The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-09-26
CHAPTER VII.
In the Dend Of Night.

There was very little took place in
the house in Church row that escaped
Luke Abershaw'S knowledge. He was
ubiquitous. and he was always most
anxious to acquaint himself with the
talk and opinion Of the kitchen. There
are certain people who are always in
the nick Of time to Oyerhear or to find
out anything that concerns their in
tereStS, and Luke IA one of these.
He overheard the conversation just
related between the cook and the but
Ter, and it was anything but conducive
to his peace of mind.
If there va one person he dreaded
more than another it was Godfrey
Medlicott. He felt that those frank,
honest eyes pierced his mask of ny
pOcrisy as though it were glass, not
by any cunning knowledge of the vile
ness of humanity, but from the in
Stinct of a pure, unsullied SOU that
Shrank from the contact with guilt as
the sensitive plant doeS at the rude
touch. He feared the impetuosity of
this young fellow. who always went
straight to the point, who never
stopped to consider consequences, to
weigh the pros and cons like older
and more cautious men when his
heart prompted him to act and to
speak.
That he would come up to town i'm
mediately upon the receipt Of Daw-
sons letter there was no room to
doubt, and from the moment he en-
tered the house Luke felt that he was
In hourly danger Of detection.
What vas to be done?
All that 1av ha hrnpIn1 pyar thu
question, to which he could find but
n solution, and one which filled
him with terror. More than once Mr..
MedlicOtt noticed his distracted man
ner and the strange expression of his
face, little suspecting the horrible
thoughts that were agitating his brain,
matter.
"Oh, l feel quite well-a little head
ache" was the answer.
poor fellow; you have been work
Ing too hard" remarked Mr.. Medli-
colt, land feel anxious on my account.
You must have "A day or twO's holt
day. Dawson can see to me-, and the
correspondence is well posted up. l
shall insist upon it,"
Even the secretary's remorseless
soul WINGED at these kind words.
At the usual hour, 9 o'clock. he saw
MI. Medlicott to bed, and placed a
jug containing barley water and a
glass filled with the same at the bed
side, so that he could help himself
when he felt thirsty in the night, as
he usually did.
These offices performed, he left him
n retired to his own room. He
locked the door, and, dra wing a chair
close TO the fire that blaZed in the
CRATE. threw himself into 1t and, with
chin sunk upon his breast, and hands
grasping the arms Of his chair, sat
gazing at the red, glowing Goals.
Now and again his lips moved, but
no sound came from them, and his
fingers clutched and worked conyul-
Sively. He had never understood un-
til now the gulf that separated the
planning of a crime from its commits
sion.
Hitherto he had held the balance
between life and death. so that he
could turn the scale either way at his
pleasure. He had but to withhold
his hand and Mr.. Medlicott would re-
cover, wrecked, perhaps, in constitu-
ton, but he would live. Hitherto he
had interpOsed this knowledge of his
absolute power between himself and
his conscience, and until now had new
er looked his crime In the face.
His courage sank at the sight OF IL.
We'll, 1t was not too late. He might
ny the house that very night. And