Time began to prove to me that he was
not the man I thought him to be. His nature revealed itself; and I found
I could not marry him. Besides, my mother was beginning to repent. She
awoke from her stupor of indifference and strove in every way to
circumvent the plot of the two conspirators, so far as I was concerned.
The strain told on her at last, and we went to California soon after my
ridiculous flight from Tinkletown last winter. It was not until after
that adventure that I began to see deep into the wretched soul of Tom
Reddon.
"Then came the most villainous part of the whole conspiracy. Reddon,
knowing full well that exposure was possible at any time, urged my
stepfather to have you kidnaped and hurried off to some part of the
world where you could never be found. Even Reddon did not have the
courage to kill you. Neither had the heart to commit actual murder. It
was while we were at Colonel Randall's place that the abduction took
place, you remember. Mr. Banks and Tom Reddon had engaged their men in
New York. These desperadoes came to Boggs City while Tom was here to
watch their operations. All the time Mr. Crow was chasing us down
Reddon was laughing in his sleeve, for he knew what was to happen during
the marshal's absence. You know how successfully he managed the job. It
was my stepfather's fault that it did not succeed.
Pages:
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320