Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-02-18

uI tue luOuSnU ulluU young ny III PIE idu
met his death at my hand, | saw Sir
Giles Wackton stagger out by the back
entrance with a horribly haggard face.
and ere / could dismount the report OF
pistol shot rang out above the hum
If the suppressed conversation of the
vast multitude with startling clearness,
and | knew that | was a double MUIR
lerer.
81 passed the scales safely, and the
all right was given, but for once race
iourse crowd was too bewildered to
mise IA cheer; even the b,oolmakers
were silent.
"a vet. declared Geraniumhad died Of
Paralysis of the heart, and the affair
foon ceased to interest the public. |
collected all my bets, but absolutely
refused to touch a penny-piece of the
money promised me by Captain Dives
if RadiX won. | looked upon it as no
better than blood money, and from that
FAY on. never threw a leg across a
horse of his.
''The way the thing was worked was
this: When too late, he found out what
n wonder Geranium was. Capt. Dives
determined, if he couldn't win straight.
he'd pull through on the cross, so, how
know not, he procured whip having
a fine hair tube of some light metal
running through the center. with a
powerful spring hidden in the butt
end.
Taking up the whip that day I was al
his rooms, he said: Now, look at thai
rat there on the hearthrug.' Then he
leveled the whip. I heard noise as
of spring being released, and almost
Immediately the cat rolled on it's side.
stone dead was surprised. to say the
least, and asked him to explain. ONLY
too pleased at having aroused my Gu
r;oaity, he at once took from his pocket
a leather case, and exposed to view
row of pieces of fine steel, and pointed
out that each needle, as he called them
had been daubed with a most deadly
poison, which he explained would cause
paralysis of the heart in less time than
it takes to tell it after the needle had
entered the body or punctured the skin
ever so slightly.
Then he opened the silver circlet on
the whip, and deftly placed needle
in minute chamber, and smilingly told
me the instrument was ready for us-
once more. Still did not fathom the
| purpose he had in view, though | di.
cined there must be something in the
background, for it was hardly likely
he would want to see me at his rooms
simply to show me this lethal toy; be-
sides, his manner was constrained, as
he was shy of getting to business. and
resorted to the brandy flask 100 fre.
| quently to please me.
AT length, he went on: Nov, I'm in
desperate straits, for I've not hedged n
silver, and desperate men dare much
On the off-chance, so my game is win
honestly if you can, but win; and to win
that way you must guard against rails
ing the faintest shadow of suspicion on
the part of the onlooiers. No, no. he
Ghouted, as / was about to object, Il
won't hear word until have finished.
See here, now he continued, hand
! ling the whip, take this, and use it when
your Judgment tells you you canncl
"ln. L should say you'd cut it too fine
II you failed to act until you were less
than so yards from the box; ANYWAY.
it would be risky. Press this knob at
the time l tell you, and I'll guarantee
deranium does not pass the post, no
rot by 20 yards, no matter where the
needle strikes her. Remember, it is our
only chance, and the stake, 10000 is
yours if you pull il off, whether you use
the whip or not. What do you say?'
"Well, l argued and hesitated and re-
argued, going over the old ground a
dozen times, but he was always pro-
tided with a specious answer. until
grew weary of his tongue, and finally
| Tave way along the whole line Of moral
rectitude, and became the veriest fool
that ever stepped, for from what little
could ever recall of the latter part of
our conference, ] believe before we
parted |, with all the wonted zeal of
convert, became for the time o bigger
| blackguard and schemer than my men
tor; but | swear that the death of E
fellow-creature in connection with this
bit of foul work never for an instant
flashed across my brain.
"There isn't much more to tell. You
see, sir, what miserable wreck am,
and daresay you wonder how I arrived
Mt such a pass. From that evil day ar
ill-luck dogged my footsteps with un.
firing pertinacity, and do what I would
nothing seemed to prosper under my
hands. Perhaps the thoughts of tn /,
past had deal to do with it, for very
soon sought oblivion for them in the
dram shop, and owners and trainers
alike were not slow to discover that [
was fast going to the dogs, and declined
to employ me; so, what with fast living
and mad plunging, it was not long ere
the crash came, and was notified that
| had overdrawn my account. Then
the downhill road at once became very
rteep, and in endeavoring to keep soul
and body together I ran through near
ly every graduation of employment,
every situation being lower than the
preceding one-in fact, my life might
be styled: From leading jockey to sand
witch man." and just before the old
4, - L IN