Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-11-05

luminous was repos1ng on the high stool
at his doorway. He had bought a morn
ing paper on his way to business, and he
now glanced over it casually. Finally
he came upon the place where local news
was given. His eye caught large head
ing, Fire and Loss of Life in Chef
wynd Street" The paragraph was, ow-
ing to the late hour at which the event
took place, brief. 1t ran as follows:
Last night, between half-past II and 1
O'Clock, disastrous and fatal fire broke
out in the bakery establishment Of Mr..
Forbes in Chetwynd street. The top
floor, where the fire originated, was occu-
pied by Mr.. Oscar Leigh, who has lost
his life in the burning. Mr.. Leigh was
engaged in the manufacture of very
wonderful clock, which occupied fully half
the room and which Mr.. Leigh invariably
wound up every night between II and
half-past II.
ut is generally supposed that the eccen-
trio movements Of Mr.. Leigh were the
result of fit or sudden seizure of some
other kind and that in his struggles some
infammable substance was brought in
contact with the gas before it was turned
cut"
Timmons flung down the paper with
shout, crying, dead! Dead! Leigh is
deadw
At that moment the figure of man
appeared at the threshold of the store,
and Stamer, with a scowl and stare,
stepped in hastily and looked furtively,
fearfully around.
"What are you shoutin' about?" cried
Stamer, in tone Of dangerous menace.
H.. y
element.
81 know all about that, I suppose"
said Stamer, and you shut up, if you don't
want to follow him. I'm in no humor for
your noise and antics. Do you want to
have the coppers down on us?-do you,
you idiot!'
"Who are you calling an idiot?" cried
Gimmons, catching up an iron bar and
taking few steps towards the burglar.
''You, if you want to know. Put that
down. Put that bar down, say. Can you
tell ne who killed him? If you can't 1
can" He pointed to himself.
''What!' cried Timmons, starting back,
and not quite understanding the others
gesture.
''Now are you satisfied? I thought you
guessed. I wouldn't have told you if I
didn't think you knew or guessed. I
thought you knew, and that, instead of
saying good word to me, you were going
to down me and give me up"
Timmons stepped slowly back in horror.
"Youv' he whispered, bending his head
forward and beginning to tremble in
every limb 'You! You did it! You did
this! You, Stamer!'
Stamer merely nodded, and looked Ike
a hunted wild beast. He wore the clothes
of last night, but was without the whis-
kers or beard. All the time he covered
in the shelter of the shutters he kept his
right hand behind his back. He looked
towards the opening and then his round,
bloodshot eyes went back to the rigid
figure of Timmons. II don't mind what
you say, if you'll only speak to me, only
not too loud. No one can hear u.s.
know that, and no one can listen at the
door, without our seeing him. You don't
know what have gone through. have
not been home. I am afraid to so home.
[ am afraid of everything"
'You murderous william"
otis enough to drive any man mad.
I've been wandering about all night. /
am more afraid of my wife than of any
one else. I don't know why, but trem-
BILE when / think of her, more than of the
police, or-or-Or-
"The hangman?"
eyes. You don't know all. When you
do, you'll pity me"
''The poor, foolish dwarf!'
eyes. was afraid he would betray
"Oh, villain!'
"And l got on a roof opposite the win
dow, and when he was working at the
lever l fired, and his head went so-and
then so-and then So"
''Stop it, you murderer"
eyes. And I knew it was done. The
reck! Yes, knew the neck was broken,
and it was all right"
eff you don't stop it, I'll brain your
eyes And got down off the roof and
ran. / couldn't help running. and all the
time l was running heard him running
after me. l heard him running after me,
and I saw his head wagging so-so-so.
as he ram. Every step he took, his head
wagged, so-and so-and So"
eff you don't stop that"
eyes. / will. I'll stop it. But could
not stop him last night. All the time 1
ran I couldn't stop him. His head kept
wagging and his lame feet kept running
after me, and / couldn't stop the feet or
the head I don't know how long ran,
or where l ran, but l could run no more,
and l fell up against a wall; and then it
overlook me! l saw it as plainly as see
you-plainer, I saw it"
The man paused moment to wipe his
forehead.
do you hear?" he yelled, suddenly
finging his arms up in the air. do YOU
hear? Will you believe me now? The
steps again! The lame steps again. Do
you hear them?'
''Mad!'
''Mad! told you. Look!'
The figure OF a low-sized, deformed
dwarf came into the opening and crossed
the threshold of the store.
With a groan Stamer fell forward in
sensible.
CHAPTER XXI
Tim.nonS uttered? n wild veil and