The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-05-18
6bat 6Qrrib|e Ma3'
BY w. e. NORRIS.

to marry, YOU followed mo 10 my mousse
in the dead of the night some angry
words were exchanged; You seized one
Of the pistols which l Keep always
loaded as Il precaution against burglars,
and which, by i'll luck, WAS lying on the
table: you fired and |. what with the
Instinct of self-defrnse. and what witt!
the smart of the wauni. returned the
fire. To my horror | discovered that
my bullet had entered your heart. |
sink upon Il bench. oyerpowered by
by grief and remorSc. | demand to be
taken to prison. there to await my trial.
Do you think that any jury could con
Wet me of murder upon such evidence:
DO YOU think. by chance. that Mrs Pat
terson or Miss Denham would state
that they had heard me threaten your
life? Not they. They would know
nothing Even you will concedc that
have power enough over them. when
exert it. to close their lips. Prepare,
then. for death
The last four words We're spoken in
Il totally different voice from the pre-
ceding ones. Souratkin's face expressed
Il diabolical joy His narrow eyes were
g,eaming: his lips We're drawn back,
showing his white pointed teeth; he
slowly raised his revolver and covered
his helpless victim.
1t would. perhaps. be asserting too
much to say that Everard was not
frightened now; but he kept his pres
ence Of mind.
Stop a bit. Soura tkin," he said MY
life is worth something to me. and I'm
Will inp ~. hvrx, - Ift,t ~
rich man. but I'll give you two thous
and to let me 90"
Souratkin lowered his pistol and
broke into a short laugh. "Oh, these
English. Traders even with their last
breath. And SO fo.O0O pounds is the
value that you put upon Yourself: 1t
must be confessed that you are not
proud No. my dear sir 1t is not with
that sum that you can buy me off. Let
us waste no more time in words"
He raised his revolver once more
There was Il flash i report. and Ever
ard heard the bullet strike the wall
just above his head. \ little of the
plaster fell upon him.
When the smoke cleared away he
saw Souratkin contemplating him With
Il derisiye smile. Evidently the man
had not meant to hit him. Il wonder
whether he is amusing himself by tor
turing me. or whether he is really go
ing to let me off, thought Everard
Either Way, he Shan't have the tri-
umph Of knowing what 4 funk | am
in.''
He gazcd steadily at the Russian
who presently laid his pistol down on
the table with il sigh. You are Il
brave man. Mr.. Eyerard." he said
You have cOurage-Whateyer that may
be worth. 1t is not an uncommon quail
ity, but such as YOU have it. have
no intention of killing you. although
there is nothing in the world to prevent
my doing SO; for. rs it happens. | do
not mind being hung. III Il few min
utes YOU will be free to 60 where you
please. In short. you have beaten me,
and | should gain nothing at all by
taking your life
you say" he asked.
You will soon know whether I mean
it or not. Listen to me. Mr.
Eyerard. am not the advcnturer that
you take me for. I admit that. whcr
my friend Denham died | thought
should like very we'll to have his daugh-
ter's money. l do possess believe me
or not, as you choose-the gift of i'm
posing my will upon those who are
weaker than myself; and | could easily
have induced her to marry me. in spite
Of the fact that / was personally dis
tasteful to her. Why did l not use my
power: Because | found out that
loved her. | really do not know why
you should look incradulous. Am / less
capable OF love than you because. in
stead OF being Il London wine mcr-
chant. | am visionary who has spent
his life and his fortune in trying to
help forward the cause Of his fellow
countrymen? Well, l let her 90.
know where she was. but | did not
choose to follow her, partly because
hoped to conquer my passion, and
partly because | had made such an un-
favorable impression upon her at start
ing that l wished to obliterate it.
Whether she would actually have mar
ried me il you had not sought her out
do not know: but l doubt it. To-day,
when she told me that she abhorred me
and that she would always love YOU
knew that you Were here, and | knew
also that there was no hope for me- l
did not mention it to her; you can tell
her tomorrow il you like. | won't de-
tain you longer, Mr. Everard After
this we shall meet no more and neither
you nor Miss Denham have any further
annoyance to fear from me. Allow me
to unite these cords for YOU
He stopped down and deftly unfast
ened the knots which he had tied. and
presently EAerard rose To his feet. Il
free and 4 somewhat beWildered man
If | have done you IN injustice.
Count Souratkin. | am sorry for it."
he said rather awkWardly; but ut the
same time"
Al the same time YOU would like to
reserve your opinion as to that | give