Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-01-25
perfect equality Of weight

fore undertaking 1t procured quiet dis
charge from his service. There was no
quarrel, no anGsr, q sithsr part Then at
nigAt, with re liSAt, red SO that might
disanguish it from others placed in the
widow Of this foom to guide me, l carefully
wsGsd at a natural pace from the wall
under this window. ] repeated this for
several nights My PAGES from one wall tc
the other, with little variation in the results,
averaged l5l4. By walking 100 measured
yards, and counting the steps, whicl
numbered lbs and one-third over, learned
that the exact distance from his window to
mine is DOS yards. And three yards from
my window to the centre OF my room. and
two yards from his window to the centre of
his bed and the whole is /, ,2l3 yards very
long shot, but all the better for that, since |
knew the gun could be relied on to make it.
Next, taking rife and cartridges l wen.
into the country. Finding suit
able locality, l boarded with .
farmer constructed a target, and with
tape line measured of 1918 yardsi One
might suppose that could have dispensed
with the tape-lins and have depended fol
getting the distance on stepping it as before.
But this would not have been satisfactory,
for in walking . given distance at his natural
pace one does not make the same number OF
steps in the night as In the day. was care
full even to take the 100 yards above mon
toned at night, and exactly along the line
between the two rooms
After experimenting for severa days and
firing twenty rounds. got my telescope
sights 20 perfectly adjusted that the last five
shots struck within half an inch of the center
OF the bulls-eye Of the target This bulls-eye
was invisible at the distance, except through
the telescope. It was sufficient, and cam,
back to the city having been absent little
more than a week.
was surprised on my return to see a new
building in process Of erection exactly OF
the line between my room and Henry Van.
dykes room. Its location is much nearer
his than mine, and saw at once that if il
was to have as many as three stories, il
would, when completed, obstruct the view
from my window to his, and prevent me
from taking aim at his bed On inquiry
learned that it was to be three stories, and
that it was going up rapidly. 1t became
necessary to act with dispatch or my plans
would be frustrated l therefore at once sci
about constructing . strong frame of wood,
firmly fastened to the floor, as you see it
Two days were consumed in this work, while
In the meantime the walls Of the now struct
ure were rapidly rising. I watched their
progress with eager anxiety. On the third
day tho frame was ready early in the morn
ing and my rife was placed upon it, pointing
towaI d tho window of Henry Vandyke. II
restei between clamps provided for it, and
arranged to be frightened securely. 1t now
remained only to give it the right aim and
secure it Looking through the telescope, ]
saw that the curtain Of the bedroom window
had not yet been drawn. He had not walked
mp.
At about 10 o'clock the curtain wa, raised
and the sash thrown up. The master had
gone, and Agnes, the chambermsid, had
come to make up the bed and arrange the
room could SEQ her distinctly, with her
bare arms and her frowzy hair. She made
up the bel, and, to my regret, placed upon
it a white oovsrlst had hoped she would
place on it the red coverlst which, during
my service, had often been used. l saw at a
glance that the white coverlst was a serious
difficulty, because the plastering Of the wall,
seen beyond the bed, was also white, and al
90 graf q distance might make the outlines
Of the bed very ndistinct Had the red
coverlet been on, the contrast in color would
have rendered it easy for me to fix the aim
OF the rife on any part Of the bed. found
my fears verified With long effort and
straining Of my eyes it was impossible to fix
the aim with that certainty which was abso-
lutely necessary for fatal shot With any
uncertainty Of the result would not risk
it For, to shoot through the window, to hit
his bed, aye, even to strike MIN without
killing, would 10 to place him forever on his
guard and lsad him to suspect me, since
he, though he only of all living persons,
knew what cause l had to hate, what
provocation q kill him No; better give
up this plan and try some other than try
and fail I was in despair: That ne"
building, those intervening walls, were run
ming up 30 fast that they would in twenty
four hours hide his window from my sight
But for that there had been no difficulty. BE-
cause I knew that in two or three days at
most the red coverlet would replace the
whits, and then all would be easy. 1t
almost distracted me to think that plan 80
splendid in its conception, so sure in its re-
sults, should be defeated by this Internal
wall 1 tore my hair. / cursed the work
men 1t seemed that they were madly en-
energetic and fast in their work.
spent the remainder Of tho day in watch
ing the window and the rising wall, hoping
against hope At night l could not rest l
walked many miles, and came back to my
room at the dawn of day and got few
hours Of troubled sleep. 1t was half-past 9
when L awoke. All. that wall! l look
through the telescope and sec that it has
gone up as much as two feet since the even
ing, and its line shows against the window
sill Of Vandyke's room In an hour it would
hide the bed But see! While l look the
curtain is drawn and the sash raised. 1t is
Agnes: she wears q dark gown. She turns
away and can SO that she is arranging
things She passes the window with q
broom In her hand; but she doesn't sweep.
She comes hack to the window, looks out
and goes away. Soon returning, she goes
to work on the bed This operation 1 watch
almost in an agony. Will shs-will she
spread the red coverletl But she stops. l
think she gees out Of the room, leaving the
bed only half made up. Several minutes
elapse and l grow impatient. At last she
returns Now she takes up the bolster,
shakes it, bsats it and smoothes it Then
she lays it on tho bed. She spreads two
sheets, then two white blankets l am
breathless; it Is the supreme moment! Alas,
alasl She takes up the same white coverlet,
with jerb, and spreads it over all!
There is no use; ali is over. It must be
abandoned-this magnificent planl Before
another morning the winiow will be hidden
by the wall. l rose and paced my room, but
could not think what to do. At any rate,
the rife was to b removed, and the useless
frame torn up. Finally turned to do il.
But, before doing it, l stopped to take one
last look. applied my eye to the telescope,
Agnes was standing at the window, gazing
out this way. She was apparently regard
ing the workmen on the new building. S %
had a book in her hand; she is q constant
reader Of trashy novels As I looked, she
turned, got upon the bed, her masters bed,
arranged the pillow and lay down to read
Mon Disu! was startled with thought.
Her form, dressed in black, upon the white
ed, offered tho desired CONTRAST and made
the best target could ask for. Ju,t a. she
was lying, would her master lay at night
In a moment, but gasring with excitement,
l adjusted the rifle in its clamps. until the
cross Of the spider lines in the telescops
rested directly upon the region Of her breast,
and fastened it securely immovably. II the