E-text prepared by Al Haines
[Frontispiece: I clasped the straying hand and drew her to me.]
Gordon Craig
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
By RANDALL PARRISH
Author of "My Lady of the North," "My Lady of the South," "Keith of the Border," "When Wilderness Was King."
WITH FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOR BY ALONZO KIMBALL
A L. BURT COMPANY PUBLISHERS ————— NEW YORK
COPYRIGHT A. C. McCLURG & CO. 1912 Published October, 1912 Copyrighted in Great Britain
CONTENTS
ILLUSTRATIONS
I clasped the straying hand and drew her to me . . _Frontispiece_
I read it over slowly, but it appeared innocent enough
He gasped a bit, rubbing his bruised wrist
"Give me back those papers"
GORDON CRAIG
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
CHAPTER I
THE FIRST STEP
I had placed the lumber inside the yard as directed, and was already rehitching the traces, when the man crossed the street slowly, switching his light cane carelessly in the air. I had noticed him before standing there in the doorway of the drug store, my attention attracted by the fashionable cut of his clothes, and the manner in which he watched me work. Now, as he rounded the heads of the mules, I straightened up, observing him more closely. He was forty or forty-five, heavily built, with a rather pasty-white face, a large nose, eyes unusually deep set, and a closely clipped mustache beginning to gray. His dress was correct to a button, and there was a pleasant look to the mouth which served to mitigate the otherwise hard expression of countenance. As I faced him in some surprise he looked me fairly in the eyes.
"Been at this job long?" he asked easily.
"Three days," I replied unhesitatingly, drawing the reins through my hands.
"Like it?"
"Well, I 've had worse and better," with a laugh. "I prefer this to my last one."
"What was that?"
"Ridin' blind baggage."
It was his turn to laugh, and he did so.
"I thought I was not mistaken," he said at last, sobering. "You are the same lad the train hands put off the Atlantic Express at Vernon a week ago."
I nodded, beginning to suspect him of being a fly-cop who had spotted me for a pull.
"I never noticed the name of the burg," I returned. "Why? were you there?"