The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-09-13
TH #
LITTLE " AIF.
A Story Of Absorbing Interest
ey BERNARD HERsERr.
ICnArTER IX.-CosrrsuEp.J !

u ICHArTER IX.-CoNTINuEp.J
The concluding words Of the extor-
tiOnate demand were fairiy shaken of
the sconndrels lips. Like an avalanche
Boyden bent over tho table and
pounced upon his victim He seized
him with both hands by the neck, raised
him from his seat, ami brought his hcu,i
down with such crashing power upon
the table that tho thing was shattered
in ruins, the candle was cxtinguished,
and the combntants went down upon
the floor in a deadly grapple among tic
debris. So sudden, 80 wholly uncx-
pected was tho attack that Garland
never recovered his breath, and scarce
ly his reason.
For u minute or two tho suggestive
tumult of hoarse breathing nnd desper-
ate writhing disturbed the scpulchral
quiet Of tho den, and then all was 81
lent
In the pitchy darkness, with his
long, muscular hands still gripping the
throat Of his victim with the firmness
of q professional strangler, Boyden
bent his head and pressed his eur to tho
region of the mans heart. There was
no pulsation there; only faint whir-
ring as of n clocks spring that has bro
ken and run down.
With low exclamation le looscd his
hold, and the inanimate head fell back
upon the floor
"Godi" gasped the coward, stagger-
ing to his feet; 1--WE killed himi"
around the house, and ratified at the
shutters with an eerie rapping. "I can't
stand this" he painted, his blood flying
with terror into the recesscs of his craven
heart; II had better go now, and come
back for tho will Tomorrow. No one
\ will find him here"
And suiting the action to the words,
he felt his way TO the wall; and groped
sions until is fesshsd es fse le door, lIao1,e.>----
Casting a fearful glance back into
the pregnant darkness lie had left be-
hind, as though he half expected TO see
the lood-suffused, lurid eyes of his
Z strangled victim glaring after him in
hot pursuit, he stumbled out upon the
I, stair landing, and grasped the rail.
- Hark! what was that !? the scurry of
rat, or the stealthy scuffic of invisible
feet?
- Look! The outer door is hanging
open upon its hinges ut the foot of tho
stairs, and the wan light of the night is
falling in Who has opened that door !?
The wind? MOI There it goes again
with its slip, slip, swish! God! it is
behind him, somewhere in the capacious
jaws of the darkness! With strangling
. oath ofterror in his throat, and gripping
the rail firmly, the miscrcant raised his
feet from the floor, and sprang Off into
space
Slam-bang he went down over tho
resounding stairs, the echoes of the
hollow building taking mp and magni-
flying the clatter OF his descent, until it
seemed as though llor.le Of filries
were in full cry in his wake lt was a
miracle that no did not dash his bruins
out. or maim himself: but, then, tis
eaid the dovil protects his own.
Breathless no reached the door,
pulled it after him with deafening
crash, and sprang away up the desert
ed road Like startled animal he
ran, until he reached the avenue, where,
completely spent, he leaned against o
tree-trunk TO recover his breath.
There were lights here, and vagrant
sounds OF stirring life. Half dozen
careless men and women passed on the
opposite eide, singing popular song; ;