Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-08


was at an end. He seized her hands, which
still had the strength to tear themselves
from his powerful grip. Had she some in
tuition that she would be obliged to yield
Her haggard eyes looked about for some
weapon of defense. Suddenly, with cry of
joy, she seized long knife, which was
lying in its sheath among her travelling out
ft, and sDrang forward. The sharp blade
touched his arm and made slight wound.
Then the young Irishman lost his head. he
seized the woman by the shoulders, and
when she resisted, trying to stoop down and
make her escape, his hands closed tightly
about her slender throat. The struggle was
short and violent, she resisting furiously,
and he feTerishly frightened his grasp. Sud-
denly she gave short, choking sound, her
eyes stood out and her head fell backward
bv its own weight. It was all so hasty that
Talbot started back in terror. Mrs. Relitska
swayed to and fro, and, as if in swoon, fell
to the ground.
Just then shouts were heard without, in
the broad space between the house and the
river. They were cries of joy, Of triumph,
and could bear only a sinister meaning.
"Ah, had forgotten-they are coming to
plumber u.s." thought Talbot. He ran to
the window, graspiug his revolver. The
cowboys were surrounding the house.
There's the fellowP' cried one, with an
Irish accent
The voice more than the words struck
Talbot, for it was so like that of his cousin,
Gregory O'Carroll, that he felt for an in
slant that the speaker must be none other
than his relation and rival. The mob vocif-
Grated anew, and one, with thoroughly
brutal face cried out: 'T'll look after him."
This one lifted the muzzle of his gun
toward the window, and before Talbot could
draw back the ball struck him in the right
shoulder. With hoarse groan he sank to
his knees. Twice he tried to rise, but in
vain. he was losing considerable blood,
and his strength was exhausted by useless
efforts The struggle between will and
strength could not last long. Finally he
closed his eyes and fell backward.
He did not regain consciousness until
midnight. A clot of blood, forming about
his wound, had checked the flow which
might have proved fatal. Then the events
which had passed so rapidly returned one by
one to his confused memory. How did he
happen to be still alive2 A pale raw of
moonlight crept through the open window
upon the gastly face of Mrs. Relitska
Slowly and painfully he dragged himself
toward her. She did not move; she was
dead-kinedl But by whom? By him,
Talbot, or by those men? He looked at her
u
murderer? Impossible. She could not have
succumbed so quickly. A struggle of few
minutes, however fierce it may be, does not
end so tragically.
Traces of blood Redeemed her livid cheeks.
Her ears were lacerated. Then, finally.
Talbot gathered that the cowboys must have
broken into the house, plundering every
thing, even to the jewels in this woman's
ears Deadi The robbers had thought her
to be in o swoon, not knowing that the Door
creature had ceased to breathe. So he, Tai
bot Power, a well-born Irish gentleman, was
the murderer With the extreme lucidity
of fever be again recalled ali the incidents
of the evening. He had strangled herl He
placed his hand upon her heart. It was no
longer beating.
In withdrawing his hand he felt some-
thing stiff resisting beneath his touch. It
was a square envelope pinned inside the
dress of the Russian. Instinctively and al
most unconsciously he drew out the pins.
What did this envelope contain? The last
wishes, no doubt, of the dead woman. He
tore open the paper and was almost stupefed |
on perceiving four bank notes of "a, 600 |
sterling each, equal to about $50, 900, which |
he held in his trembling hand. A fortune |
acquired through blood-one of which no.
body knew, and which had by miracle es- |
capped the notice of the brigands. 1t was a |
horrible temptation. Twice Talbot's hand !
was outstretched to restore to the dead her |
money; twice his evil genius |
stifed the last efforts of his weakening con- |
science. At last he closed the envelope |
and pinned it in his own clothes with the |
very pins that served the owner. His heart |
was beating as if it would burst, and he had |
the consciousness of an irreparable down.
fall. Some hours before he had been an |
man, with only chance to blame |
for his poverty. Now he was thief and a |
murderer.