davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11
CHAPTER xLVI.
Flood and Fire,

Screaming to make himself heard
above the roar of the deluge, Barcus
hammered in AIans ear:
That devil! He's found the reser-
voir-opened the luicegates-turned
1t into that shaft! We're done fort"
Alan had no argument with which to
gainsay him. Silently getting on his
feet, silently he groped for Rose in the
darkness, momentarlly becoming more
dense as the fall of water shut out
the light, and drew her away with him.
up the slight incline that led back to
the bulkhead.
The hour that followed lived ever
In his memory as an hour In hell. No
ray OF hope lightened its impenetrable
blackness. He could say nothing to
comfort the girl; bravely though she
strove to keep up her heart. time and
again she shook in his arms like mad
thing, when panic dread caught her
by the neck as terrier catches a rat.
To die there, in the darkness, like SO
many noHious animals trapped in
we'll!
The water mounted rapidly With.
in five minutes it drove them back to
the elbow in the tunnel: within ten it
Tapped their ankles as they fingered
there, doubling which was the greater
peril, to advance or to stand fast and
let the flooding tide snuff out the fires
OF life. To return to the neighbor-
hood OF the bulkhead was to court the
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11

the motor car and Ciyilly explaining
to Miss Judith Trine the purpose OF
the chautfeurs expedition.
Discovery of this circumstance
worked a deep wrinkle between the
brows as well as into the hImor of
NJ. Barcus.
aere, he promised himself. was q
situation to titillate the Comic Muse
Itself. lie pointed out in turn the sev-
erai component parts: the motor car
derelict in the hollow of those awful
and silent hllls--for all the world like
a mouse petrifed with fright at finding
Itself in the midft OF herd of eIe.
plants: in the car. that aged monoma.
MAC, Mr., Seneca Trine, author of all
their woes and misadventures. gnash.
Ing his teeth in impotent rage to find
himself In close Juxtaposition to and
helpless to injure the man for whose
life he iusted with an insatiate pas.
siOn; the latter standing outside the
car. ia polite conversation with Mr..
Trines mutinOHs Judith--talking to
her iE the frtsndIisst fashion imag.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11

feet of the mouth of the abandoned
mine just at the moment when he had
satisfied himself that the purpose
of his captors was simply to throw
him into the black well.
He wasted look Of appeal on the
frozen mask Of villainy that was Mar
rophats (who bore the burden of Bar
Gus head and shoulders) and got
laughed az for all his pains.
Then he was left to himself once
more, but only for a few moments;
the interval ended when the two ap
peared again, this time bringing Rose
in similar fashion.
Not until she had been put down be.
side him did he discover that Alan
was likewise a captive-trussed to a
tree at some distance.
The remaining arrangements of
their captors were swiftly and deftly
consummated, though their design re-
mained obscure to Mr.. Barcus until
he, after Rose, was dumped like bale
into a huge bucket, and therein by
means of rope and windlass lowered
to the bottom of the shaft-a descent,
he estimated shrewdly, of something
like hundred feet.
A hideous screeching followed. the
protests Of rusty and greaseless ma
chinery. Twisting his neck. Barcus
saw the dim opening of the shaft
slowly closing, as If a curtain were
being drawn down over it. Jimmy
was closing the bulkhead door, leav-
ing them definitely prisoners, beyond
human aid. there in that everlasting
black hole
With final squeal and thump the
bulkhead settled into place. A con-
fusion of remote sounds thereafter in
dicated that Jimmy with, perhaps,
Marrophat's assistance) was making
the bulkhead fast beyond question
wedging and blocking it with timbers.
These ceased-and the silence was
broken by Alan's voice
"Barcus!"
The latter grunted soulfully by way
of answer: he could do no more.
I've worked my gag loose" Alan
pursued in hurried whisper. "but my
hands are tied behind my back. Are
yours? Grunt once for yes"
Dutifully Bracus grunted solitary
grunt.
Then roll over on your face and
give me chsres to work them free
that way, given time :"
"Time!" was the mirthless thought
OF Barcus. Haven't we got all eter-
nity?"
For all that, he wasted no time
whatever in obeying Alan's suggestion
then lay for upward Of ten minutes
with his face in the mold Of the tunnel
while Alan chewed and spat and
chewed and spat and chewed again at
the ropes round the wrists OF his
friend
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11
"StonewaII" jackson.

