Five Cent Wide Awake Library (vol. 2) (1892 04 16)
The text was read from the page scans by machine (OCR), so it has mistakes and its columns may run together. See the pages · About this title · At the Internet Archive
Page 1
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.
Page 2
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.
Page 3
ae et _ s = S. “s a > THE ‘‘ Hawley Briggs is one of the strangest, oddest, best-hearted men at the peaks, and you will like him,” was all the reply she gained, as Sunlight went on with her work, for this was Ambrose Gath’s birth- day, and they were preparing a breakfast for the miners in honor of the occasion. At five o’clock a cheer announced the return of Hawley Briggs and his companions, and leaving Kate to go on with the meal, Sunlight darted from the cabin and ran down the canyon to the party there assembled. «You see I am up with the sunlight,” she said, when they had done with their rude greeting, ‘‘and as the men have returned from Truckee, waste no time, but hurry to the parsonage before the break-. fast gets cold.” A cheer was the response to this, and turning, Margaret watched the men as they scraribled up the peaks and into the cabin. “Go, Kindly hearts,” she murmured, ‘‘and may the blessings you so often heap on me, fall like rain upon him. Yes, Gaspard,” she continued, watching absently down the Oakland stage road, ‘‘ it is of you I think day and night, you, my lord and master—the father of my child.” At that moment a hand fell upon her shoulder, and a rough, yet kindly voice, interposed: ** Why do you speak to yourself, Sunlight, when there are others at band?” The girl turned with a start, and faced Hawley Briggs. He was a good looking fellow, after the manner of miners, but there was a deep light in his eye as he gave utterance to those words that spoke as plainly as so many syllables could havedone. ‘‘ Talk to me, Sunlight; I love you, and will listen.” Half the men at the mines knew that this strange fellow loved the parson’s daughter, but Margaret Gath was either blind to it, or affect- ed to be. ** How you startled me,” she said. to breakfast.” “No,” he returned, absently. ‘‘Thar, don’t turn your eyes so longingly down the Oakland road, thar’s no one to come up thar to- day save Gaspard Leroy, the mine-owner’s son, or—I was going to say his whelp of a half-brother, Craven—but I’ve not seen him yet, and have only the miners’ words to prove him as.hard ao master as they say. You can’t be looking for either of them, miss, I’m sure.” the mention of the man who, secretly, was her husband, a flush canfe over Margaret's face, but she quickly dispelled it and said, with a light laugh: : “Don’t talk so solemnly. One would think you were a criminal, making his last speech before going to the scaffold.” ' The scaffold!” gasped the man, his face growing deadly pale as he-drew back. ‘Don’t say that, miss, don’t say that! It haunts me in my dreams by night, it glares at me from every lurking shadow by day. * Oh, my God! will my heart never break, and end the story?” “ Hawley, are you ill?” ’ “I would to God I could die!” he muttered, seizing his pick and running up the mountain side. ‘‘ Your path is all roses; mine, the dull and jagged ones of the mighty Sierras, The peaks, . like fingers, beckon off, the sunlight mocks, the shadows madden. Good-bye!” Then, with the last word still upon his lips, he darted into aclump of firs and disappeared, leaving the girl to greet her father, who even now was coming down the rocks, In an instant her wonder at Hawley Briggs’ strange words took flight, and running forward, she assisted the old man down. the mountain side. *« You are not going away, papa?” she said. «* Yes, Meg; I must leave you to attend to the miners. There is sickness in Dresmer Gulch, andI amon my way to do all in my power to alleviate the sufferings of the unfortunate. Don’t remain Out long; a storm is brewing, and I shall not return till late.” = He turned to leave, but impelled by some strange impulse, Meg flung her arms around his neck, and imprinted a kiss upon his lips. A moment more and she was alone. In after years she recalled the memory of that kiss, although she ‘I thought you had gone in ‘knew not then that it was the last link between happiness and the years of agony yet to come. The rain began pattering down through the fir-crowned peaks of the Sierras, still she stood there gazing after the departing figure, un- conscious tint & man had'come up the cleft, unconscious that his ey ee "FORIY-NINERS. were fixed upon her with a balefal glare; till a clap of thunder startled her and she turned to come face to face with Craven Leroy, her