The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-08-23

what he said there was no manner of
doubt, for, with the pistol in one hand
and watch in the other, he began to
quietly tick off tne seconds. OF course
l was not slow TO see the danger l was
in, and looked around FOR a way out OF
II, but saw none. The door by wnicn
l entered | knew was locked, so that
escape by means of ii was out of the
question. There was one other exit TO
the place, as L could see, but between
" and myself stood the ru1iian with
loaded pistol. For a moment l thought
{. OF springing at the man and taking my
chance, out he was stronger DuilI tnan
L, and, armed as he was, L felt L should
be no match for him.
Thirty seconds nave gone, and what
do you say?'
His words sounded mockingly, ana
he leered as he spoke. Once more pru-
dence seemed to point out the better
course would be 10 make pretense
of yielding, in the hope that a way out
Of the danger would yet present IL
se,4
Il consent" 1 said.
'.Hal L thought you would he re-
joined Now Tor an interesting game.
We don't want TO make a long business
of it. One cut each; highest card wins.
Replacing the revolver, he shuthed
the pack and laid it face downward on
the table, offering me first play. l re-
moved a portion of the pack, and ex-
posed the card l had drawn. 1t was the
ace of diamonds. My heart beat freely,
for l knew that l could not be beaten.
He followed and showed his card 1t
was the ace of spades and we had tled.
AT once he reshuftied the pack and
laid it OH the table.
My first play this time" he said,
taking a dip at the boards. He drew
the deuce of clubs, and / had the salts
faction of knowing that it was lmpoSsl-
BILE for me to lose. L went Town down
the pack for my venture, and eagerly
displayed it. 1t was the deuce of hearts
and again we had tied.
The third time will settle it" said
my opponent, rubbing his hands in en-
joyment of my suspense. With few
dexterous twists he rearranged the pack
and once more placed it on the table.
Your play" he said to me, and l
reached out my hand hesitatlngly. L
drew the queen of clubs this time; he
capped it with The king of spades; and
l had lost!
With a yell of triumph the fellow
bounced upon me, and hurled me 10
the ground. For several seconds l
struggled violently in his grasp; but,
as [ had anticipated, he proved more
than a match for me, taken by surprise
as [ was Notwithstanding my ef-
forts to prevent it, he bound me mana
and. foot with a rope he drew from his
pocket, and then dragged me to the
end of. the room, where he fastened
the cord to an iron ring projecting
from the wall.
'.Villainr' L gasped, breathlessly, IF
you intend to murder me, at least tell
me your motive for the atrocious act.
Have you so soon forgottenT he
said f1ercely. You cheated me out OF
my estates, and so worked out my
ruin! Is not that enough? L have
sworn to be avenged, and now the
hour is Gomez
1t was in vain to protest that he was
mistaken. The fellow needed nothing
/ of what 1 said, and when in despair L
raised my voice to shout for help ne
put a gag over my mouth and effect
ually silenced my cries. Helpless,
| GREATNESS and almost stifed, l could
/ only watch the preparations for my
murder.
This would do the thing quicker
than [ DESIRE" said my self-appointed
executioner, pointing to the revolver,
which he again produced, land L want
I to give you chance Of saying your
/ prayers before you diep'
Grinning hideously as he spoke, he
went to a cupboard at one end of the
! room and, dragged from it keg, which,
4 by dint of much exertion, he manged
/ to get on the table. Standing it on end
he speedily knocked off the top and
exposed its contents.
"Gunpowder," he said, explanatory,
dipping his hand into the barrel and
allowing the material to run through
his fingers. He then went back to the
cupboard and produced a candle, which
he buried half its depth in the somber
grains, and, striking a match, deliber-
ately set light to the wick.
mot a bad idea, is it?' he said, ex-
ultingly, addressing me. "The taper
will burn for about half an hour, and
you can amuse yourself in the mean
time by watching the flame as it gets
nearer and nearer the powder. When
it touches, goodbye to you, Ha! ha."
With fiendish laugh he glided out
Of the room, and the banging of the
outer door a few seconds later told me
he was in the street, and 1 was left
face to face with certain death.
MY brain reels as I recall the awful
time that followed. Slowly but surely
the candle burned away, each flicker
of it's flame bringing me closer and
closer to the fate I was powerless to
avert. I writhed and twisted at the
cords which bound me until my veins
were nigh to bursting, but without
avail. Call for help L could not, for
the gag that the wretch had placed
I
self a matter of difficulty and made
shouting an impossi'bility.
Big beads of perspiration broke out
on my forehead as, more dead than
alive. [ watched the receding light. Bit
by bit the taper dwindled away until
half an inch of wax separated me from
nv doom. The events of a lifetime
crowded into those last few minutes
and transfixed me with horror. Be-
fore me was reflected as in mirror
every scene in which L had ever played
a part for good or i'll. Each particular
of my career stood on the canvas,
limned in distinctive outline, and the
record of an entire existence was re-
enacted with as much fidelity as if they
were the original acts I was witness
| ing Engrossed, unclaimed, my mind
seemed held by some magnetic spell
from which there was no escaping.
Suddenly a Pickering at one of the
windows arrested my attention, and,
like the drowning man who catches at
a straw, I looked toward it, half hop
ing to get rescue thence. But it was
only a moth fretting at the window
pane, and, sick at heart, l turned my
gaze away.
Yet, although at the moment L ex-
pected it not, it was from that insig
nificant insect that deliverance came
There was a fracture in the glass, and
through it the moth presently careered
into the room. It flew aimlessly about
for a few seconds until, attracted by
the Turing light, it sped toward the can
I die Hesitating an instant, it made a
circle round the burning wick, and
then with the mad impetuOSity of It's