Thomas Jonathan Jackson was born
January 2l 1924, at Clarksburg, Va,
now West Virginia. Ills baptismal
names have been almost forgotten in
the greater fame of the name he won
by his stout defense of a position at
the first battle OF Bull Run-"Stone-
wall" He was graduate of West
Point and served in the Mexican war
OF 1876, returning home as a major.
In February, 1852, he resigned from
the army and became professor in Lex
ington (Va.) Military institute. Al
though at first opposing secession he
was champion of the southern states
rights theory and in 1861 became col
onel in the army of Virginia and sub
sequently was promoted to be major
general in the Confederate army. His
record in the war is familiar, as is his
death through the error of his own
men while making reconnaissance
May ., 1868.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11

death indicated by the fuse and the
keg Of blasting powder
OF a sudden the thought crossed
Alan's mind that Marrophat had ar
ranged the latter solely to keep them
away from the bulkhead. Now that he
thought of it, he felt certain that the
powder room had been deliberately
disclosed TO him by Jimmy
Probably, then. the keg and fuse
were but stage properties-or pos
sibly
Whether or no. was death in one
form preferable to the other?
He was decidedly of the opinion
that 1t were better to be extinguished
once and for all time, in the space of
a second, annihilated by an explosion,
than to die thus lingeringly.
On this consideration, he drew Rose
with him back to the bulkhead.
When they had been some fifteen
minutes beside the bulkhead the wa
ter mounted the head Of a slight rise
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11

side Of cleft in the hills quite thirty
feet wide and several hundred in
depth, and was continued on the far.
ther side, the chasm being spanned by
bridge of the simplest character
no more than footway Of boards
| bound together with ropes none too
substantial in seeming, with another
rope. breast-high to serve as a hand
rail
Even the simple contemplation of
this frail and shaky affair demanded
all their courage. But the trail was
here too narrow to camp; while the
sole alternative was to turn about and
retrace their steps over ride of six
mortal hours.
Alan tested the bridge cautiously.
II bore him. He returned, helped Rose
to cross, and with her once safely
landed on the other side, took his life
in his hands and, aided by Barcus
matfectedly afflicted with qualms,
somehow or other (neither of them
knew precisely how persuaded the
burros to cross.
After that, though the way grew
more broad and easy and even showed
symptoms of a decline, they had not
enough strength left to sustain
through another hour
Ana what they thought good for
tune. oppOrtunely at this PASS, brought
them to a clearing dotted with the
buildings of an abandoned copper
mine Not a soul was in evidence
there, but the rude structures offered
shelter for beast as we'll as man.
Barely had they made Rose as COM
Portable as might be upon the rough
plank flooring of one OF the sheds
and tethered the burros out of sight,
when Alan collapsed as if drugged,
while BarCus, who had elected himself
to keep the first watch and purposed
doing it In sitting position, with
his back against the door-jamb, felt
sleep overcoming hfr IKE dense,
dark cloud
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11

gossiping when Judith flung away to
her sisters side
The ensuing quarrel seemed but the
more portentous in view of the re-
straint imposed upon themselves by
both parties thereto; never once did
either forget the presence Of their ia.
ther and Barcus; though they ceased
not to fling the bitterest of recrimina-
tions into each others teeth, they we're
at pains not to betray the all-too-pat-
ent subject of their dispute, so thought
fully modulating their accents that
never word was audible to Barcus.
He believed, however, that a crisis
| impended when the tinkls OF mule
bells sounded down the canyon road;
and at this he threw discretion to the
winds and ran toward the two with
hands upheld in mock horror and a
manner of humorous protest.
Ladies, ladies!" he pleaded. 81
beg of you both. let dogs delight to
bark and bite"
He got no farther: Judith's ears
were as quick as his own; she, too,
had caught the sound of bells behind
the base of the hill. And of a sudden,
without another word, she turned and
flung away into the heavy thickets of
underground that masked all the can
yon, to either side of the wagon-trail
In twinkling she had lost herself to
view in their labyrinthine shadows.
The remainder of that business was
transacted rapidly enough. There
were no preparations to be made;
once Alan had ridden up with his
three burros. nothing remained but to
mount and make off without delay.
Before morning they we're all rid
ing like so many hypnotized subjects,
fatigue bearing so heavily on all their
senses that none spoke or cared to
speak. Barcus so often caught him
self nodding in the saddle that he had
little doubt he slept through long
stretches of that perilous way. And
when his senses were clear enough
he could see Rose, next ahead, bowed
low over the neck of her burro, and
Alan, who led, reeling from side to
side like a drunkard.
Broad daylight surprised them in
this state, still stubbornly travelling;
and shortly afterward showed them
one place so perilous that it shocked
them temporarily awake.
This was simply a spot where the
trail came abruptly to an end on one
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11
Copyright, 1914. By Louis Joseph Vance

