Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-05-30
MAY MoRELAND.
CHAPTER XII.
BY NJ. A. RIED.

might await mn. DlreClly TIC I)duS-
ed, the passage had widened sudden
ly into something like room. A
little ahead of him, Clifton saw a
window; by this window lounge,
and on the lounge lay man, asleep.
On a very small table at the head Of
the lounge, lay two pistols anda dirk.
The foot of the lounge was toward
Clifton. He paused but a second ; to
get the pistols was almost impossible;
to retreat was vain.
He stepped softly forward, then
with desperate spring he passed
the lounge and grasped the pistols.
The man awoke and sprang to his
feet it was Norton! He sprang to-
ward Clifton with a fearful oath on
his lips; a dangerous glitter in his
eyes.
Frank Clifton stepped back and
leveled one of the pistols; zone step
-one half step, this way, and you
die! You know me; stand back"
The faces of both men were pale,
and the cherished hate of years
cleaned in their eyes.
Norton hesitated a moment, then
he sat down upon the lounge and
looked at Clifton.
GLOW did you get bere?" he
asked.
at cannot matter how / got here !;
suffice it that am here, and you are
in my power"
A smile of triumph broke over
Norton's face.
as there another outlet to this
den besides that by which l came?"
''There is"
'"phen lead me to it."
'Haven't the least objection" said
Norton, pointing to the window and
laughing recklessly, "that is the only
way"
cit is?"
eyes. Ifyou want to go I'll open
it for you"
GLOW do you get out Of here~
"Don't get out at all neither will
YOU"
"What do you mean""
"Mean? Simply what 1 say, you
will never get out Of here; neither
will l. say, won't it be glorious
fun for us to die in here without any
one to know it?-There is nothing
here to eat, nothing to drink. I've
tasted several days already. The eX.
element Of lodging you COMPOUNDED
fools took away my appetite. Pm
hungry now-but there's no help fol
it. I'd starve to death before they
should catch me. l say, they Won
find you. Do you understand? You
will be here day after day, and nigh
after night with my dead body.
know / shall be very uncOngenia
companion, lying here, stiff and still
but hope you'll excuse me, seeing
that can't help it. Then you will
be starving all the time, and there
where the joke comes in. In you
power! Yes, of course | am, ant
now / think of it, Pm glad Of it,
and he laughed eXultingly, lay dow
on the lounge and fixed his eyes OF
Clifton. After while he said witt
a lazy yawn: 81 am going to sleel
now; you can kill me if you wish
but l don't believe you will do it, 70
| have vague notion that you ar
troubled with conscience"
He did go to sleep and left Cliftol
standing there in deep thought.
How to get out of this place h
knew not. He might drop a not
from that window, but it was so hig
up from the floor he could not hav
reached it by standing upon tn
lounge or table, even could he hav
turned his attention from NortO
long enough to do 50. He felt in hi
pocket for pencil he had none. T
wait and hope that Frye and tn
men might discover the secret oper
ing, was his only consolation. II
could tell by the duslly light whic
fell from the window that night Wa
coming on. He lit the lamp on tn
table and sat down on a low chai1
the only one in the apartment, keel
ing his eye on Norton, who eviden
ly slept soundly. All night Ion
Clifton kept watch over the sleepin
man, and daylight found him wea
and weary for want of food an
sleep.
That morning May again sat in 1T
little parlor, she had heard nothir
of how matters were progressir
.,,., A., g > D.oo,N