Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-05-17
Chat 6Qrrible map.
BY w. E. NORRIS.

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 concede that I
have power enough over them, when l
exert 1t, to close their lips. Prepare,
then, for DEATH"
The last four words were spoken In
a totally different voice from the pre-
ceding ones. Souratkin's face expressed
a diabolical joy. His narrow eyes were
cleaning; 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, Souratkin," he said. MY
life is worth something to me, and I'm
willing to buy it of you. I'm not a
rich man, but I'll give you two thous-
and to let Ee GO"
Souratkin lowered his pistol and
~ liNV u olol L laluSh. Ou, IltSC
English! Traders even with their last
breath! And so $1,000 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 n flash, a report, and Ever
ard heard the bullet strike the wall
just above his head. A little Of the
plaster fell upon him.
When the smoke cleared away he
saw Souratkin contemplating him with
a derisive smile. Evidently the man
had not meant to hit him. 81 wonder
whether he Is amusing himself by tor
turing me or whether he is really 60
ing to let me OFF," thought Everard.
EITHER way, he shan't have the tri-
umph Of knowing what a funk / am
in"
He gazed steadily at the Russian,
who presently laid his pistol down on
the table with q sigh. You are q
brave man, Mr.. Everard," he said.
You have courage-whatever that may
be worth. 1t is not ar 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, as 1T happens, l do
not mind being hung. In a few min
utes you will be free to go where you
please. In short, you have beaten me,
and l should gain nothing at all by
taking your life"
Everard stared. do you mean what
Won sayT' he asked.
you will Don know whether I mean
1t or not. Listen to me, Mr..
Everard. i am not the adventurer that
you take me for. / admit that, when
my friend Denham died, I thought I
should like very well to have his daugh-
ter's money. / do possess-belleve me
or not, as you choose-the gift of i'm
posing my will upon those who are
weaker than myself; and I could easily
have induced her to marry me, in spite
of the fact that 1 was personally dis
tasteful to her. Why did 1 not use my
power? Because 1 found out that /
loved her. / really do not know why
you should look incredulous. Am I less
capable Of love than you because, in
stead Of being a London wine mer-
chant, i am a visionary who has spent
Ills ~ uIu HE lOIIulIc Ill ulIuS W
help forward the cause Of his fellow
c~ountrymen? Well, I let her go. I
knew where she was, but / did not
choose to follow her, partly because 1
hoped to conquer my passion, and
partly because / had made such an I'M
favorable impression upon her at start
ing that / wished to obliterate it.
Whether she would actually have mar
ried me If 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, 1
knew that you were here, and 1 knew
also that there was no hope for me. I
did not mention it to her; you can tell
her tomorrow, if 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 deity unfast-
ened the knots which he had tied, and
presently Everard rose to his feet, a
free and a somewhat bewildered man..
If 1 have done you an injustice,
Count ~Souratkin, I am sorry for it."
he said rather awkwardly; 'but at the
same time"
"At the same time you would like to
reserve your opinion as to that. L give
you full leave to do so-the more Will
ingly because it is really no fault of
yours that you are unable to under
stand a nature which is IN some re-
spects superior to your own. You will
certainly do your best to make Laura
happy, and probably you will succeed.
Had she loved me she might have been
happier; but it is also possible that she
might have been w~retched, for l am
jealous and eyacting. If you had lost
her you would not have broken your
heart; i, who have lost her, am beyond
reach of consolation. That, too, you
cannot believe; but in truth it is a mat
ter Of no Importance at all whether you
believe me or not. Good-by."
He had been leading his visitor to-
ward the door while he spoke. He now
pushed him gently through it, and shut
and barred it behind him.
- - j
: .a.t CHAPTER VIII. -.
The Prey of the Sea.