I Unable, precisely as if she had not
fallen little short of comprising his
death, not once, but half a dozen
times; Judith herself poised on the
running board and smiling down at
her victim with warmth patiently
even more than the warmth of friend
ship; and at some little distance, Rose,
Mr.. Laws tiancee and Judiths sister,
eating her heart out with jealousy Of
this new-sprung intimacy between her
sister and her loverl
BAD business, my friend!" Barcus
mentally apostrophiZed the unwilling
Alan Law. Bad business-and only
the beginning Of it, or I'm no prophet.
If you had the wit with which Provi-
dence has endowed the domestic goose,
you'd realize that you might as well
encourage the attentions of a coy
young cyclone as the affections of
that handsome, Ipstanding and able
bodied young woman who's spilling her
heart out Of her eyes into yours this
blessed minute as ever was! Not to
mention the trouble you're brewing for
yourself with the young woman to
6hom your affections are unswerving-
ly devoted"
He interrupted himself to nod know
ingly and with profound conviction:
Il knew it. Now it begins again!"
For Rose had abruptly taken a hand
IN the affair, gesture of evaporation
prefaCing her call: Alan"
To her Mr.. Law turned instantly,
with such alacrity that none who
watched might doubt which of the two
women came first in his esteem
Nor was this wasted upon the under
standing of Judith. Eyeing her mar
rowly though furtively, Mr. Barcus
saw her handsome face darken omin-
ously.
And her father was as quick to
recognize these portents of trouble
and to seek to advantage himself of
them.
His head craned out horribly on his
long, wasted neck as he pitched
sibilant whisper for her ears, and his
AN~S ~ 'HC moonlight SSGIlSu W SlON
with the reflection of that inferno
which smodered in his evil
bosom.
But one was silenced, the other
quenched, all in a twinkling. His
daughter turned on him in a flash of
imperial rage.
Barcus caught snatches of the wom-
ans TRADE.
BE SILENT" he heard her say BE
silent, do you hear? Don't ever speak
to me again unless you want me to re-
place that gag. say, don't speak to
me! | am finished with you
once and for all time; never again
shall you pervert my nature to your
damnable purposes-never again shall
word or wish of yours drive me to
lit my hand against man who has
never done you the least harm, though |
your persecution of him would have
acquitted him of a charge of man
slaughter in any court-on grounds of |
self-detense. Understand mel"
she ragged. I'm through. Henceforth |
go my way, and you yours ="
Her voice broke. She clenched her
hands into two tight fists with the |
effort at selfcontrol, and lifted a
writhen face to the moonlight.
God help us both" she cried
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11

fat that hts ankles had already been
secured by means of half a dozen half
bitches and a square knot
His hands attended to, his head was
released. Promptly he lifted it and
essayed to yelli an effort rendered
abortive by the sag that was thrust
between his teeth the instant his
jaws opened.
Then he heard . laugh, a cold
mirthless chuckle.
Now the blood Of Thomas Barcus
ran cold (or he thought it did; which
amounts to much the same thing.
For If his senses had played fair, the
laugh he had heard was the laugh OF
Mr.. Marrophat, head-devil in the serv.
ice of Seneca Trine.
He twisted his head to one side
and glancing along the floor, saw moth.
ing but the wall. Twisted the other
way, at the cost Of a splinter in his
nose, the effort was repaid by the dis.
covery of Rose Trine in a plight like
his own-wrists and ankles bound,
gagged into the bargain-the width of
the shed between them.
But Of Alan Law, no sign.
The heart of Mr.. Barcus checked
momentarily; he shut his eyes and
shiyered in an uncomfortable seizure
of dread.
Then, tormented beyond endurance
by the fears he suffered for the safety
Of his friend, he began to wriggle and
squirm like a crippled snake, pain
fully inching his way across the floor
toward Rose-with what design, heav-
en- alone knows! Dimly his men,
tai vision comprehended the bare pos
sibility of his being able, with his fast.
numbtng fingers, to work loose the
knots at Roses wrists; but deep in
his heart he knew this to be nothing
but forlornest hope. E.
With infinite pains he had con-
trived to bridge the distance by half,
or possibly not quite so much, when
a dark body put the sunlight of the
open doorway into temporary eclipse.
Another followed it. Boots clumped
heavily on the flooring. The laugh
sounded again, apparently in ironic ap-
probation Of Mr.. Barcus' efforts. Two
pairs of hands seized him, one be-
meath the shoulders, the other be-
meath the knees, and he was lugged
laboriously out into the sunlight, car
ried a considerable distance, and de-
posted unceremoniously within few
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11
SYNOPSIS.

