Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-10-03


of certain lines traced by evil courses. She
stared into cold gray eyes, reflective rather
than fierce in expression, and felt that she
had seen the face before. She was not
frightened, strange though it may seem,
and remained much calmer in the grasp Of
this marauder than some hours later when
the reaction came.
IF you attempt to move or utter word
above whisper I shall kill you,' he
breathed in her ear. A pencil lying on the
mantel CHANGED to meet her eye. She
reached it with difficulty and wrote upon
the smooth white surface: you are Ter
rance Moore and were confined in the pen
itentiary at C in 1881" AS he read the
words his grasp frightened involuntarily, but
almost instantly relaxed under the impulse
Of a recognition now mutual. He withdrew
his hand from her lips and stepping back q
pace rested his elbow on the mantel.
Don't speak loud" he whispered "You
are perfectly safe with me. If had known
you were in the house l should never have
entered it. would die ten times over be-
fore would harm a hair of your head.''
"You must goat once" she said.
The door Of the chamber, already ajar,
was pushed open at this juncture and an
other man, also masked, entered with foot
falls feline in lghtness. well, I'll be
blankedr' calculated the newcomer under
his breath. who'd have thought, Gull,
you'd run agin q mash in this plant!''
''Screw your nut and cheese crackin','
replied Moore. There's new finger in the
drum and the jig is up''
what are you speelin'!" asked the other,
incredulously.
"We've got TO do quick lam; she's got
me dead to rights
Then and the second burglar drew
his finger across his throat with gesture
of horrible significance.
Moore shook his head with fierce We
hemence. Turning to Miss Wessling, he
asked:
''If we quit now and leave every thing,
will You promise not to disclose my iden-
tity!"
II promise-for Gods sake, gor' she
pleaded the mental strain beginning to play
havoc with her nerves.
The other burglar suddenly emptied q
wal upon the sponge with which he had
been fumblng, and, springing forward. az
Piled it to her nose before Moore could in.
| terpose Moore threw himself savagely
| upon his partner in crime. alarm the
houser' he shouted, seeing that she was
already affected by the pungent fumes OF
| the chloroform. With shrek she threw
| herself against the window, breaking the
| pane she knew not how.
Course you.' howled Moore's pal, think
ing now only of safety in flight. "Let me go,
blank your soul!''
Rendered desperate by the sounds Of the
| awakened household he broke away by a
| mighty EFFORT and sprang for the stairs.
Moore followed, but whether to effect his
| own escape or to detain the other burglar
| can not be told His confederate must have
regarded his intentions in the latter light,
for he turned and fired two shots in rapid
| succession, at point blank range, both bull
| lets finding billets in Moore's breast, and
] gained the open air through the door, which,
! in burglar fashion. had been left open to
facilitate sudden departure. They
| dragged Moore back into Miss Wessling's
room and it required no physician to inform
the startled group that gathered around
| the dying criminal that his moments were
| few. He motioned to Miss Wrestling and
| she knelt beside him.
"Iou-spoke the only-kind words
| I've heard-for years. l loved-you for
them Look-here," and he touched his
breast, gasped and went before the Eternal
| bar for his last sentence In channels
skin pouch worn upon his breast next the
skin they found the withered remnants Of
a rose and card inscribed: "Aabel
| Wrestling, 1sH L. avenue, c." On
| the other side was written in a bold hand:
| "The slightest kindness may leave IN in
delible impression on the human heart, and
those who sow in charity have known .
single seed on the stoniest ground 70 bear
rich FRUIT II. 81. Ross.