Part 23 (2/2)

A FIENDISH ACT.

”Like some lone bird Without a mate, My lonely heart is desolate; I look around And cannot trace, a friendly smile, a welcome face.

Even in crowds I'm still alone, because I cannot love but one.”

Thus a fortnight pa.s.sed, and under the rigid diet of the strengthening, nutritious nuts and clear spring water Lester rapidly gained strength.

He only waited a fitting opportunity to make a dash for liberty.

Halloran was well armed; he realized that fact, and that he would shoot him down like a dog ere he would suffer him to escape the fate that had been laid out for him.

Therefore his only hope was to get away by strategy. He laid several plans, but each time they were frustrated by some unexpected act of Halloran's.

Meanwhile the latter was pondering over his case, considerably mystified.

”Confound the fellow! he does not seem to grow either pale or emaciated,” he muttered. ”I could almost say that starving seems to agree with him. I am quite tempted to give him his quietus and end this vigil. Remaining in this solitary hut does not quite come up to my liking. I wonder what Kendale is doing. He promised to let me know how he got on.

”I have not heard from him for nearly a week now. Perhaps they made the discovery that he was not the real Lester Armstrong, and have placed him in limbo; but it strikes me that in such a predicament he would hasten to communicate with me, apprising me of the fact.

”Then, again,” he ruminated, ”Kendale is thoroughly selfish to the backbone, and if he has successfully hoodwinked these people and is living off the fat of the land and rolling in money, as it were, ten chances to one he has quite forgotten my very existence.

”He ought to have sent me more provisions to-day, and more tobacco; and it is nightfall and no sign of any one.”

The next day and the next pa.s.sed in the same fas.h.i.+on.

By this time Halloran had become thoroughly exasperated.

”This settles the bill,” he muttered; ”I leave this place to-night. I do not see much need of staying here any longer, anyhow. Armstrong will not last many hours longer; he couldn't; it's beyond human physical possibility.”

In the semi-twilight he looked in at his prisoner.

Lester had fallen into so deep a sleep that he seemed scarcely to breathe, and the dim, fading light falling in through the c.h.i.n.ks of the boarded window gave his face, which was beginning to grow pale because of his confinement, an unusually grayish pallor at this twilight hour.

”Ha! ha!” muttered Halloran, setting his teeth hard together; ”it is perfectly safe to leave him now. He is dying; his hour has come at last.”

Turning on his heel he strode into the outer apartment, banging the door to after him, but not taking the trouble to lock it on this occasion.

”As there seems to be little need of my remaining here longer, now that he is done for, I'm off for the city,” he muttered; ”and a pretty tramp I'll have of it over this barren country road, fully seven miles to the railway station, and hungry as a bear at that.”

Again he looked at Lester, to a.s.sure himself beyond all possibility of a doubt that he was actually dying.

And again he was thoroughly deceived.

”It's all over with him,” he muttered, ”and Kendale's secret is safe between him and me, and he'll have to pay me handsomely to keep it; that's certain.”

On the threshold he halted.

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