The Of Hearts is the "death-sign" en-
ployed by Seneca Trine in the private
war of vengeance which, through the
agency OF his daughter Judith, a woman
o. violent passions like his own, he wages
against Alan Law, son of the man (now
dead who was innocently responsible for
the accident which left Trine a helpless
cripple for life. Alan loves and Is loved
Dy Rose. Judith's twin and double but in
all other respects her opposite Judith
VOWS TO compass Alan's death, but Alan
saves her life under dramatic Circum-
stances. and so, unwillingly, wins her
rove. ThereupOn Judith is actuated in
turn by the old hatred the new love, and
jealousy OF her sister. Rose; she becomes
Anenated from her father through her
:1liure to carry out his homicidal plans.
ana because of the aid she has extended
alan in his flight with Rose from the ven
kSance or Trine through the mountains
OF western Arizona.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11
CHAPTER Wv.
The Bowels Of the Earth.

Awaking befell Mr. Barcus in a
fashion sufficiently sharp and startling
to render him indifferent to the benefi-
cial effects of some eight hGlrs Of
dreamless slumber. @-.
He discovered himself lying fiat on
his face. with somebody's inconsider.
ate, heavy hand purposely grinding the
said face into the aged and splintery
planks. CT the shed flooring, At the
same time other hands were busy
binding his own together by the
wrists and lashing the same to the
small of his back by means OF a cord
passed around his middle, while his
natural il somewhat spasmodic efforts
to kick were sadly llampered by the
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11
CHAPTER Xiv.
AZ in a Glass, Darkly,

| Thoughtfully Mr.. Barcus returned
his attention to the lovers.
II the evidence of his senses did not
mislead him. he was witnessing their
first difference OF opinion. 1t was not
an argument acute enough to deserve
the name OF quarrel; but undoubtedly
the two were at odds upon some ques.
tlon-Rose insistent, Alan reluctant.
The last gave way in the end,
shrugged, returned to the car.
I'm going back up the trail" he
announced, and hesitated oddly.
Feeling the need of some little ex.
ercise, no doubt" Barcus suggested
Rose thinks it's dangerous to stop
here, Alau began to explain. ignoring
the interruption.
Miss Rose is right-~eh, Miss Ju.
dith?' Barcus interpOlated
Judith nodded darkly.
SO In going to see if | can't buy
hurros from the prospector back there
Rose says he has some-doespt know
how many"
Three will be enough" Judith Inter.
posed. Il mean, don't get one :ar me.
I'm stopping here"
But" Alan started 10 protest.
She gave him pause with a weary
gesture.
Please! It's no good arguing. Mr..
Law: I've made up my mind; can be
most helpful here, by my fathers
side" she asserted. and nodded at
Urine with significant smile that
maddcned him. He needs me-and
no harm can come to me: I'm pretty
we'll able to take care of myself"
At this the innocent bystander
breathed an unheard but fervent little
prayer of Thanksgiving, whose spirit
he doubted not was shared by Alan. 4
For it stuck in the memory of Bar.
Gus that their friend, the prospector
Whose shack had sheltered Rose and
BarcuS after their transit of the desert
and prior to the man-made avalanche.
which had afforded this temporary I'M
munity from pursuit. had mentioned
in the hearing of Rose the fact that
his string of burros was limited to
three.
This. then, must aave been the Dub
Of the lovers quarrel: Roses insist !
ence that Judith be left behind Alans !!
reluctance to consent to this lest he
convict himself Of the charge of rank
ingratitude, remembering the great
service his erstwhile antagonist had
done him.
II only Judith might not find cause
to change her mind! .p-
He set himself sedulously to divert
Judith with the magic of his conversa-
tional powers--an offering indifferent.
~ received He was still blitheIy
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11
CHAPTER xLIII.
Camp-for-the-Nieht.

