Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-08-06
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tragedy could scarcely be conceived.
The dank walls, Shiny with fungoid
growth, harbored no echo. What
nymph, indeed, would haunt so fearful
a grot? The pools of water courteo
blood-staincd hands. And in the deep
crannies and assures were hiding places
for u hecatomb of victims.
am no coward, but horror smote me
in the face.
AS glided in the shadows to the ell
trance of the inner chamber heard a
peculiar nose-a frctting of garments
against rocks. Pistol in hand, plunged
forward. High up, crawling painfully
across jagged rocks. was Burlington;
but where was the boy?
"Halt!" l cried, sternly.
The sound of my own voice startled
| me; and it startled the mailman above.
He turned suddenly, graspeG helplessly
at the Shiny walls, lost his hold and
crashed headlong to my feet. He had
fallen in the most awkward possible
place, rift between two rocks. For
the moment every feeling was BAN
ished save that of pity; but how to ex-
tricate him passed my understanding
| He lay senseless upon his back. The
trapezius muscles had borne the brunt
of the shock and saved him broken
neck; but in the nature of things he
must have suffered very grave internal
injuries. But the catastrophe added
fuel to the flames of my anxiety on
l o,,1,sc IL 4
through the hole in the roof? Or-1
dared not finish the sentence.
A hasty survey of the cavern some
what treasured me, and 1 remarked,
with satisfaction, that the hands OF
Burlington We're unstained save for the
patches of fungus, that his clothing
| bore no evidence of committed crime,
that his features even were calm and
peaceful. Bending over his PROSTATE
body in the sorest perpleNity l heard
welcome football, and an instant later
Demetrius stood beside me.
"NIark?" l starnmered. Have you
seen Mark?"
He is with his mother" he replied
coolly. Then he too bent down and
gazed steadily into the face of his en-
envy.
HE is not dead, Mr.. Livingston"
The fellow asked no questions. He
accepted the situation with extraor.
binary stoicism.
He is very badly injured" an
swered, curtly-"I fear fatally"
what are you going to do?" he
whispered.
"Do? Why, get him out of this-at
once"
He laid heavy finger upon my fore
arm.
"Nlr. Livingston" = his hot breath
stirred the hair upon my temples Mr.
Livingston, the tide is, coming in"
The diabolical suggestiveness of the
words palsied my tongue.
The tide is coming in,'' he repeated
slowly, horrid smile upon his clean.
cut lips.
1t would be wise, reflected, to ignore
his meaning.
YES" l returned, 1--WE have not {
minute to lose. Take his feet, Demetri
us. Luckily, we are strong men,"
But Demetrius folded his massive
arms and stood erect.
Take hold, man."
No"
Then, with startling change of fa
cial expression, a very petard of words
exploded, thunderclap from suller
cloud. This was his enemy, his mas
ter's enemy. whom destiny had deliv'
cred into our hands. He had been
struck down with foul murder in his
heart. He deserved to die. He shoule
have died at the hangman's hands {
score of years ago. If we succored hin
now, and i'll came of it, the bloot
Of the innocent would be upon oul
heads.
All this and much more, with amaz
ing tluency and vehemence. When he
had finished speaking, the plash of wa
ter mingled family with the echo o
his concluding words. A wave, the her
aid of the incoming tide, had broker
with sullen murmur upon the rocks out
side.
81 have heard what you say. For the
sake of your long years of faithful serv
ice shall try to forget what has passed
Take hold"
No" said he, for the second time.
Hot blood flows in the veins of the
Livingstons. prefer peace, as 1 hav,
said elsewhere, but my ancestors wer,
men of action soldiers. What fol
lowed must Ee attributed to atavism
AT any rate | pulled out my pistol ane
clapped the muzzle to the head of De
metrius.
'Take hold, you scoundrel, or, by
heaven, pull the trigger"
He looked steadily into my eyes ant
, obeyed. Between us, with infinite diff
ficulty. we dragged the still senseles:
Burlington from the perilous cave, ant
thence to place of safety. Here, per
picked and perspiring, we rested.
There is not another house within
two miles," said |. 1--WE cannot talk
him home. Demetrius, I'll stay here
while you"
miss Gerard is coming, SIR"
We were close to the cottage, not 3Ot
yards at most from the veranda; bu
y 20 IL