Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-25

attempted to smear Ii over with as much or
the powdery stuff as / could make hang on,
being careful to take a fair amount from
each bottle, in hopes that in some one OF
them lay the deadly drug / sought. 1t was
remarkable how much made that piece OF
cold beef hold. When not another grain
would stick / gathered II up gingerly, crept
to the window, took accurate aim, and flung
it straight at the feet of the restless ami
NAL.
They must have kept the brute half
starved. for, with a plunge and a snap, he
seemed to catch the morsel while 1t was yet
in the air. But nothing happened: his rest
less walk went on. and impatiently rushed
back to my CHASTITY work. This time It was
liquids with which / had to deal. and my
work was easier, but how they smelled! The
house seemed reeking with their biting
fumes, and ii was with streaming eyes l
again sought the window and stood with
my second prescription suspended over the
hazy space below. No need to peer about in
the darkness now in search of my restless
prey. The animal expected me and
crouched directly beneath my window.
where the light from the lamp shone upon
his gaunt frame, revealing him with his
huge jaws dstended; a pretty sight for one
who might at any moment be pitched forth
to become his midnight lunch. out went
my second lot. / could see him plainly this
time He met it, his full length from the
ground, with an appetite perfectly disheart-
ening. Not even its horrid smell faxed him.
and down it went with a dreadful champing
sound.
While completely discouraged. 1 turned
again to the table. What did Doctor A.
keep IN his chest, anyhow? Drugs designed
solely for the of teething children? And
yet who could tell? Perhaps my method
might be bad. / might be doing up poisons
and antidotes in the same bundle This
time 1 mixed powders and liquids with an
impartial and liberal hand, but IT was with
only the faintest hope that l gathered up
my third dose, and again sought my post at
the window. The dog was not thereiF Was
not there, nor was he dead / could see
him him MAINLY 7 that Of
ing snow and fur could be a dog. Faint,
angry yelps rose from the tossing heap,
and my heart stood still Then, suddenly.
as looked, the mass took shape and rose
and ran as nothing dependent mere legs
ever ran before. melting away into the
darkness beyond with a long, low howl
which struck stone cold upon my faintiug
heart.
We are undone'' all but cried, for that
mournful howl must set even the COCKS
rowing upon their rooStS, Then came the
thought that speed might even yet save us
for, once outside, who was to follow US in
such darkness, with enough and more than
enough of caVernS about, into which We
might crawl and evade pursuit? Why We
were doing it at all, and what right We had
to evade pursuit. l had no time to consid
err as again | fled the room which was
strewn all about with evidences of my late
traffic in animal life The disOrdered boxes
which had been handed me by the now
helpless Hoskins; the uncorked medicine
phlalS-al spoke loudly to me of my dead
" work, and | could but feel like some
beast of prey creeping from its lair. As
stole out and closed the door behind me.
This time my knock at the door Of the
second chamber was less guarded, for my
nerves Were getting into a horrible state;
but it was not 50 quickly answered, and |
was growing alarmed, when it was flung
wide open, though very noiselessly. and
Miss Brandon stood before me, mot dressed
in her flowing robes, but in a Srim suit of
black, such as you might see Il dozen Of
a only
would not AL be becoming to their own
ers over this she wore a short fur coat
Her hair Was tucked away under u cap to
match, and there she stood, looking so
warm, so fresh and smiling, that somehow
the memory Of my bandages came back to
me, filling me with such a sense of deform-
ity and inferiority that l think my bearing
took color from the morbid AMUSEMENT of
my mind.
know that held my right eye with one
hand while | talked to her, and that | shut
lied on my feet as she looked at me, while
| bit my tongue TO keep from crying aloud
| so fondIy dreamed me TO be.
on she burst out in an excited wills
per as soon as her eyes fell on me, You
| do think of the funniest things! Now tell
| me whatever you have done to that dread
| full dog to make him go running about so,
| scratching things"
| Did you hear him yeIping?"
Il guess that's what dogs do. I was lust
sure he'd wake everybody up, weren't
your"
| had been indeed. and yet was At that
very moment l fancied I could hear some
| one moving, and, bracing up my manhood,
| / spoke decidedly in spite Of those things
| about my jaw.
| I'VE must go at once" 7 said moving
| into the room with cat-iike step
| 'Will you be able to hang on to one end
! of a blanket while l lower you from the
| Window
l dared not look at her while I made this
| cool proposal for | fully expected her to
| turn pale and shrink back; besides the hor-
| rid suspicion haunted me that even should
| she consent. it would end in her completing
| my list of victims, and what with the doc
| ened of blood
To my amazement she laughed 49, de-
| ltshtfui. gentle. little chuckle, which made
| me long more keenly than ever to bury the
| snuffy old doctor and rise myself to FIJI his
| shoes.
''Oh. how perfectly killing it will be- she
| whispered. seeking for sympathy in the
| depths of my dull swollen eye. See. The
| window is all ready for US. | was putting
it up when | the dog"
Suddenly | started, stabbed to the heart
| with fresh trouble. L had dragged a
blanket from the large chair in which
| testing its strength as best [ could when
it occurre ed to me that all my outdoor APP
| parel was downstairs l certainly could
| not venture out on such a night NOT know
| about, without some sort of covering vet
| | dared not go downstairs in search OF
! mine.
My cap and coat" was the cry wrung
| from me in my distress Instantly my
companion grasped the situation with smil-
| ing composure.
! Are downstairs she finished for me
| 'Of course can't think of going to get
| them, but there are some of Mrs HOskuS
! things here that will do. She's so dread
| fully big. you know" and before ] could
| prevent her. she had dived into closet
| close at hand, from which she emerged
| presently, triumphantly holding up to my
| view a large gray and black plaid shaw
| and one of those many-coIored wooden
| bags known as 'toboggan caps" 1t was
| the last straw to my overhurdened vanity
! Wear theni I could have snatched them
| from her, flung them the floor at heI
| feet and stamped upon them but for the
| added absurdity. And then, too, what
| awkward evidence in the shape of card
case. marked handkerchief or other fata
! trifie might | not leave in the pockets Of
| my abandoned coat!
| Insulted, perpleNed and downright angry,
| stood glaring about me, but before l
| had voiced my annoyance u faint sound
| below put flight to all thought of more
friF inc fnrtS xxrol