The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-10-20

bition, had slain poor Perkins, he was
capable of repeating the tragedy of Red
Gulch here, in this bedroom. Obvious
ly his plan was TO kin both Burlington
ard me, and in such a manner that it
would be supposed we had killed each
other.
This conviction asserted itself as |
awaited in hreathcss silence the attack
of the Greek ] had dropped upon one
knee between the door and the bed,
and i'm my right hand was the small
pistol which | always carried on my
person. But a pistol is the least eff
cient weapon in such fight as this.
What would have given for n dohble-
barreled shotgun, a good snbre or
knife! If fired in the dark, the flash
of the powder would prove a death war
rant, the same grim logic applied to
the striking of a match. Twas satisfied
that such master scoundrel as De-
metrius had laid his plans with eXtraor-
binary sagacity. lie was taking des-
perate chances, but the crisis justified
them. These rooms were cut off from
the rest of the house, and nothing short
of a pistol shot would arouse Gerard
and the servants. Dcme trius must have
counted upon the moon as an ally.
From the darkness of Marks room he
might have approached me unseen and
unheard. and then-a bold thrust of
knife would rid him of the man who
had dared to unmasl his vilainy. But
the tickle moon had played him false.
He probably, like me. was now upon
the defensive. Who would move first?
finally decided to take the initiative,
for the suspense was intolerable.
Demetrius, | reflected, was stiff in the
joints, his muscles less supple than
mine, his sense OF hearing less acute.
Youth was on my side, experience on
his. The two players in the game were
at least fairly matched.
Had It not been for Burlington, could
have easily escaped by the window and
alarmed the households; but dared not
leave my patient. His somewhat ster-
torous breathing was the only sound
which broke the silence. If were killed
or injured he was at the mercy of the
Greek.
| confess that certain eXhilaration
possessed me as | crawled into Marks
room, and sense that | was acting
wisely braced my nerves. The Greek
could beat me hollow when it aame TO
scheming, but in a rougb.and-tumble
contest | confidently expected to get the
best of him. As soon as ] determined
his whereabouts, decided to rush the
ruflian, and, if possible, strike the first
$50 often the lastl blow.
But the unexpected, that element in
human affairs which we invariably
| ignore, ruled otherwise. ! had hardly
crossed the threshold of the inner room
when | heard heavy football in the pas
sage. At the same moment the voice of
Jap Byers. calling me by name. echoed
pruflly through the darkness, while a
CLEAN of light pierced the gloom. As
the door was flung open, revealing the
thick-set figure of the coachman, lam
tern in hand, n crash of glass to my
| right set my nerves tinging. Deme-
TITUS had leaped through the window,
! glissaded down the roof OF the veranda,
and was already lost TO sight. Jap and
| confronted each other, our mouths
ngape our eyes starting from our heads.
'If this amt picnic" said Jap, "what
is it?"
attempted murder, Jap. You ar
rived in the nick Of time"
81 heard that Their hound n-bayin'.
Mr.. Livingston, an | suspcioned thnt
| somethn'-a coon. maybc-was stir
rim, Wen, sir, Old Sultan wasn't gvin'
! tongue fer nothin'; fer the next thing I
knowed there was that Greek sarpint
a-crawlin around the house. Thinks I,
I'll watch you, mister, an maybe take
hand myself in this yere game. piped
him off as he unlocked the back door,
and then | saw not five minutes ago,
the light in Mr.. Burlington's room go
out. Gosh! | done some tall thinllin'
right then. | dassn't cry out, cause
that'd ha' given the hull snap dead
away. SO fetched the lantern, sashayed