THE STEADFAST HEART
had eloped with a man whom Rainbow knew not, an uitlander, reputed to belong to the flashy, wit-living class, a frequenter and follower of horse races. Secondly, in her going Kate had not hesitated to take without leave certain valuables and money. This was the sorest wound—for it touched the matter of honesty…. She disappeared, and from the day of her going to the present moment, Henry G. had not set eyes upon her. Only vague rumors came back to him—unpleasant rumors of a career of questionable adventure…. The thing had killed his wife and left him alone—and alone he remained, a man withdrawn into his own fastnesses, living with his servants and omitting the hospitalities of other days.
His interests were large, reaching far beyond Rainbow. He owned the local bank and was a lender of money upon mortgage of whom none spoke envious word of evil.
Small pebbles thrown from a remote shore may send out ripples which agitate sands far distant from the spot from which it was picked…. Malcolm Crane had, for years, been local advisor to Henry G. Woodhouse in legal matters, but latterly, more through a kindly interest in the young man than from any more selfish motive, Henry G. had thrown certain small matters to the newcomer, Craig Browning—until, being
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