The Strand Magazine, Vol. 01, No. 06, June 1891: An Illustrated MonthlyVarious
General
The Strand Magazine, Vol. 01, No. 06, June 1891: An Illustrated Monthly
Various
English literature -- Periodicals; Short stories, English -- Periodicals
From that day Shelby Fowler's career was one of uninterrupted
prosperity. Within the year he became a partner. The same miraculous
fortune followed other ventures later. He was mill owner, mine owner,
bank director--a millionaire! He was popular, the reputation of his
brief achievement over the desperado kept him secure from the attack of
envy and rivalry. He never was confronted by the real Fowler. There was
no danger of exposure by others--the one custodian of his secret, Tom
Flynn, died in Nevada the year following. He had quite forgotten his
youthful past, and even the more recent lucky portmanteau; remembered
nothing, perhaps, but the pretty face of the daguerreotype that had
fascinated him. There seemed to be no reason why he should not live and
die as Shelby Fowler.
His business a year later took him to Europe. He was entering a train
at one of the great railway stations of London, when the porter, who
had just deposited his portmanteau in a compartment, reappeared at the
window followed by a young lady in mourning.
"Beg pardon, sir, but I handed you the wrong portmanteau. That belongs
to this young lady. This is yours."
[Illustration: "THE PORTER REAPPEARED AT THE WINDOW."]
Flint glanced at the portmanteau on the seat before him. It certainly
was not his, although it bore the initials "S. F." He was mechanically
handing it back to the porter, when his eyes fell on the young
lady's face. For an instant he stood petrified. It was the face of
the daguerreotype. "I beg pardon," he stammered, "but are these
your initials?" She hesitated, perhaps it was the abruptness of the
question, but he saw she looked confused.
"No. A friend's."
She disappeared into another carriage, but from that moment Harry
Flint knew that he had no other aim in life but to follow this clue
and the beautiful girl who had dropped it. He bribed the guard at
the next station, and discovered that she was going to York. On their
arrival, he was ready on the platform to respectfully assist her. A few
words disclosed the fact that she was a fellow-countrywoman, although
residing in England, and at present on her way to join some friends at
Harrogate. Her name was West. At the mention of his, he again fancied
she looked disturbed.
They met again and again; the informality of his introduction was
overlooked by her friends, as his assumed name was already respectably
and responsibly known beyond California. He thought no more of his
future. He was in love. He even dared to think it might be returned;
but he felt he had no right to seek that knowledge until he had told
her his real name and how he came to assume another's. He did so
alone--scarcely a month after their first meeting. To his alarm, she
burst into a flood of tears, and showed an agitation that seemed far
beyond any apparent cause. When she had partly recovered, she said, in
a low, frightened voice:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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