The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1888-04-20

ShtHt
angry Impotence.
"Well, / mean this ERE" answered the
Judge, with slow inpressivencss, that
if one of my pardners wasn't a gentle
a and t'other wasn't helpless blind,
I'm burned if I'd go to bed without q
s~ix-shooter under my piller, and my fin
ger on the trigger. l don't allude to one
any more'n another, but we'll just take
lsrael's word for gospel, that everyone
is q thief if you give him a chance of
thievin'; end, at that. rate, I'm just as
likely as not to murder NY two pardners,
and git the whole of that diamond to
myself. Consequently, you will allow
that the squire has a double reason for
wantin' that agreement altered; for it
amt only the money he's got to secure
likewise. Time enough for the young
lady to be a wilder in the rat'ral order
of things in general
CHAPTER v.
When I met Sir Eimu nd in the morn
ing. l told him that my partners had
agreed with me to alter the clause in the
agreement, though we had not yet de
cided in what manner.
II am glad TO hear it," he said; ,"aay-
thing will he better than that agreement
as it stands
Edith came down late to breakfast.
She looked pale anl sail she had over
slept herself.
''For the first time ia your life. l be-
%lieve," said Sir Edmund. "You did not
fall asleep quite so readily as usual
hey?" he asked, smiling.
81 could not Sleep" she answered, but
so gravely that saw it was not from the
cause the baronet implied-the love that
had kept me awake: and then she added,
81 have been terribly frightened"
We looked at her in establishment and
anxiety.
II will tell you all about it," she con
tinued, because you may be able to eX-
plain what rerplexes me, and that will be
a great relief"
She paused, as if to collect her thoughts
and then said:
81 was nearly asleep when l noticed a
sound coming from the window. TWAS
ASH someonn was rapPing uponthe glass
A-not loudly or quickly, but softly, as
ylough with the tip of the finger, and at
3Hnteryals. / might have counted twenty
br thirty between one tap and the next.
l took little notice of it at first, thinking
that as had left the window partly open
it might be the wind moving the Vene-
| tan blind; but after awhile, the persistent
tap-tap-tap irr1tated me. 1 rose and
lit the candle, then | went to the Win
dow. The lattice was just as l had left
it. The blind hung perfectly m~otionless.
l drew it up and looked out. There was
of air stirred; the flame of the candle
burned rs steadily as though the window
l4LiGen closed. l let down the blind,
AsRF<tened; there was not the slightest
~AASth on the ceiling" said Sir Ed
mnnd; fthey have worried me in the
same mfnher. Then you get a light, and
the thing stops"
Hold on, we amt heered the last on
sttft, ~ u see" said the Judge, looking al
Miss Lascelles intently, his shaggy irows
tkst1 over his quick eyes.
i 81 explained it as you do, papa. I put
out the light. and tried to sleep. Iheard
no sound for quite ten minutes, I think,
and then'again that soft, slow tap-tap-
tap came from the window-the same
d4onhf, with the same long interval be-
tween riem. 1t was not like the beat of
a moths wing. 1t was like nothing bu.
= 1.-THE touch of a human finger. But1tried
10 think it was IN insect in the wall-the
insect that is called the 'death-watch.
lfa | did my best to take no notice of it
but could not help hearing it; aud after
a time | grew frightened, and the sound
grew dreadful in my ears. 1t became
uncomfortable. / could not lie there listen
q ing fassively. l got up again, and struck
1aalAstch. The wick Of the candle was
slow to light, and during those moments
| noticed that the sound had ceased. As
l say. was frightened-very frightened.
And the unbroken silence seemed more
terrible than the sound. There was
something ghostly and supernatural
about it, that brought back the old ter
ror ! used to feel as a child in passingtht
room that is said 10 I've haunted at night
And Just then the clock in the belfry
struck. l dared not go to the window
My hand tren,bled SO that I could no
take up the candle, but l looked TOWARD
tho window. The first thing that strucl
ME was that the laths of the blind, in
stead Of lying fat, as they generally do
when down. and as l hadleft them, were
opened .and turned edgeway-do 20,
know hbw 1 mcan?"
She lAld her hands, that trembledwitl
the recollection of her terror, one abov,
"But the next thing" she continued
and then stopped, with q little shudder
while we who listened held our breath.
,is'the mex thing ! saw was two grea
13btlaGsSeyes that caught the light from my
1XpNHle in between the lower laths of tn,
kSAk pausedsand then continued will
shaSe firmEess-
VI think l fainted-I must have don,
| ESQ, for l was conscious of nothing afte.
sFthat, until 1 found myself upon the floor
The light was still burning upon the ia
BILE. As recollection returned to me,
looked toward the window. Thes lath'
were no longer open, but turned fiat
Then it occurred to me that all had see1
was merely imaginative-that it wa
merely a realistic dream-thatI had gon,
through these experiences in my sleep
My great terror was gone. 1 went with
out fear to the window to ascertainif tn,
night was as | had seen it. There wa
the gray mist; the flame of the candl,
{ did. not flicker. Nevertheless, when
looked down and saw how impossible i
Gas for anyone to have stood outside tn,
+; window, l felt convinced that at leas
. the vision of the two eyes was imaginar,,
IAN outcome of the fear I felt when
ESo!aI toward the window. 1 lay dow
again. and though I could not sleep TO
sometime, l heard no further SCUM
whatever, save the Ginning of the clock.
SIS it not very probable, my DEAR" sal
; the baronet, 'tbat the sound you speal
? of was also the outcome of feari'
2 81 had no fear when l went first to tn
window. The sound was a reality. l
is that l wish explained"
"Do you know what time it was whel
J. the tapping first began, Miss Lascelless
: Van Hoecll asked.
J SIT was 4 quarter to one by my watcl
when l recovered from the fit"
! "sIax ! ask Miss, without o%ffense, if
tldngAof this Kind hes ever happened t
l you afora?' asked the Judge.
'tAs nthildI was tunid, but I canno
reme&bf eve, being SO frightened"
".You 4on,t look as if~a trifle woul
: skeet go4, will allow" and, rising fror
T his chap tho Judge added, 'if you'll ez
" else 1nA, IH.go aud prospect the plac
= stgiigbt off, for I'm forth to say it look
s Ito melike as if the Kid had been takin
ahandin the game
by all maanSshsa:d the haronet och