davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-12-23

! cnauneur, discharged, came to me and
sold me the truth; it was Laws cal
| with Law at the wheel that had struck
me doWn-a deliberate attempt at as
sassination. l sent Law word that
meant to have life for a life. For
what was better than dead? l prom
ised him that, should he escape, ]
would have the life of his son. He
knew | meant it, and sent his wife
and son abroad. Then he died sud.
denly, of some common ailment-they
| said; but l knew better He died OF
fear of me-"
Urine smiled cruel smile: "I had
| made his life reign of terror. Ever
so often / would send Law, one way
or anotber-mysteriou always-a
trey of hearts; it was my death-sign
for him, as you know, our name,
Urine, signifies a group of three. And
every time he received a trey of
hearts, within twenty-four hours an
attempt of some sort would be made
upon his life. The strain broke down
his nerve
Then | turned my attention to the
son. but the distance was too great,
the difficulties insuperable. The Law
millions Knocked all MY efforts; their
alliance with the Rothschilds placed
mother and son under the protection
of every secret police in Europe But
they dared not come home At length
| realized | could win only by playing
waiting game l needed three
things: more money; to bring Alan
Law back to America; and one agent
| could trust, one incorruptible agent.
| ceased to prosecute mother and son,
lulled them into a sense of false Sc
curity. and by careful speculations
repaired my fortunes. In Rose / had
the lure to draw the boy back to
America; in you, the one person |
could trust.
I sent Rose abroad and arranged
that she should meet Law. They fell
in love at sight. Then wrote inform.
ing her that the man she had chosen
was the son of him who had murdered
ali of me but my BRAIN 1t fell out as
foresaw. You can imagine the scene
OF passionate renunciation-pledge
of uEdying constancy-the arrange
ment of secret code whereby, when
she needed him. she would send him
a single rose-the birth of a great ro-
mance,"
The old man laughed sardonically.
We'll, there is the history. Now the
rose has been sent; Law is already
homeward bound: my agents are
watching his every step. The rest is
In your hands"
The girl bent forward. breathing
heavily, eyes afiame in a face that had
assumed waxen pallor.
What is it you want of me9"
Bring Alan Law to me. Dead or
alive, bring him to me- But alive. IL
you can compass it; wish to see him
die. Then |, too. may die content"
The hand OF hct-blooded youth stole
forth and grasped the icy hand of
death-in-life
I will bring him." Judith swor-
dead or alive, you shall have him
here"
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-12-23
CHAPTER I.
The Message of the Rose.

Tapped deep in the leather-bound
luxury of an ample lounge-chair,
walled apart from the world by the
venerable solitude of the library of
London's most exclusive club, Mr..
Alan Law sprawled largely on the
nape of his neck and, squirting dis
contentedly down his nose, admitted
that he was exhaustiveN bored.
Now the chair filed so gracelessly
stood by an open window, some twen-
I, II feet below which lay stable
walled sarden, an old English garden
in full l. aver. And through the win
dow, now az then, half-hearted
breeze waited gusts of warm air,
sauve and enervating with the heavy
fragrance of English roses.
Mr.. Law drank deep of it, and in
spite of his spiritual unrest, sighed
slightly and shut his eyes.
An unspoken word troubled the
depth of his consciousness, so that
old memories stirred and struggled to
its surface The word was Rose"
and for the time seemed to be the
name neither Of woman nor of
flower, but oddly Of both, as though
the two things were one. His mental
vision, bridging the gap of a year. con-
1ured up the vision of 1.-THE, sweet
silhouette in white, with red roses
at her belt, posed on a terrace of the
Riviera against the burning Mediter-
ranean blue.
Mr.. Law was duly conscious that
he ought to be sorry about something.
But he was really very drowsy indeed;
and 50, drinking deep of wine-scent
of roses, he II gently asleep.
The clock was striking four when
he awoke; and before closing his
eyes he had noticed that its hands
indicated ter minutes to four So he
could not have slept very long
For some few seconds Alan did not
move, Cgt rested as he was, incredu.
lousy regarding a rose which had ma.
terialized mysteriously upon the little
table at his elbow. He was quite sure
it had not been there when he closed
his eyes, and almost as sure that 1t
was not real
And in that instant of awakening
the magic fragrance of the rose-garden
seemed to be even more strong and
cloying sweet than ever.
Then he put out a gingerly hand
and discovered that it was real beyond
ali question A warm red rose, fresh
plueked, drops of water trembling and
sparkling like tiny diamonds on the
velvet Of it's fleshy petals. And when
ifnpulsively he took it by the stem. he
discovered most indisputabe thorn
which did service for the traditional
pinch
Convinced that he wasn't dreaming,
slam transferred the rose to his sound
land, and meditatively sucked his
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-12-23
CHAPTER ~.
Many Waters.

