Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1890-09-18


Tomato demand were fairly shaken of
the scoundrel's lips. Like an avalanche
Boyden bent over the table AMI
pounccd upon his victim BE seized
him with both hands by the neck, raised
him from his scat, and brought his head
down with such crashing power upon
the table that the thing was shattered
in ruins, the candle was extinguished,
and the combatants went down upon
the floor in deadly grapple among the
debris SO sudden, 60 wholly unex-
pected was the attack that Garland
never recovered his breath, and scarce
ly his reason.
For minute or two the suggestive
tumult Of hoarse breathing and desper-
ate whiting disturbed the sepulchral
quiet of the 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 professional stranger, Boyden
bent his heud and pressed his ear to the
region of the mans heart There was
no pulsation there; only faint whir-
ring as OF clocks spring that has bro
ken and run down
With a low exclamation he loosed his
hold, and the inanimate head fell back
upon the floor
"God!p gasped the coward, stagger'
ing to his feet; "Iye killed himl"
A wandering gust of wind swept
around the house, and ratified at the
shutters with an eerie rapping. Il can't
stand this" he painted, his blood flying
with terror into the reeesses of his craven
heart 81 had better go now, and come
back for the will tomorrow. No one
will find him here"
And suiting the action to the words,
he felt his way to the wall, and CROPPED
along until he reached the door.
Casting fearful glance back into
the pregnant darkness he had left be.
hind, as though he half expected to see
the blood suifused, lurid eyes of his
strangled victim glaring after him in
hot pursuit, he stumbled out upon the
stair landing, and grasped the rail
Hank what was that? the scurry OF
a rat, or the stealthy souffle of invisible
feet?
Look The outer door is hanging
open upon its hinges at the foot of the
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 capacioua
jaws of the darkness! With a strangline
oath of terror in his throat, and gripping
the rail firmly, the miscreant raised his
feet from the floor, and sprang off into
space.
Slambang he went down over the
resounding stairs, the echoes of the
hollow building taking up and magni
flying the clatter of his descent, until il
seemed as though horde of furie,
were in full cry in his wake. Tt was
miracle that he did not dash his brains
out, or MAIN himself; but, then, I'll.
said the devil protects his own.
Breathless he reached the door
pulled it after him with deafenine
crash, and sprang away up the desert
ed road. Like a startled animal h
ran until he reached the avenue, where
completely spent, he leaned against
tree-trunk to recover his breath.
There We're lights here, and vagrant
sounds of stirring life. Half a dozer
careless men and women passed on tn,
opposite side. singing a popular song
cab flashed by, and then numbering
brewery dray rumbled into view.
Max Boyden saw all this, and sense
Of his ridiculous behavior stirred with.
in him.
What an ass l am y he muttered,
the hot blood tingling into his blanched
face; there could have been no one in
the house, and what had / to fear from
that breathless carcass! Confound my
nervousness. The work is only hall
done: since the will is in existence,
must secure it, or / shall never rest
easy. Tomorrow will not do; I had
better never run the risk of being seer
about here. Come, come; courage!
will return, search the place thorough
"; and do the thing up brown once an6
for all. Then good-by forever to thil
cursed city"
He felt for his match-safe, and find
ing it in place and we'll filled, he re
traced his steps to the old g1anary will
suite fair show of bravery.
Upon coming in sight of the deserted
house he sprang over the lowwall ant
so approached it in silence, his footfall
being muffied by the carpet of deat
grass. Holding his breath, he gained
the door; the paddock hung open upol
the hasp. He laid hold of the latch ant
pushed, pushed firmly, with all hi
strength, but pushed in vain.
It had been bolted on the inner side
MY God" he gasped, a deathly sick
ness coming over him; there is som
one insidel"
And like lynx he stole away, eve
more SILENTLY than he had come
TO DE CONTINUED.