The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-11-17
An ARGUMENT FOR LIFE.

thev flowed rapidly onward, with
confused murmurings, as If lmpa-
tient to become part Of the great
Ohio.
II was as lste as ten o'clock, when
Robert Craig. a Young lawyer. cane
upan bridge. that spanned q
branch Of the Green River, in Cen
trol Kentucky. He was afoot and
he walked with very light step, be-
cause his heart was light. lie had
been euccessful IN the most import
ant suit he had ever been engaged
i'm he had pleaded his OVID case,
and the court that had pronounced
Judgment In his favor was simply
Mis- Mary Lane, the handsomest
Girl In the neighborhood, and az
rood as she was beautiful She mad
promised to be bis wife.
Bat Robert Craig was destined to
nlead another case that very night,
and before less lcnient court. He
had no warming Of this, however.
when he stepped upon the bridge,
and walked out oycr the clear wa
tiers. muttcring congratulations to
himself 49,
Ycs. I'm thr luckirst IRAN living.
be- soliloquiEcd, Is he reached the
middle ofthc bridge.
The bridge was not a covered one
and he stopped to lean over the
railing At one side, and look down
mo the sparkling waters that quiv-
cred In the bright moonlight.
YES. I'm the luckiest man liv-
ing he repeated. quite aloud, after
he had stood n full minute gazing
upon the flowing river
Don't he too sure of that . said q
voice behind him.
Robert Craig turned with a start,
and NV tall man standing at the
opposite side OF the bridge, leyeling
81 rife upon him. lie seemed very
cool and deliberate in his manner,
and he spoke In o tone that was
hard and lev.
At the first glance. Robert Craig
saw his danger. for he recognized IN
She intruder Ralph Moore, who, rs
he was wei aware, regarded him
with the bittcrc5t haired, for the
reason that both had been Suitors Iar
the hand 81 Mary Lane. and halPA
had. ot course. been rejected. lie
vas noted as q man Of desperate
rhafactcr-alth0urh belonging To a
GOOD iauiiv-and lac was moreover
known Ia be the best marksman IN
the community. Robert Craig
thought of these facts, rs he found
himself standing there in the cold
moonlight with that uGerring rifle
pointed 1T his breast
He himself was unarmed; there
eyas no hope for succor, on that
lonelv bridge at that time OF night /:
retreat was impossible as well as
numanlv; resistance was equally
out Of the question. His enemy
meant deliberately to take his life,
and lac had the power 70 do it. Ro-
bert Craig realized all this, and felt
That certain death awaited him. The
terrible cNigcncy- the very hope
lcSsECss of The case made him calm.
Ralph Moore" he said in Z voice
lhat betrayed no emotion. "have
YOU come here 10 wavlay and muir
der me ?a
Robert Craig replied Ralph,
coldly, still keeping the deadly rifle
at an aim, did you suppose you
could tramplc over me and hve?'
His finger was on the trigger, and
lhc fierce look on his face denoted
that the life he held in his hands
was not worth much now.
But surely" said Robert Craig,
YOU are not wicked enough TO COM
init such a crime as / see you con-
template? / am unarmed and at
your mercy. While ] do not like
YOU, Ralph, never thought you ca
pable of a cowardly act. 1t would
sc cowardly to shoot down an un-
armed man, and you know it. You
are n good marksman, but / am
willing TO fight you fairly, if you
think that a mortal enmitv must
necessarily exist between Us"
"Bosh' Do YOU think lam foo? ?
DO YOU think | can be caioled by
your smooth talk2 No, I've got YOU,
Robert Craig, and YOU shall never
live to enjoy your triumph over me.
1ou are now within Just five min
utes Of your death ! will grant
you that time to pray-ifyou want
10. Nothing can save youl There
Is not a soul within half a mile to
hear you if you should yell. You'll
be floating down the river miles be-
low this before morning"
But what do YOU say 10 being
hanged for murder"
There is no witness near. Itcln
never be proved against mc."
Robert Craig was silent. His
enemy, who plainly meant murder,
stood like a statue, with the rifle
still pointing at bis head, and watch
ing him like n eat. There was an
expression OF savage cXultation in
his face, plainly visible in the moon
light; and Robert Craig saw that it
was idle 10 think Of asking for mer-
Cy.
Various ideas went whirling
through his brain. lie thought of
running away and trusting to flight,
hut he dismissed the thought, for
hecould not escape the unerring
aim of the relentless man confront
ing him. lie thought of rushing
upon Ralph, and engaging in 4 des-
pcrate struggle for the possession of
the rife but he knew that it would
be hopeless. He was twenty feet
distant, and his enemy could shoot
him down before he could reach
him.
As il divining his very thoughts,
Ralph said with a demoniac laugh, /,
oh, there is no chance for you:
Run which way You will, / can
bring you down before YOU can take
three steps. Come. 10 prayer You
have only about three minutes and
q half LETT"
Robert Craig stood motionless.
and with the same coolness he had