WdTy "dICTS.
Overhead, through a rift in the
foliage a sky was visible whose ebon
darkness called to mind a thunder.
cloud
The heat was nearly intolerable;
the voice of the fire was very loud.
A heavy, broken crashing near by
made Alan turn his head, and he saw
brown bear break cover and plunge
on into the farther thickets-forerun-
ner of mad rout of terrified forest
folk, deer, porcupines, fox or two a
wildcat, rabbits, squirrels, cartridges
"a dozen more.
Two minutes had passed of the ten.
Something was digging uncomfortably
into Alan's right hip-the automatic
pistol in his hip pocket, Of which
Jacob had neglected to relieve him.
Then a sharp, spiteful cracking
brought him suddenly to sitting posi-
ton, to find that the Indian had
thoughtfully touched a match to the
pyre before departing. At Alan's feet
the twigs were blazing merrily.
1t would have been easy enough,
acting on instinct, to snatch his limbs
away, but he did not move more than
to strain his feet as far as their bonds
permitted. Conscious Of scorching
heat even through his hunting boots,
he suffered that torture until a tongue
of fame licked up, wrapped itself
round the thick hempen cord and ate
1t through.
Immediately Alan kicked his feet
free, lifted to kneeling position, and
crawled from the pyre.
AS for his hands-Alan's hunting.
knife was still in it's sheath belted
to the small Of his back. Tearing at
the belt with his hampered fingers, he
contrived to shift it round until the
sheath knife stuck at the belt-loop
over his left hip. Withdrawing and
conveying the blade to his mouth, he
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-12-23

Nor was his motive far to seek
Overnight the fire had made ire.
mendous gains. And ever and anon
the wind would bring down the roar
OF the holocaust, dulled by distance
but not unlike the growing of wild
animals feeding on their kill.
Alan delayed long enough only to
swallow few mouthfuls of raw food
gulped water from spring, and set
out at dog-trot or the trail to Spirit
Lake
For hours he Numbered blindly on.
holding to the trail mainly by instinct.
At length, painting, gasping, half.
blinded, h. staggered into a little nat.
ural clearing and plunged forward
headlong, so bewfidered that he could
not have said whether he was tripped
or thrown; for even as he stumbled a
heavy body landed on his back and
crushed him savagely to earth.
In less than minute he was over.
come; his wrists hitched together. his
ankles bound with heavy cord.
When his vision cleared he found
Jacob within yard, regarding him
with face as immobile as though IL
had 1een cast in the bronze it resem.
bled.
Beyond, to one side, woman I'm
mans hunting costume stood eve
ing the captive as narrowly as the In
dian, but unlike him with a counte-
nance that seemed aglow with a fierce
exultancy over his downfall.
But for that look, he could have be-
HeTed hers the face that had brought
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-12-23

gripped it firmly between his teeth,
and sawed the cords round his wrists
against the razor-sharp blade.
Before Alan could turn and run he
saw vanguard of flames bridge so
yards at bound and start a dead
pine blazing like torch.
And then he was pelting like a mad
man across the smoked-flled clearing
and III less than two minutes broke
from the forest to the pebbIy shore of
a wide-bosomed lake, and within
few hundred feet OF a substantial
dam, through whose spillway a heavy
volume of water cascaded with a roar
riTaling that Of the forest-fre itself.
TWO quick glances showed Alan two
things: that his only way Of escape
was via the dam; that there was a
solitary canoe at mid-lake, bearing
swiftly to the farther slspre Judith
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-12-23

Imb. Taen he jumped up from the
dr and glared suspicion ly round
room. 1t was true that a prac-
i joke in that solemn atmosphere
% thing unthinkabie; still, there
the rose.
here wSs no one but himself in
library.
arpieXed to evaporation. Alan fed
club, only pausing on the way out
mex the envelope he found ad-
sed to him in the letter-rack.
was a blank white envelope Of
quality, the address typewriter.
stamp English, and bore a Lon
postmark half illegihle.
IN tore the envelope open in abb
minded fashion-and started as
ing. The enclosure was a SIM
laying card--a trey of hearts.
for Alan Law, he wandered
ward in q state of stupefaction.
,uld read quite well the message
rose. He would not soon for
1at year-old parting with his
lof the Riviera: You say you
W but may not marry me-and
list part. Then promise this,
ever you change your mind,
send for me-" And her prom
f will send you a rose"
The year had lapsed with never
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-12-23