hus-— band’s half brother. ‘Oh, if I only daredto ask him of Gaspard,” she muttered; he has bidden me be silent—be secret.” Then with a haughty bend of the head she swept by him and up to- ward the path. ‘* Let me assist you!” he cried, running forward, as a flash of licht- ning caused the girl to recoil. ‘I can go alone!” she replied, icily, darting thronet the rain and trudging up the mountain side towards the parsonaze. He followed her with his eyes till the door closed upon her, then he drew back in the shadow of a bowlder, and muttered: ‘* As proud as Lucifer! And she, with her brat, now stands in my path to fortune, for Gaspard had made me acquainted with his secret marriage. Madness! to be put aside at the caprice of a doting old man whose love for his elder son makes him unjust to his younger. The Jast mail brought news that my father was on the verge of the grave. Humph! He dead, Gaspard becomes a millionaire; but he in turn dead without issue, I possess all. Without issue,” he went on, coldly; ‘* and this mountain girl and her child come like shadows across my path. Hark! what noise was that?’ He sprang upon a rock as he spoke and peered down the cut. ‘* Speak of the devil he is sure to appear.” It was the Oakland stage bearing Gaspard to meet his wife. ‘His wife! mistress. _ The die is cast ard I’ll play the game to the bitter end but I'll win the stakes—Leroydale and its millions!” “but CHAPTER II. AN ECCENTRIC WILL. As the stage coach turned the last curve of Sunlight Canyon, Gaspard Leroy sprang out and ran to meet his brother, ‘* Craven, my brother, waiting in the rain,” he cried, grasping his hand and shaking it heartily. ‘‘ You are more zealous than the miners who haye already betaken themselves to shelter. was delayed, else had I been here before to greet my dear wife.” Craven Leroy’s brow darkened, and he blurted out, hotly: «Gaspard, you astonish me. I must confess that were I you, with only one frail life between me and a fortune, it would be somethiag more than a pretty face that would tempt me into the noose of matri- mony.” : ‘Shame on you, Craven!” cried Gaspard, piqued at this. allusion to kis wife. ‘* Do you think——” «Yes. Once our father dexd—once you a millionaire, even Mar- garet Gath’s beauty will pale upon you beside the courtly grace and elegance of the women of your new sphere. Again 1 say, once our father dead-——” ‘‘Shame on you, man! Have you no feeling?” returned Gaspard, huskily, at the same time placing an open letter in his brother's hand. ‘* The early morning’s mail brought me that. Read.” Craven Leroy drew the letter from the long, official envelope and glanced at the name upon the bottom of the sheet. ‘Signed Jeremiah Dawson, my father’s lawyer!” he gasped, turn- ing deadly pale. ‘‘ Then he is——” “Dead!” ; ** Dead?” ‘©You know the worst. Read on.” Craven Leroy needed no second bidding the sheet, and his cadaverous face grew Shiba and red by turns. ‘* Well?” asked Gaspard, when he saw he had finished. *« We are both lost. .My father must have been mad when he made such a will. If you die withous issue, legitimate or otherwise, and within three years, all the property reverts to me. But should you It must be my task to make her his widow or his | The stage — ; his eyes ran bungrily over » marry within the stated time, all goes to our cousin Franklin, and wa are penniless.” «You know it all now,” cried Gaspard. “‘Iam here to renounce that fortune, and claiming my wife, take her to Oakland to our ehiid.” : To say that Craven Leroy was speechless, would be putting it This proposition took away his breath. He saw Leroydale mildly. through a golden mist slipping forever through his fingers, and lost eternally by this mad resolve of his brother’s; and determined, be the cost what it might, he would not relinquish his dream of wealth oe without a struggle. ohh
Page 4
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.
Page 5
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.
Page 6
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.
Page 7
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.
Page 8
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.
Page 9
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.
Page 10
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.
Page 11
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.
Page 12
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.
Page 13
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.
Page 14
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.
Page 15
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.
Page 16
This page's text is still being fetched. See the page, or reload in a moment.