Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1898-10-27

hppio PaoSaSo Nv tio p"OA VI Derheley
| square.
$50, "said Stomp, "they have caught
him in his own house."
The deaf-and- dumb messenger
scrambled off the box and opened the
door for us, and we followed him along
the narrow pavement in the pouring
rain. About fifty yards from where
the cab was standing he stopped OPP
posite small door let into the wall,
and motioned us to be quiet.
He opened the door noiselessly with
small key, and we walked softly
along aidark, narrow passage of con-
siderable length. As far as I could
make out we were entering one of the
Berkeley square houses by private
entrance. l whispered as much to
Stomp, who nodded in reply, at the
same time holding up warning finger
not to speak.
Our guide, who was leading, stopped
suddenly, and Stomp and stumbled
up against him in the darkness. Just
ahead I could see tiny spot of light,
evidently hole in the panelling,
through which the interior OF the bril-
1iantly lit room beyond was visible.
Stomp applied his eye to this, and
for second or so the point of light
was blotted from view; then he drew
back his head with a Jerk, and with q
sudden kissing, indrawn breath.
"Achl der villains" he said, in
hoarse whisper; and, slipping his hand
into his pocket, he handed me some
shells. 'fDer play-agting business is
over. Der rows shall be real rows"
And he snapped the breech of his
revolver to with vicious snap.
The panel slid noiselessly into its
casing in the wall, and Stomp and 1
stepped into the room. I shall never
forget the view that met my eye. 1t
seemed as though 1 were dreaming,
ard had suddenly been waited back to
medieval days; it was incredible that
such scene should be enacted here
in the end of the nineteenth century,
in a smart house in the very heart of
a great city. Firmly lashed to an
ordinary kitchen table chair sat man
whom Immediately recognized as De
Brenne from Stomp's description. His
head was bent forwards, and round
his temples was piece of thin cord
twisted SO tightly that it had cut into
the flesh. A man behind him was in
crcasing the pressure from time to
time by turning a short piece of stick
,ph;el> ----- i-.-,>z. "a A.. 49, 5~.-.s -4.'..v
two others were making preparations
for even more ghastly and inhuman
torture.
De Brenne's face was n putty color,
and great beads of Precipitation were
streaming down it. On small table
in front Of the group was what looked
like legal document, pens and ink,
and Jug of cold water, which had
evidently been used to revive De
Brenne should he lose consciousness
under the terrible ordeal.
The room was perfectly quiet, save
for low moan now and again from
the victim as an extra twist or so made
the pain uncomfortable. The three
fiends were SO occupied with their
brutal task that they did not notice
our entrance.
"Will you sign?" asked the mani
pulator of the string in low, pleasant
voice.
A stifed moan was the only answer,
which rose to sharp wall as the stick
was turned another half revolution.
Stomp raised his arm, paused for
second steadily as n rock, pressed the
trigger and the mans arm dropped
limp from the elbow downward 10
gave yelp of pain and surprise, which
was echoed by his two companions,
and clapped his other hand to the
wound. The string relaxed and De
Brenne's head dropped forward on his
chest-he had tainted.
Hands upp' shouted Stomp. One
of the two uniniured men slipped his
hand behind his coat-tails.
Crack! went the revolver again, and
n small pock pistol dropped to the
floor, whilst the fellows hand was
splashed with crimson drops.
1t was wonderful shooting. I be-
ljaya Sttomsp. could have picked out the
chosen.
Now" said Stomp to me, twill
you haf der goodness to take down the
der curtain-ropes and to tie up der
hands Of our friends therewith?"
This did whilst Stomp still kept
them covered with that ominous black
smudged barrel. After which he
crossed the room and, throwing open
the windows walked the stiffness of the
night by requesting the presence of
"a policeman" in stentorian tones.
Marvellous to relate, one came in less
than five minutes, followed by three
more whom he summoned
Meanwhile 1 had been doing my ut
most to revive De Brenne, with sufii-
cient success to enable him to make
short statement to the inspector, which
resulted in our three friends being
marched off in safe keeping.
The story was briefly as follows;
De Brenne had gone to the continent,
but his pursuers had tracked him, and
with fiendish ingenuity had hunted
him back to England to his own
| hAuca 90 thot ba wOllld he handy for