The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1877-10-11

let between 40. /
"Bosh Do you think I am . fooli
Do you think I can be ceioled by |
your smooth talk 7 No, I've got
you, Robert Craig, and you shall
never live to enjoy your triumph
over me. You are within just hvel
minutes Of your death. I will grant
you that time 70 pray-if you want
TO. Nothing can ssve you There
is not Q soul within bali . milo TO
hear you II you should yell. You'll
be floating down che river miles be.
low this By morning
"But what do you ~ % being
hanged for murder ?
"There il no witness near. II can
never be proved against me-
Robert Craig was silent His en-
emy. who plainly meant murder,
stood like Q statue, with The rifle
still pointed at his head, and watch.
ing him like q cat, There was an
expression Of savage exultation In
his face, plainly visible In the moon.
light and Robert Craig saw that 1t
was idle 70 think Of asking for mer-
cy.
Various ideas went whirling
through bic brain. He thought OF
running away and trusting TO fight,
but be dismissed ~ thought, for he
could not eeoape ths unerring aim
Of the relentless man confronting
him. He thought Of rushing upon
Ralph, and engaging In q desperate
struggle for the possession Of the
rife , but he knew that il would be
hopeless. He was twenty feet dis
tant, and his enemy could shoot him
down before he could reach him.
As II divining his very thoughts,
Ralph said, with Q demoniao laugh ):
"Oh, there's no chance for You !
Run which way you will, can bring
you down before you can take three
steps. Come, to prayerl You have
only about four minutes left"
Robert Craig stood motionless,
with the same coolness he had dis
played from the beginning, he said /:
dRalph More, I see that you are
in earnest I" ...
Certainly I am. IA hal You
know me we'll enough to know that
l did not come here for nothing"
"Yet you will not kill me-" said
Robert Craig, in q quiet firm tone.
81 can bring an argument to bear
that will prevent you.'
"Pooh |" retorted Ralph, CON-
temptuously. II would like to know
what IL ~"
"well. | have letter in my pock-
ct here"
"Stop exclaimed Ralph, Aercely.
"Keep your hand away from your
pocket. I understand your game
You have q pistol |"
"No; ON my honor. II / had you
could shoot before I could use it.
I think You are quick enough for
that"
II suppose ami
"Weli, will you allow me to take a
letter from my pocket or are you
afraid y
swell, I do not think I'm much
afraid"
"shall I take the letter from my
pocket 2"
ayes, but no tricks my eye 10 on
you" ., 100
Robert Craig, with the oalmness
Of man merely trausacting some
ordinary business, drew . letter
from his coat pocket and began de.
liberately to write on one side OF the
envelope with . pencil. ttut
"What are you doing I" demand
cd Ralph, cycling him sharply.
81 am merely writing q secret
here, which, when you know it, will
induce you to change your mind"
"What is IT. Why don't you tell
Il 70 me 7"
"You1l undarstand that whsn You
hear me read II"
"sons triSk. but remember ! Am
watching you" t.S
While Ralph More lost none Of
his Aercsnsss, and did not waver in
his murderous purpose. ID was evi-
dent that his curiosty was aroused,
and - watched the young lawyer %
lbeyasefEfsmdly on the envelope by
he H.. n6ths moon.
"Well. what strange thing have
ron vr,ixtsn 7" he asked sneering, a.
Rohs,5ft Craig finished
I viii read Il to you.r replied
R.sobert Craig. ~
1 Then he held The envelope up, %
that the moonlight fell full upon IL,
and read - follows
1Ux w,.~exis BnIDoE, Near Upland, !
Thursday night, Dso- 81. 10-
sIt ] am found murdered, be Il
known that Ralph More, Of Upland,
10 the murderer. He stands before
me, while I write this pointing Q
ride q me, and declares that be will
hill me-, because he ID Jealous Of mo.
I am unarmed. RoBxRr O1AIa,
- Attorney-at-IAw.
Ralph More uttered . disdainful
laugh.
sHsi hal What good will that
seribling do you :" he said. "I can
destroy Il while you Aoat down the
river. You don't suppose I would
| 20 and deliver u 10 the authorities
ior you-evsn Il u d your dying re-