The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-06-04
GAPTHIN CLOSE
BY CAPTAIN CHARLES KING.
Copyright, 1894, by J. B. Lippincott Col
VIII.

As he rushed around to the southern
side of the old house-the side whence
all this uproar Observation-Disclosures
came suddenly upon two dim, swaying
figures. The one nearest him-that of
a man-was clutching, throttling, APP
parently, a slighter form in white, a
woman. The butt of his revolver
Strengthened out the dark fgurewith one
crack, and then for moment every
thing was darkness and confusion. A
lamp, held by some screaming female
at a neighboring window, was dropped
with a crash. The screams subsidized to
scurry and chatter and Ethiopian pro-
testations and furious demands: "You
Elinor! you black nigguh-you let me
out this room instantly" Then rush OF
footsteps to the window again, and
tragic appeals: "Mamma-ma-amma
Whut's happened? Doanswer? Domake
Elinor let me 60 to you, or Ah'll jump
out this window. Ah'm comm now"
And, indeed, dim, slender form could
be deserted, arrayed in white, bendiIg
low from the easement, when Burns
with his lantern came tearing around
the corner. Then a majestic voice, i'm
perious even though well-nigh breath
less, was heard: katherine, return to
your bed instantly. Do you hear? In
stantly! And send Elinor to me-"
That Katherine shot back within the
sheltering blinds was possibly due not
so much to the impetus given her by
those imperative orders as to that inn
parted by the sight of "a pair of shout
derstraps and the face of the young Off
GER gazing in bewilderment above him.
Well might he look amazed! AT his feet
on the pathway Private Riggs was
sprawling, half stunned by the blow he
had received. On his back amidst The
wreck of a glass hot-bed, Private Muir
ply was clutching at empty air and
calling on all the saints in the Hibern:an
calendar to rescue him from the hands
of that old bedlam. On the pathway, in
loose wrapper, her bosom heaving
with mingled wrath and exhaustion
enc hand firmly clutching a stout cane
the other clasping together at her white
neck the shredS of her torn and DISNEY
eIed garb, her dark eyes flashing fire
her lips quivering, stood a woman GER
tainly not so years of age, despite the
silver in the beautiful hair streaming
down upon her shoulders and the decI
lines of grief and care in her clear~cut
and thoroughbred face. She leaned
heavily on the stick an instant, but
raised it threateningly as the lucl>iess
Murphy strove to sit up and stanch the
blood trickling from his laceratcd hand:
and face.
Don't you dare to move, suh,' sht
painted, "unless-" And the upliftet
cane supplied, most suggestively, thu
ellipsis.
ooh, fur the luv O. God, ma-am, don
hit me gin. Sure, I'd niver prezhoome
ma am"
''Shut up, Murphy" growled Burns
'It's easy to see what brought yo1
here. Shall l let Riggs up, lieutenant
He's bleeding good deax
But Riggs didn't want to get up. Ill
Topped helplessly back upon the grass
plot. Burns bent over and held his Ian
tern close. "The mans drunk, SIR, h
said-"and cut"
II did that, [ presume" said Lam
ebert, still a little out of breath alte
- the dash to the rescue. 81 foun
= him daring to lay hands on Thu
lady. Madame, 1 sincerely hope you ar
not injured. 1t is impossible for me
say how / deplore this outrage. Thes
men shall suffer for it, l assure YOU.
With rapid step the corporal of III
guard, bringing with him couple @
men and another lantern, came jiul
riedly to the scene and stood silent an
alert. glancing eagerly from face t
face. Two or three frightened negroe
had crept around the rear portico an
hung trembling behind their mistress
With a shawl thrown over her hea
and shoulders, quadroon girl halle
half way down the steps from the sid
door, her eyes dilated, and her llI
switching in terror, until a low VOC
from within babe her go ON, and ral
aark-haired, pale-faced girl in ions
loose wrapper fairly pushed her To-
ward and then stepped quickly to til
elder woman's side.
go back to the house at once, IN
child. This is no place for you. Go
katherine and tell her / say she mu:
not leave her bed. Col" And, silen
Iy as she came, but with an infinite an
evident reluctance, the tall girl turne
and obeyed. Mrs. Walton had spoke
~ slowly and with effort. OF Mr.. Lambe
q and his party she had as yet taken i
4 notice whatever. Again Murphy bega
to squirm in his uncomfortable eoue
of mingled mud and broken glass an
head lettuce, and the cracking a
compartment to his moaning once mo-