We'll, gents!" the driver observed
cheerfully, Withdrawing head anC
hands from long and intimate com
munion with the stubborn genius be
meath the hood. Il reckon you-al
mays well make up yore minds tc
christen this hyeh salubrious spot
Camp-for-the-Night You won't be
goln' no fartheh-not just t present
RULING this old wagon through them
desert sands back yondeh has just
naturally broke the heart of that en-
gine!"
what, precisely. is the trouble?'
Alan Law inquired, rousing from anx
tous preOcCupation.
Plumb bust all to hell" the chauf
feur explained tersely.
Nothing could be fairer. more ex.
act and comprehensive than that
rom Barcus commented
Law nodded head too weary to
respond to the others humor. His
worried eyeC reviewed the scene of
the breakdown.
What's to be done?" Mr.. Law won
dered aloud
Take it calm" the arfable chauffeur
advised. Frettin won't get you-all
nothin. II it was ne. I'd call it a
day, make a fire, get them cushions
out of the Cyah. and get some rest.
You cant do nothin' till | get back,
anyway, and that won't be much be-.
fore sunup'
Where are you going?" Barcus de-
manded
'Walkiu'. friend; just waIkin'-"
What for?"
TO fetch heIp-~ieastway onless
yo've got some kick comm and ud
ruther stop hyeh permanent"
But where to? How far's the near
est town."
IF it's town yo're wantin, why,
Mosquitoes bout as nigh as any-some-
thin like twenty miles off yondeh.
You take the up-trail, where it forks,
t'othev end of this canyon But me,
amt calCulatin' to tramp's fars that.
I'm amin to hoof if no more'n a mat.
ter of nine mile along this-hyeh wagon
trail, to Watson's ranch, t'other side
these hills. can get hosses there,
and buggy for the old gent, too
if he's in too much hurry to sit in
the Cyah while We tow it through
with mules.
He turned of and busted himself
with preparations against his journey.
It's simply things like this make
me believe this isn't, after all, moth.
ing more nor less than a long-drawn-
out nightmare, Barcus observed pen
sively
But Mr Law was no more attend
ing: he had turned away and was just
then standing by the running-board of
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11
SOFT WHITE HANDS
Under Most Conditions If You Use
Cuticura. Trial Free.

The Soap to cleanse and purify, the
Ointment to soothe and heal. Nothing
better or more effective at any price
than these fragrant supercreamy emol-
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them in the severest forms of red,
rough, chapped and sore hands.
Sample each free by mail with Book.
Address postcard, Cuticura, Dept. Ky,
Boston. Sold verywhere.-Adv.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11
He Couldn't Retract.

The late Herr Gotthilf Weistein the
famous German book collector, had a
very bad impediment in his speech
One day he got in an argument with
man to whom he had taken a great
dislike. The dispute became hotter
and hotter until Weistein completely
lost his temper
You're an n-n-n-n-n-id-id-id-id-i :"
he shouted furiously
Herr Weistein.' replied his oppu-
nent coldly, you must retract that at
once!"
Never" retorted Weistein. I'm
only too j-jj-j-jolly glad to g-g-get it
OUT"
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11
Simple Truth.

Irate Editor Ito reporter)-What do
you mean by writing Among the pret-
test girls at the dance was Captain
Fitzball?" The captain is a man,
presume.
Reporter-Yes, but he was among
the prettiest girls there the whole
time!
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11

Mother Gray's Sweet Powders fOr ChIldrOn.
For Feverishness, Bad Stomach. .Teethng Disorders
move and regulate the Bowels and are pleasant
remedy for Worms, Used by Mothers for 5G years.
They are so pleasant to take. children like them
They neU6r tdtL At all Druggists 25c. Sample
FREE. Address, A. s. Olmsted, lie Roy, N Y.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11
a. a.

Wisconsin grown seed recognized the world over ~
hardest most vigorous. BIG SEED CATALOG FREE.
John A. SaIIeF Seed Co., Box ILL., La Crosse. Wis.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11

Few men are envied because OF
their wisdom; many because of their
wealth.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-02-11
Misht.

Knick7-Doesnt Jones fit in any
where?
Bock-No; that man would be
a square peg in doughnut.-Judge.