Urine and the Indian-the latter WELD
Ing the paddle.
In the act of turning toward tho
dam he saw Jacob drop the paddles
The next instant bullet from VIM
chester 80 kicked up squirt of peb-
bles only a few feet in advance OF
Alan.
He quickened his pace, but the next
bullet fell closer, while the third ac-
tually bit the earth beneath his rum
ming feet as he gained the dam.
Exasperated. he pulled up, whipped
out his pistol and fired without aim
At the same time, he noted that the
distance between dam and canoe had
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-12-23


lessened perceptibly, thanks to the
strong current sucking through the
spillway.
His shot flew wide, but almost i'm.
stinctively his finger closed again
upon the trigger, and he saw the pad
die snap in twain, its blade falling
overheard. And then the Indian fired
again, his bullet droning past Alan'a
ear.
As he fired in response Jacob start
ed, dropped his rifle and crumpled uU
In the bow of the canoe.
simultaneously earth and heavens
rocked with terrific clap Of thun.
der.
He turned again and ran swiftly
along the dam, toward two heavy tim
bers that bridged the torrent of the
spillway.
Then glance aside brought him up
with thrill Of horror; the suck Of
the overflow had drawn the canoe
within hundred yards Of the spill
way. The dead Indian in its bow, the
AAFAh6 "olAdA HCIplCSS III It's Sl6I1Es
1t swept swiftly onward to destrucp
ton
His next few actions we're WhoITT
unprecedented. He was conscious
only OF her white, staring face, heE
strange likeness to the woman that he
loved
He ran out upon the bridge, threw
hinacp1f
Der, turned, and let his body fall back
ward, arms extended at length, and
swung, braced by his feet beneath
the outer timber.
With swiftness that passed con-
scious thought. he was aware of the
canoe HURTING onward with the speed
OF wind, its sharp prov apparently
aimed directly for his head. Then
hands closed round his wrists like
clamps; tremendous weight tore al
his arms, and with an effort of inconp
cefvable difficulty he began to lift
to drag the woman up out of the foam
ing jaws Of death.
Somehow that impossible feat waa
achieved; somehow the woman gained
a hold upon his body, shifted It to hfs
belt, contrived inexplicably to Chamber
over him to the timbers; and some
how he in turn pulled himself I'D Ia
safety, and sick with reaction sprawled
prone, lengthwise upon that foot-wida
bridge. above the screaming abyss.
Later he became aware that the
woman had crawled to safety on the
farther shore, and pulling himself to-
gether, initiated her example Solid
earth underfoot, he rose and stood
swaying, beset by a great weakness
Through the gathering darkness
shastly twilight in which the flaming
forests on the other shore burned with
an unearthly glare-he discovered the
wan, Writhen face of Judith Trins
close to his and he heard her voice, a
scream barely audible above the COM
mingled voices of the confederation
and the cascades:
You fool! Why did you save meg
tell you, have sworn your DEATH"
The utter grotesqueness Of it ALI
broke upon his intelligence like thu
revelation Of some enormous funda-
mental absurdity in Nature. Ra
aughed little Historically.
Darkness followed. A fash of light
hing seemed to fame between them
Ike a merry sword. To its crashing
hunder, he lapsed into unconscious
Tess.
When he reused, 1t was with shfv-
r and a shudder. Rain was falling
torrents from sky the hue OF
late. Across the lake dense yolumea
4 steam enveloped the fires THAI
ainted beneath the deluge. A great
Iissing noise filed the world, mutinx
ven the roar OF the spillway.
He was alone.
But I'm his hand, tattered and bruised
y the downDour, he found rose.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-12-23
Copyright. 1914, b. Louis Joseph vsnos

a sign from her, so that he had grown
accustomed to the unfattering belief
that she had forgotten him.
And now the sign had come-but
what the deuce did the trey of hearts
mean?
When morning came, London had
lost Alan Law. No man of mis- &C.
qualntance-nor any woman-had re-
ceived the least warning OF his dis
appearance. He was simply and suf.
fciently removed from English ken.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-12-23

But young Mr.. Law was sole agent
OF his own evanishment: Just as he
was nobody's fool, least of all his own.
The hidden meaning OF the trey of
hearts perplexed him with such dis
trust that before leaving London. he
dispatched a code cablegram to his
confidential agent in New York.
What do you know about the tray Of
asarts7 Answer immediately.
The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-05-28
DULL BRAIN LIKE DULL TOOL
Successful Merchant Tells How Hs
Develops Brightness Among Those
Who Work for Him.

