The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-12

Had not his senses become SO dull, and had
it not happened that Theophilus was with
out the range of his vision, he certainly
rences were on the march. 1t is true that
about twenty minutes past IL he heard
tress, but he only laughed foolishly at that
and in a thick maudlin fashion tried TO
reassure the animal, knowing nothing of
the stealthy entrance of a mar through the
door.
.That's right. Theoph-Theoph-Theoph-
what's your name, .Theophilus?, What's
your name, hey? He's all around here, old
fellow-an around here. Cant feel him.
smell him. You afraid, Theophilus? Don't
be afraid. I'm not afraid. Ha! Don't do
name, Theophilus? What's your name?
Six minutes more; Keep an eye on the
Gracious me! what a name for a cat Ha,
ha! What a name for a cati Theos-
Theoso-phy! Oh, what a name for a cat.
doors up there-doors up there"
And thus he rambled on until the little
doors flew open; One more swing OF the
pendulum and then the execution. Mr..
Wheeler had nerved himself TO witness it
TO drink in the sweetness of il. His dull
eyes and deathly pallid cheeks had taken
on new life, and with suppressed repira-
ton he had leaned lurchingly forward, his
mouth dropping and his head nodding as
with a heavy palsy. But before the pendu-
lum could swing once more and release the
trigger the dark form of a young man up
rose between him and the clock and shut
off his view.
For a little while Mr.. Wheeler could not
understand what had happened. The stran-
ger had brought his face directly before Mr..
Wheelers, and the wretched man stared
We'll" said the stranger, his hard voice
COMFORTING we'll with the sinister cruelty
on his face-"well, have brought you to
this much sooner than l expected. You are
more nervous than / thought. And now,
after torturing you thus far, l dare carry
it no further for fear that l shall not leave
cr1finiarf life in VnIlr miSar9 HE hO1X fn
treat you as my father treated your wife
and as you treated him: 1t is all a deli
cious revenge. You had forgotten all about
me, Ell? Perhaps you did not know that
she gave birth to me before my father put
an end to her. Well, / am his son and your
wife's son, and l inherit my fathers spirit.
1t was not clear that Nr. Wheeler did. He
still stared i'll that hopeless way, not know
Cured, or, perhaps. believeing that the fig
ure had stepped forth from the clock to
punish him. For in his eyes vas a new
an unreasonable distance; but there it
was, and his head continued to nod as with
The ai Stranger roughly seized him by the
shoulder. and that reused the sinking man.
With a trsmendous effort Mr.. Wheeler stag
a burst of life, he threw his arms aloft
and Il eri Mas a coward and a murderer, and I
hanged him nine times five, forty-five, eight,
ten thousand
The stranger, once again in his own room
(Which adjoined that of Mr.. Wheeler),
looked up at the wall.
81 don't think they will ever find that
opening behind his clock" he Illuminated, as
he made final preparations at midnight TO
leave, for / have closed IT as carefully as
possible.' He regarded his hands, which
appeared to have been badly scratched.
Damn the brute!" he exclaimed. "Who
ever heard of a cat fighting for its masters
lifef' He drew on q pair OF gloves and
quietly slipped away.
w. c. Morrow, in San Francisco Argonaut.