The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1898-07-28

south. long and narrow. with veranda
through from east to west, and a long
narrow one from north to south. The
dining-room was the front room ut the
north end. under my room: Georges
study at the south. under the room
| Teresa occupied. There were two stair
eases. one at each end of the house. \
couple of hundred yards away. higher
up the slope ut the back of the house,
was the cottage where Martinez lived.
lie, Martinez, generally dined with us,
and was to have done so that night.
| Now. so far as | know. and Judging
| from what we made out afterward
| from letters we discovered in the cot
tage and in Teresa's room, this is what
brought about the tragedy that fol-
| lowed:
Ramon must have long before this
| have made Zip hhis mind to marry
Teresa. Her small fortune was an ire
| sistible bait to the indolent Southerner.
| The only thing that troubled him was
that she was not of age for another
three years. and George was her guard
ian and sole trustee. He knew well
enough what George would say or do
If he once heard of his pretensions.
With a man of Ramon's type-almost
conScienceleSS-the next idea was sim
ply to get George out of the way. Once
get rid of the uncle. and what was
there to hinder his making off with
Teresa and her money?
Undoubtedly he instilled these ideas
into Teresa's mind. and she. her sullen
temper already aflame at the hint of
opposition, was soon ripe fer any mis-
chief. Whether this precious pair aad
already concocted any definite plan /
don't know. but that they We're only
waiting a chance what follows proves.
On this particular evening Teresa
had dressed earlier and gone down. For
some reason-I don't know what-she
went to the study and opened the door,
A French window was open, and in the
moonlight which had already succeed
ed the dusk she caught sight of some
thing moving through it. undulating in
rustling coils UP from the grass be-
yOnd.
Terrified, she closed the door and
stood an instant painting with fright
What was it?
Suddenly it flashed across her. She
had just before seen from her Window
the men bringing in her uncle's spoil
great anaconda, or water-bOa, the.
largest and most powerful constructor
in the world. This was its mate Her.
chance had come. Always before din
ner her uncle would go to his room to
fetch the cigar he lit Immediately din
ner was over He would go once more
for the last time!
How I can imagine her stealing
quietly away from the door back with
steaithy footsteps up the stairs to her
room and sitting there watching the.
clock. counting every moment till the
gong should summon her uncle to his
fate behind that closed door.
Closer and closer crept the hands to
S o'clock. and still she sat and watched.
Suddenly in the hall below sounded
footsteps across the polished boards.
Unnaturally loud they seemed as they
passed slowly down the passage be-
meath. There was the sound of turn
ing latch. an instant's pause. and then
one long, horrible sound. half Shrek.
half yell. which grew shriller, then
muffled. and then abruptly ceased.
The shrek i heard with almost equal
distinctness away at the other end of
the house. To this day can sometimes
hear it, and it comes back to me in
dreadful dreams.
| heard my husband rush from his
room and his flying feet down tie
stairway. Other sounds heard-Cries
of terror and alarm. hurrying footsteps
and slamming of doors. Then l sum
moned strength to follow. As / ran
through the hall two shots rang out in
rapid succession. \ frightfui pound
ing. like dozen sledge hammers going
at once. ensued; and next heard a
scream of maniacal laughter, and Tere-
81 rushed by me and out into the night
The next thing remember Is
Georges voice. in tones of strong conf
mand:
keep back, Marianw he called; 'it
is 10 fit sight for you"
stood there in the middle of the pas
sage. while around the open study door
stood little knot of our Black ser
wants. Their faces We're ashen with
terror, and the whites of their eyes
goggled horribly. \ thin smoke floated
ont Of thn nn1 tho Enon email nf
Sunpowder filled the air. The throb-
bing beat had almost ceased. and
George passed into the room. while |
staggered back, and, sinking into a
chair in the hall. tainted dead away
l need hardly explain what had hap
pened. The wretched Ramon had come
in earlier than usual to dinner; had,
contrary to his usual custom, gone to
the study, evidently to leave the pass
book for the day. and had walked
straight into the trap set for another.
Those horrible coils had crushed him to
death long before even George could
reach the spot. while the great snake.
in its terrible death agonies. had rent
the wretch's body in a shocking way
leaving it an unrecognizable mass.
That was what Teresa had seen. The
shock no doubt had craZed her When
she ran out she went straight to the
river-at least. we suppose so. for we
never saw anything of her again. There
are alligators in those waters.
Since then my husband and have al
most forgotten the tragedy. We are
very happy alone together in our sunny
tropic home.-ChicagO Times Herald.
New JTsp for a Poodle