It's always the dun tool that causes
trouhle-and there's seldom any ex-
cNse for T. Just as with a dun brain
Il mikes up all idea Of speed. system
and results. Il works TO the detri,
ment Of an eatire business and sew.
cral duh tools have been known to
destroy lucrative trade Thus a
broadway haeerdasher describes sew.
erai recent failures in his business
= always attempt to employ the
brightest young men ohtainahle in my
business. from Office hoy to depart.
ment manager, have found Il pays.
Not that | always am successful IN
anding the right person at the outset.
But II a new clerk appears naturally
dull. I begin to apply the griudstone
OF perception To his blunt Wits. and
nine times cut OF ten have q sharp
tool IN a short time He becomes a
The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-05-28

In the doorway behind them, John
Valiant sprang TO his feet.
"Ah. Shirley. thought heard
voices, Ia that you. chlllyg"
tits not Mr., Lusk. mother" said
shirley, TITS our new neiKhbor. MIR.
Valiant"
A. he bent ever 'he frail hand. muir.
muring the conventional words that
presentations are believed To require.
Mrs Dandridge sank into a deep
cushioned chair. Won't you sit
down. she said tie noticed that she
did not took directly at him. aud that
her face Was as pallid a. her hair.
Thank yea said John Valiant. and
resumed his place on the lower step.
shirley, who had again seated her.
self, suddenly laughed. and pointed TO
the book which lay between them.
Imagine what We are doing. dearest,
We we're reading Lucille together.s
She saw the other Vince. and the
deep dark eyes lifted. as IL under com.
paisloa. FROM the hook,cover TO Vail
ants face. he Was startled BY shir.
lsy'p cry and the sudden limp uneon
seioas settling back lnto the cushions
OF the fragile form.
The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-05-28
Korean MARRIAGES

Marriages between widows and
bachelors are very much in favor in
Korea because not nearly so much
money is required from the bridegroom
as In the case OF his marriage with a
young girl The impecunious bride
groom is seorned by the parents of the
girl and he Is also unable to pay for
the elaborate wedding ceremonies
which must take place All of this he
escapes by running of with a widow
II happens in Korea, as In other coun.
tries, that the impecunious bachelor
is often more desirable trom every
point Of view but a mercenary one
than the well to do member Of the
community. Consequently. the widow
has way OF attaching a handsome
young husband to herself that might
well be envied by the young girl
The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-05-28

to whom money was the sine qua non
of existence. He had learned sover.
etgn lesson-one gained not through
the push and fight of crowds, but In
the simple peace OF country side. un.
vexed BY the clamor OF gold and the
complex problems of competitive ex.
lstence-that he had inherited a need
OF activity. of achievement that he had
been born to do.
"Chum," he said, to the dog rolling
on his back in the grass. "wha, do
you think of II all. anyway" He
reached down, seized a hind leg and
whirllng him around like a teetotum
sent him flying into the bushes.
whence Chnm launched again upon
him. like catapult He caught the
white shoulders and held him vise-like
Just about right. eh9 But wait TN
we get those ramblers,"
And 10 think" he continued. within.
sieally releasing him. that might
have gone on. one OF the littleneck.
clam crowd I've always trained with.
at the same old pace. tin the Yer.
Palm Beach career got
a double Nelson on me and the umpire
counted me out At this moment I
wouldn't swap this old house and land
The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-05-28

