly looking behind to note if he
we're followed? By the Lord Harry!
once he was out of this web of his
own weaving, he would live straight;
he swore that every doIll4' hereafter
put in his pocket should be an honest
one. Fortune could never be his wife.
He came to this fact without any
roundabout or devious byways. In the
first place, he knew that he had not
touched her; she had only been friend
ly; and now even her friendship hung
by thread. All right. The love he
bore her was going to be his salvation
just the same; and at this moment
he was deadly in earnest.
1t was after nine when they were
ferried across the two canals, the
fresh-water and the salt, several miles
below Serapeum. The three weary
captives saw a great liner slip past
slowly and majestically upon it's way
to the Far East. She radiated with
light and cheer and comfort; and all
could hear family the pulsations of
her engines. So near and yet so far;
a cup of water to Tantalus! At mid
night they made camp. There were
no palms this time; simply well in
the center Of a tumble of huge bou1-
ders. The tents were pitched to the
southwest, for now the wind blew, bit
ing from the land of northern SHOWS;
and fire was welcome thing. This
was Arabia; Africa had been left be-
hind. Here they awaited the return
of the courier, who arrived two days
later, dead tired. The persons to whom
the card had been sent had sailed for
Naples with the steamer Ludwig. Ma
homed turned upon the three miser-
ables.
II have you three, then; and by the
beard Of the Prophet, you shall pay,
you shall pay! You have robbed and
beaten and dishonored me; and you
shall pay!"
cam I guilty of any wrong toward
you?" faltered the girl. Her mother
had gone. She had hoped against
hope.
''No," cried Mahomed. He laughed.
"You are free to return to Cairo.
alone! Free to take your
choice Of these two men to accompany
you. Free, free as the air. {.
Well, why do you hesitate?"
CHAPTER XIV.