The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-25
THE COMEDY OF DEATH
By John N. Buckley.

s'S~S>S'SSSSSSSSS SSSSSSSS<&lS
knock alone at her door. thi. monev n,.h,
10 provide one more start. Now lets 10 |.
cue 1T You understand az course that
sns one who loses this game il likawis,, 4,
lose his lie In some ordinary accident ii
manner. There Is to be no HVu1,uR after
the die IL castI'
a nod was the answer
both men were becoming rather neryo,,s
and excited. and their shifting eyes care
iuiiy avoided each others gaze Once more
Lowndes took I'D the cards This time the
twitching OF his hand was quite visible
ana caused grim smile to appear at the
corners Of his cousins mouth.
Shall we cut for shufnee" asked
Go on"
he commenced to slip them through his
hand In jerky. unnatural fashion. Once
or tw'lce he dropepd some OF them.
didn't know l had SO much feeling
LETT said he, as he finally laid the pack
down ON the middle OF the table. There
was dead, silence for a minute, while both
men stared straight al each other for til.
first time since the start Al last Mont
goniery stretched out his hand and made
cut. The card en- the top as he turned
them up was the eight OF hearts. Lowndes
quickly followed him and raised single
card. II was the jack Of clubs. mo-,
bcutdTy kleoiul OF UNuIIlIu III up MS luce,
hut instantly passed away, leaving II
gloomier than before.
Montgomery shusfled the CARTS and again
laid them on the table. Lowndes cut in
stantly and drew four spot His opponent
got six, making the score equal, Lowndes
gathered up the cards and with a perfectly
firm hand, quickly shuffled them. His nerve
had returned while his companion was
growing more ard more excited. He seemed
N for hn 6t-x- ina, hat tn-nc nj
stake and watched the cards vacantly for
some time as they lay IN front OF him for
the third time. He reached out. but drew
baok his hand Just before touching the
pack. He looked across the table at Lown-
des. who was sitting still as stone, and with
half articulate cry. buried his face in
his hands. Presently his cousins quiet voice
came TO him in tones that seemed miles
away
When you are sufficiently rested 1t
said, I'VE will proceed with the game.'
Montgomery raised his haggard face
Have you no feeling at ala? he said
brokeniy. I've never been considered a
coward before. Not even by you I'd face a
decent death without the least hesitation.
1t this damnable suspense and uncer-
tainty that makes me lose control of my
self"
IF YOU wish to indulge In any more
sentimentalities before we draw again.
SAID Lowndes sarcastically after a pause.
1 will wait. Otherwise you will please
cut"
The continued strain was beginning to
tell on both msA and their eyes were un-
naturally bright.
Montgomery finally reached out and with
a hoarse laugh that lad more OF wild beast
IMAM man in 1t. threw an ace over on the
table. Lowndes lifted the pack in his hand
and almost contemptuously shook off the
top card displaying king.
''Tlnat ends it," Montgomery almost
yellet. For you--death, darkness. de-
spair. For me-life. hope. Alice. We're
his eyes glittering feverishly, "and sup
pose ] ought to give up Alice and offer to
die in your place. But won't; III take
advantage OF everything
He stopped, suddenly quieted by his
cousins manner. After the first moment
Of hesitation, during which his eyes had
CROPPED blindly about the room as II seek
ing some escape from the result, Lowndes
had risen ami was busying himself with
his toilet at the dresser. Finally he
brushed his clothes. and putting on his hat
and coat. came over to the table again
with pen and ink in his hand. Carefully
filling out the blanks on the coupons he
showed them into his coat pocket Mont
gomery noticed that his face was very pale,
but there was no sign Of finching He
raised up just as Lowndes. without allow
ing their eyes to meet held out his hand.
II presume on leaving tlhe world 1t is
the correct thing to bid good-by to ones
relatives" he sail, his voice shaking
slightly. We've always got ON fairly well
together. Let's part friends. ] wish you
ali the Joy of-her'
He walked to the door and opening It
paused a second, you'll hear about it
soon." he said. in day or two. any
how"
The next moment he was gone. and
Montgomery sitting the call to him that
had come to his lips, threw himself ON
taa bed and stared at the ceiling. He
could not realize the significance Of what
had happened ami found himself wonder
ing whether Lowndes would be in for
breakfast Toward daylight he fell into
a restless sleep full of unpleasant dreams.
He Thought he Was again playing cards
for life or death. When he won. Alice
suddenly appeared and Lowndes held him
while she cut his throat
When he Finally awoke 1t was broad day
light and his nerves were In pitiable state
of collapse. He stayed in his room ali day
cursing the moment he was born When
night came once more with all its horrible
n rlieGyies re sGnt -1a.h after an op.ate and
took ut with a sigh OF relief. This time
his sleep was heavy and dreamless.
Al s o'clock he woke with a start and
heard the down stairs front door close fol-
lowed BY the sound OF hushed voices 10 the
hall. He heard a slight scream in voice
which he recognized as the landlady's, and
in flash the past day aud
night. realized what II meant. The serlss-
tdon left him unwlter,bly weak and when
ne heard the woman's steps coming up the
stairs his heart bent with force and rapid
Ity that made him thing 1t would burst.
After an interminable age while he lay
gasping for breath the steps reached the
door and he heard the sound OF knocking
on II. BY tremendous effort ne man1ged
to emit sort Of gurgle from his thro,t
The door flew open and his landladys
countenance appeared y its
frame
"oh. sir!" she burst out, "Mr Lowndes
has been found with his bead all mashed
TO pieces and every bone in his body broken
Oh! ITS SO terrible, Ii can't be trua!"
Mon gomery was conscious OF great
sickening sensation that seemed TO spread
itself all over his body. He glared at the
figure OF the woman IN tne door and J,
revolved round and round. getting further
and further away.
Three weeks later Montgomery was per-
mitted by the attending physician to SIT up
and read the afternoon papers beginning
with the first day OF his sickness. The one
he held In his hand contained the following
article under a sensational head:
"a horrible affair occurred in West Park
early this morning, which resulted In the
ieath of Homer A. Lowndes. aged ~ years,
OF lsl Ninetescth street.
Some time between dark last nIaht anu