As she leaned, out OF the stiffness
there came to her ear mellow sound.
II was the bell OF the courthouse in
the village. She counted the strokes
falling clearly or family as the slug
gish breeze ebbed or swelled. II was
eleven
She drew back. dropped the curtain
to shut out the wan glimmer. and in
the darkness crept into the soft bed
as II into hiding place.
.
A warm sun and an air mildly mel
low. A faint gold-shadowed mist over
the valley and soft lilac haze blend
ing the rounded outlines Of the hills.
Through the shrubbery at Damory
Court cardinal darted like Grim
son shuttle, TO rock impudently from
neering limb. and here and there
on the biuish.ivory sky. motionless as
pasted wafer. hung a hawk from
time to time one OF these wayered and
slanted swiftly down. to climb once
more In huge spiral to its high tower
OF sky.
scopic eye looked down. That had
been Its choicest covert, that dishev.
eled tangle where the birds held per
petual carnival. the weasel lurked In
the underbrush and the rabbit lined
his windfall Now the wildness was
gone. A pergola, glistening white, now
upheld the runaway vines. making a
sickle-like path from the upper ter
race to the lake. In the barn loft the
pigeons still quarrelled over their new
eotes of fresh pine. and under a clump
OF locust trees at little distance from
the house. halfdozen dolls cabins
on stills stood waiting the honey-stor.
age of the black and gold bees.
There were new denizens, also.
These had arrived in dozen zinc
tanks and willow hampers, to the
amaze OF sleepy express clerk at the
railroad station: two swans now sailed
maJestically over the lily-ponds of the
lake, along Its gravel rim and a pair
OF bronze-colored ducks waddled and
preened. and its placid surface rippled
and broke to the sluggish backs of
goldfish and the flirting fms of red
Japanese carp.
The house itself wore another air.
Its look OF nnkemptness had largely
vanished. The soft gray tone of age
remained. but the bleakness and for
lornness were gone; there was about
all now a warmth and genial bearing
that limited at mellowed beauty. fire.
light and cheerful voices within.
Valiant heaved a long sigh OF salts
faction as he stood In the sunlight gaz.
Ing at the results of his labors, He
was not now the fllppant boulevardier
The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-05-28

II. my fathers whole life was darkened
by that event Now that can put
two and two together. know that Il
was the cause OF his sadness"
"Ah. ! can believe that" she re
piled.
u think he had only two interests
myself and the corporation. 50 you
see Why I'd rather save that and be q
beggar the rest Of my natural life
But I'm not beggar. Damory Court
alone IL worth-i know II nova hun
dred times what | left"
You are no utterly different from
what | imagined youi"
u could never have imagined you.
he said, never"
Il must be terribly outre.s
You are 30 many women In one.
When listened TO your harp playing
! could hardly believe II was the same
you | saw galloping across the fields
that morning. Now you are different
woman from both OF those"
As she looked at him. her lips curied
eorner-wise. her foot slipped on the
sheer edge OF the turf. She swayed
toward him and he caught her. feel
Ing for n sharp instant the adorable
nearneas of her body. II ridged all his
skin with a creeping delight She re-.
covered her footing with an exclama,
ton, and turned hack somewhat alb
ruptiy TO the porch where she seated
herself on the step. drawing her flmy
skirt aside 70 make q place for him
There was a moment OF silence which
he broke.
That exquisite serenade you we're
playing' You know the words. OF
course"
They are more lovely. 10 possible
than the score. DO you care for
poetry"
I've always loved IT," he said. rive
been reading some lately--a little old
fashioned book | found at Damory
Court. It's Lucille DO you know It
Yes. It's my mothers favorite."
Ii6 drew II from his pocket See
I've got II here. It's marked. too"
He opened Il. TO close Il instantly
not. however. before she had put out
her hand aud laid IL. palm down. on
the page. THAT rosel Oh, let me
have tss
Never" he protested Look here.
When put 1. between the leaves.
did no At random. didn't see tn
now that had opened II at u marked
passage"
Let us read H." she said.
lilo leaned and held the leaf to the
light from the doorway and the two
heads bent together over the text
A sound fell behind them and both
turned. A slight figure. In soft gray
gown with old lace at the threat. STOOD
The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-05-28
Must be Used.

In hotel the other week the man,
ager was instructing a new arrival.
who hailed from Erin's isle, in his
duties.
Now you see that sign, Gentlemen
must use the spittoons.' If you notice
any Of the guests violating that rule
report the matter to me-
"Oi will, sor," said Pat, and kept q
sharp lookout, and after watching
gentleman for half an hour went to
him and said:
Dye moind the sign over yonder.
sor?"
Yes" said the gentleman.
why don't you observe it, thin?"
I'm not expectorating on the car
pet" said the gentleman. astonished.
"Oi know ye're not" said Pat, an
yer not usin' the spettune, nayther.
Spit, we thafe, or Oil report yez."