Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1915-03-27
CHAPTER XIV.

Samson stopped at his studio and
threw open an old closet where, from
a Uttered pile of discarded background
draperies, canvases and stretchers, he
fshed out buried and dust-covered
pair Of eaddlebags. They had long
lain there forgotten, but they held the
rusty clothes in which he had left
Misery.
Samson had caught the fastest west
bound express on the schedule. In
thirtysiX hours he would be at Hixon.
There were many things which his
brain must attack and digest in these
hours. He must arrange his plan of
action to its minutest detail, because
he would have as little time for refiec-
ton, once he had reached his own
country, as a wildcat flung into pack
Of hounds.
From the railroad station to his
nome he must make his way-most
probably fight his way-through thirty
miles of hostile territory, where all
the trails were watched. And yet, for
the time. all that seemed too remotely
unreal to hold his thoughts.
He took out Sally's letter. and read
It once more. He read it mechanically
and as a piece of news that had
brought evil tidings. Then. suddenly,
another aspect of it struck him-an as
pect to which the shock of its recep-
ton had until this tardy moment
blinded him. The letter was perfectly
grammatical and penned in a hand of
copybook roundness and evenness.
The address, the body of the missive
and the signature were all in one Chi
Biography She would not have intrust-
ed the writing of this letter to anyone
else.
Sally had learned to write.
Moreover at the end were the
words, with love" 1t was all plain
now. Sally had never repudiated him.
She was declaring herself true to her
mission and her love
Good God!" groaned the man, in abb
'ectiy bitter self-contempt. His hand
went involuntarily to his cropped head,
ana dropped with a gesture of self
doubting. He looked down at his tan
SHOES and silk socks. He rolled back
MS shirtsleeve' and contemplated the
forearm that had once been as brown
ana tough as leather. 1t was now the
arm OF city man, except for the burn
ing OF one outdoor week. He was
returning at the eleventh hour
stripped of the faith of his kinsmen.
uninterrupted of his faith in himself.
II ne were to realize the constructive
dreams of which he had last night so
confidently prattled to Adrienne, he
must lead his people from under the
DIghtlng shadow of the feud.
lie must reappear before his kins-
men as much as possible the boy who
had left them-not the fop with new
tangled Alterations. His eyes fell
upon the saddlebags upon the floor of
tAe Pullman and he smiled satirically.
ne would like to step from the train
al nixon and walk brazenly through
tne town in those old clothes, chal-
ienging every hostile glance. II they
snot him down on the streets, as they
certainly would do, it would end his
questioning and his anguish Of diem
ma de would welcome that, but it
you'd after all, be Sinking the issue.
he must get out Of Hixon and into
sls own country unrecognlzed. The
Iean boy Of four years ago was the
somewhat flled-out man now. The one
v 3. that he had made to Paris
lue was the wearing of a closely
siopped mustache. That he still wore
mad worn it chiefly because he liked
70 near Adrieznes humorous denuncia-
ION CT X Re knew that. in his pres
sn' guise and dress. he had an excel-
&c ~ shazee Of walking through tie