El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-19
sensation that he was covering me

/ When I had seated myself, he came
and sat down at the other side of my
table, laid his revolver in front of him
and began to bite at his nails. L waited
his pleasure silently, wondering what
could best do.
Its like this" he said, so suddenly
that he startled me out Of my thoughts.
81 had a partner. That partner gets
| drowned at our works in butt of pur-
ple-not blue, mind you-dye. You see
the bare facts mentioned in the papers
Ohis is what you say and write story
! about it. You make me, John Saxon
of your accursed book, murder my part
ner, and you bring me to justice, eh?
Eyes, that's it," 1 replied as easily as
| 1 could. 81 offer you my sincerest apol-
ogies for the unpleasantness it must
have caused you, but 1 assure you, on
my honor, 1 never dreamed that you
really existed, or 1 should not have
| used such a plot"
"But you must have known! You
must have seenv' he cried, leaning over
the table and kissing his words into
my face.
What would have happened if the
meaning of his words had flashed in
stead of dawning slowly upon me 1
cannot think. 1 never want to know.
But, coming upon my worried brain
slowly, the meaning did not make me
start, and my visitor, who evidently
realized he had spoken without think
ing how he spoke, probably trusted
had missed his second sentence.
To help him to that belief 1 an
swered:
How could I have known the I'M
fortunate dyer had a partner? realize
my horrible mistake now, of course. l
ought never to have written the book
without first inquiring whether my
plot would encroach too much upon
actual facts"
He did not seem to hear me. He was
staring over my shoulder, deep in
thought, like a man who dreams his
thoughts.
''Bahv' he said suddenly, with great
passion. How did you learn all you
know, Ell? You could not have guess
ed what no one else had suspectedl'
81 fear 1 do not understand you," I
said, with a smile.
"You lie! You know you lie! Do
you think 1 have come here to be
sucked on such presentations? Do
you think 1 brought this with me for
any reason but to get from you an ac-
count of how you discovered the pur-
pie spot on my shirt; how you saw
how 1T happened, as you must have
done, though you don't say so in your
accused story? Can't you see, in
genious puppy, that 1 mean to know
and when I know to send you where
you cannot run man down by novel
writing nor put the law upon him?
It's your life or miner
with all your threats 1 said,
you're a big bit of a fool, Mr.. Port
man, or else your mind is unhinged.
The book was mainly written upon the
merest conception of my own, suggest
ed to me by a short paragraph. L have
already told you that. The manner in
which my murderer, John Saxon, was
brought to justice for his crime was
pure fiction work. Now are you salts |
hed?"
Nor he replied, throwing himself |
back in his chair. What you say may
be true. L don't know. In any case, |
your story has put me under the suspi- |
cion of the police and the people Of |
ROchdale. l am a marked man, don't |
doubt. Probably the police are hunting |
me down now-nowI But they won't |
find the shirtr'
Probably you overrate the interest |
the police and people Of Rochdale take |
In my novels and the death of your
partner" L said, with an effort at calm
ness not too easy to assume.
Possibly 1 dor' he replied, in a
hoarse voice, with a furtive glance at
the door. But there is you to reckon
with nowr'
''Me?"
"Yes, you! Do you think if 1 knew 1
was as safe from suspicion as before
your book was written 1 could leave
you after what I've said to you to-
night?'
what do you propose to do, then?
Give yourself over to the police, eh % 1
asked ironically, for 1 was weary Of
the terrible nervous strain.
''It is you or me, and, by my soul,
will seal your lips!'
To my uttermoSt surprise he made a
sudden dash round the table at me, but
in the moment of his heightened pas
sion he forgot his revolver. 1 thrust
out my arm and snatched it from the
table as quickly lodged my assailant,
and stepping back held the barrel in
his face.
Stand back, John Saxon, or 1 fire"
cried.
He staggered back and leaned against
the wall.
"Give me the key, John Saxon"
said sternly.
With his wild eyes fixed upon the re-
volver, he took the key from his pocket
and threw it upon the table. 1 took it
up and drew toward the door.
AS if he realized that the door would
open only to let him pass out to the