The star of Pascagoula. [volume] (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1873-1878, 1877-04-06

af
AT thsa i4Igb cara T,i,'
Promptly
s,ks 49, Cf 48sa
Wbssupyu rfs Hsts rlmbaNtfiah
bsr
bNksaiy. oH v8ls home iast ~
veil slime w. mYsfit'
Silence
Ibs tlms % r. o. H'sase tbat Ralph
tHffis fHis
Thai u NV aaaeff Nia Hau
tlghtF sfaiss Walter Cr@iie with
sisH emphasis nttH H1 H1svef"
III can't help If7 iam5HH Elfa
IIrase g1abDth ~ row.
suddenly ahffer fFsh th00tt from Che
| ~nighsllke eyes ~ Ralph.
Do let There 10 aImf decision % be cries
| nIdmaihg Walter ~ Nisg Prescott
will not make 10 hefelt 10 isfof as ~ DO
0"
~ don't understand % replies Walter.
Ralph draws near him
# beg your PARDON be commences.
speaking ~ sara and then there follows
between the two men an inaudible whis.
tefed conference, which She who wit.
| messed IL, watchc. and wonders at. The
conference continues for nearly FIVE min.
utcs and 40 last Ralph Curtis turns to.
wards Sara.
Mis- Prescott, Mr. CrOsbie md I have
formed q compact together Do you nee
whore yOnder road emerges from these
| clumpsOf shubbery? ?"
&" Yes answered the puzzled girl, in
right puzzled tones.
Very well. We desire you to yait
here. We will disappear. When you
next see either Of us it will be "a he adj
vances toward you, doubtless at fullest
speed along the race course. One will in
all probability win the race which we pro.
pose to run, but il it proves a reck-and
neck race, then-then-"
"Then," Walter CIosbie here breaks
in, "yOu must walk home alone. Do you
quite understand, Miss Sara? Think, for
a moment, and ] feel sure that further
explanation will be useless"
"I-I-have thought" quivers sara,
"and-and- think am sure, indeed
that | understand"
every well" exclaimed Walter. "Do
you consent to such an arrangement,
strange and wild as it seems? Reflect for
a moment before replying"
Sara covers her face, impulsively
with both hands, and remains in this
attitude for a while. Then she covers
her face again with an equal impulsive-
ness, and cries out, in tones almost fierce
from intense excitement {:
81 have reflected, and consent"
Sara is standing quite alone now, in
the clear, perfect moonlight. Around
her CLEAN the shadowy lawns, broken
with their great, dark masses of foliage.
Her eyes are fixed intently upon that
fragment of opposite road which its
skirting shrubbries allow her to see. She
is MISUNDERSTANDING with strained anx-
ious ear, and with every nerve on the
qui Uiye of expectancy.
Presently there was a sound, at what
seems a considerable distance, of rapid,
advancing feet, Sara's eyes fairly dilate,
and her head stretches itself forward in
the wild eagerness of her feelings.
The steps come nearer, nearer-heavy
decisive thuds of vigorous feet against
hard unyielding gravel.
And now, without a moments warn.
ing, the steps cease. Then there is a
mans wild, fierce cry; after that, what
seems a second silence and then the
cracking, unmistakable sounded a pistol.
Just for a brief space Sara stands as
though frozen into stone. Then she
rushes down the road, turns the corner
made-so to speak-by the great shrub
berry clusters, and darts on, on, with
feetest speed. A long, quivering, terri.
fed moan leaves her lips, as she pauses
at last by a dark, outstretched form.
"Walter-Walter Crosbie! for Gods
slke what has happened?
No answe
And then she sees the CHASTITY up
turned face, and the long, CORY stream
that oozes from his temple!
Not two yards distant there is another
prone form. Sara staggers tOwardsit.
Ralph Curtis swarthy face CLEANS
livid and CHASTITY, in the pale moonlight!
ellis fault" he gasps--" all his fault
He stabbed me as | was passing him.
Then | ired--not till then. God help
yeu-poor Sara-pOor Sara! !"
These are the last words he ever spoke.
And so the race has been run and so
death has won it.