The Irish standard., 1897-08-21

billion, had slain poor Perkins, he WA
capable Of repeating the tragedy Of Red
Gulch here, in this bedroom. Obvious
ly his plan was to kill both Burlington
AID me, and in such manner that it
would be supposed we had killed each
other.
This conviction asserted itself as
awaited in breathless silence the attack
Of the Greek. had dropped upon one
knee between the door and the bed,
and in my right hand was the small
pistol which I always carried on my
person. But a pistol is the least Elf
What would have given for n double
barreled shotgun, good sabre or q
knifel If fired in the dark, the flash
Of the powder would prove death war;
rant; the same grim logic applied to
the striking of a match. Twas satisfied
that such a master scoundrel as De-
nletrius had laid his plans with extraor-
binary sagacity. He was taking des-
perate chances, but the crisis justified
them. These rooms were cut off from
the rest of the house, and nothing short
OF pistol shot would arouse Gerard
and the servants. Demetrius must have
counted upon the moon as an ally.
From the darkness of Marks room he
might have approached me unseen and
unheard, and then-a bold thrust of
knife would rid him of the man who
had dared to unlnask his villainy. But
the tickle moon had played him false.
He probably, like me, was now upon
the defensive. Who would move first?
finally decided to take the initiative,
for the suspense was intolerable.
Demetrius, reflected, was stiff in tho
joints, his muscles less supple than
mine, his sense of hearing less acute.
Youth was on my side, experience on
his. The two players in the game were
at least fairly matched.
Had it not been for Burlington, could
have easily escaped by the window and
alarmed the households; but dared not
leave my patient. His somewhat ster-
torous breathing was the only sound
which broke the siiF7ce. If I were killed
or injured, he wds ut the mercy of the
Greek.
/ confess that aactrtain exhilarntion
possessed me as 'c,sawled into Marks
room, and SENSE that was acting
wisely braced my nerves. The Greek
could beat me hdiloM when it came to
acheming, but in n roughand-tumble
contest contldcHt7y'expected to get the
best of him. Asfsoon as determined
his whereabouts, II decided to rush the
ruffian, and, if possible, strike the FIRST
ESQ often the Tasty Blow.
But the unexpected, that element in
human affairs which we invariably
ignore, rti1td otherwise. had hardly
crossed the threshold of the inner room
when heard hehsy football in the pas
sage. At the same moment the voice OF
Jap Byers, calling me by name, echoed
gruff1y through the darkness, while
CLEAN of light pierced the gloom. AS
the door was flung open, revealing the
thick-set figure of the couchman, lun-
tern in hand, a crash of glass to my
right set my nerves tingIing. Deme-
trus had leaped through the window,
glissaded down the roof Of the veranda,
and was already lost to sight. Jap and
I confronted each other, our mouths
agape, our eyes starting from our heads.
"Tf this amt picnic" said Jap, "what
is it?"
ATTEMPTED murder, Jap. You ar.
rived in the nick of time"
II heard that Their hound a-bayin',
Mr.. Livingston, an suspicioncd that
somethin'-a coon, maybe-wns stir
rim. Well, sir, old Sultan wasn't givin'
tongue fer nothin'; fer the next thing 1
knowed there was that Greek sarpint
a-crawlin' around the house. Thinks I,
I'll watch you, mister, an maybe take
hand myself in this yere game. I piped
him off as he unlocked the buck door,
and then saw, not five minutes ngo,
the light in Mr.. Burlington's room go
out. Gosh! done some tall thinkin'
right then. dassn't cry out, cause
that'd ha' given the hull snap dead
away. So fetched the lantern, saslluyed