The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-04-03

shirted men looked weird in the unearthly
brightness. The yellow glow faded to red
that. .deepened to blood -colored spotin the
night. The bell rang to discharge the
hands, and squads Of men broke up scatter.
ing in the dark. Nth''re"1 E"N. .'hN ..
Monk went to his garret room. hesitated
1 a moment at the door, then passed in and
shut it, sosviolently that the floor shook
He struck match. In the birthstone light
q horrible demon countenance wayered
blue and ghastly; but. when the candle
| famed, it grew into Monks face covered
by the black scowl of rage that had disfig
ured 1t once before-a rage that was freshly
reused. " 3. .'li-
n"If I'd had my knife, Ia have. done il
| Just now, when I stumbled against him.
But he'dies tomorrow night at" ~!
scowling face was suddenly overspread BY
| a strange pallor. He stood imotisnless. as
il chained ITO the floor, his eyes 6arted
quickly about, and he seemed 10 suspend
his very breath. ........, -r,s,..
A clear, distinct. ticking sound occurred
at regular Intervals for a minute, and left
profound silence. "' ,--
Monk raised his head. ,.. $50.
Its sign of coming death. That's for
Peters. There it is again!' ..-
The strange sound, like a faint metallic
click. repeated itself several times. D..
"D-n il! l don't like to hear the thing.
But there will be sudden DEATH"
Time after time Monk heard at intervals
thessaAe 1aint sound, like the ticking of q
watch For 4 minute, and il made his blood
run cold. r., lie found, himself listening to
it with terror, and in the long silence al
ways strainins his ears to catch it, always
expecting, dreading its repetition. until the
thing grew more horrible 10 him than o
nightmare. Sometimes he would fall into
a doZe, and wakening with start, hear 1t,
while cold perspira.iou broke in drops on
his forehead.
1t grewintolerable. He swore he would
find the thing and Kill it, but it Knocked him
in his search. The sound seemed to come
from the table. but when he stood beside
the table it licked SO distinctly at the win.
dow that he thought he could put his finger
on the spot; but when he tried 20, it had
changed sgain, and sounded at the head Of
his bed. Sometimes it seemed close at his
right, and he turned olly to hear it on the
other side, then in front. then Behind.
his evaporation and disappointment. f.
The sound became exaggerated By his
distenpered imagination. till he trem6led
least some one else should hear this omen
which 81 plainly, foresold his anticipated
crime. Once anhour dragged by, and his
unseen tormentor was still. His eyes that
had glittered with deadly hatred, now wore
a startled look and wandered Srestlessly
about the room ~ ~ W
An owl. that perched on the topmost
branch of high tree near by. screamed
lond and long. A bat flew in at the open
widow, banged sgairst Che ceiling, and
Monk shivered. Leaning his head be-
tween his arm, he drumneI nervously on
the table with his fingers. Instantly the
clear metallic click sounded again. He
looked up, and a strange light broke into
his face, a nixetl expression Of anszsment
and fright. For q moment he seemed stu
p:fei, then raising his hand he tapped
lightly against the wood with his flnger-nail.
The last tap had not died until it was an
swered by what seemed like faint repeti-
ton of itself.
Uttcring a fearful oath, Monk recoiled
from the table, hus, as if drawn back and
held back by weird fascinat.op he sat an
hour striking tt hard surfsce with HIS rail, !,
and pausiDg for the response that each time
came clear and distinct.
Gray streaks crept along the east, and
quiVerfd like "a faded friRge bordering the
black canopy. He waited, listened vaioly !;
no echo, no sound, and the dull, hueless
light Of the cloudy morning glimmered ct
his window. Then he threw himself on his
bed and fell into restless slunbers. ..-
"A damp, ,.th;ck fog e,ryelopsd the hot IS
in its Shiny embrace. At nightfall its reek-.
ing folds gathered themselves from the
ground, and noiseless driZze came sud-
denly down. s.z-. 'df - 1H4 o. s.s.sis
r Monk had not, stirred Fl on his room all
day. The .everish sleep into which be had
fallen fled from him before noon, and now
he stood at his window hooking out into
the blackness. A clammy air blew against
bis face. He stretched out bis hand and
drew 1t back suddenly, as If he had touched
the dead. 1t was cold and moist He rub.
bed 1t violently against his clothes, as though
ne could not whip. off the dampness. A
tremor seized upon him. Hark was that
the dripping Of water' No. A sickly. smile
played over his countenance. He went to
the table and tapped lightly with, his fino-
ers, as he had done before. In another mo-
meDt the taps were answered, and he in
voluntarily counted as they came, one-two
three -four-flve --six seven all
was silent He made the cali asecond time.
he tried it over and over, and at each re-
sponse it ticked seven Hines, never. more
or less but seven times clearly, distinctly.
Su6denly he sprapg up, and Through shut
test9, 2 IN aiEsa; ssxsI,s a. k + rAA
cheat YOU'LL not kill him."
He Garted noiselessly- the stairs.
and struck out through the woods. In half
an hour be emerged on the edge of clear
ing, dozen yards from q choppers cab
In. Creeping stealthily to the door he shook
IT, then, aftera moments irresoluti0n, cried
out: -ti - ~ - !
Peters Perers! look out for Shifler.
He has sworn TO murder you tonight"
Without waiting for a reply he sprapp
away, and was quickly lest among the
A,moment afterWard a tau form arose out
of the shallow of a stump near the cabin.
and passed rapidly in an opposite direction.
At the summit of the hill east of Agatha,
. steep precipice is formed by great, bare,
projecting rock. From the valley, its outline
resembles an enormous face in profile and
they call 1t "The Devils Head" The full
moon rendered the unbrOken mass of cloud
trans lucent, producing a peculiarly sinister
effect. The mist still blew through the air,
but in the zenith there was dull ashen
hue. and the surrounding clcud was the
color of earth. o. ii't 20 : r.h ias' Iid
The far-off hills loomed up msjestic, ter
nble, lagainst the gloom nearer objects
were strangely magnified in the tawny
light. AT the foot Of this phantom crag,
on terrace. is the ore-bank and blackened
coal-shed Below rose the netalstack, from
whose ie-hearth waste of sand slGped
gently 70 Jhe creek.. The furnace squattcd
eInn E[!m and black. Its blood. shot eye; was
s snuS its gaping throat uttered no sigh, no
~ van lts thfobbing pulse was stilled-