Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-10

knew. sir, that it has been very generally
~ proven by better JUDGES than yourself.
But now let us make count and reckoning,
draw oui bills and give mutual discharge.
Ike two reasonably honest men,"
Nest wHInSIy! said Cmpnray SpuIWay,
nodd!ng III rs turn.
Aga INST me, sir. said the captGin of the
Corranantee. preparing to check the items
upon his fingers. you have the following;
ch!ige hy correcting me If I am wrong:
Philip Stan-fieid. Or. 10 Umptray Spurway. Cr.:
Iniprin,s. To less of time hurt inG lie said
L = with intent to kill him. .............1O o 0
ItFnl. 70 1hr years los; of % .iciy Of the
said / IS wife. --.-.....................O y
we will say. IN round figures. 10 gulneas
/ am an easy man. And now for the per
rtra:
rmpr-.y spurway. pr, to ril:p stanslield, CIR:
Ir,rlimis 10 proving the said
Et'.ti: &c pi> fathers mr)er i 600 o 0
Item. =" thu" HinIIhs' Imprisonment in
the I"l's,"h If i.'ilnturgi! LOCO o
Item. II I'll ,is,,h II Dominic E:ngFos"
aE;t I'll! - 3. wants. 900 .
Ir,ln. r ii N!ting The natural aner
Item D.t.o Il his Observation-Disclosures.
Bi hTS tod" dl! TIL The r,r said Philip s;: t H. lss
9s. lid.
Capt. Stansaeld maintained his grave and
practical method of speech tEro;:gh all this
enumeration of figures and Mt the close he
turned to MIR. Spurway, VINO was listen
ing like man at a play that doe; not
amuSc him.
Sir he said you owe me q great deal
of money, but ! will discharge your in
debtedness at one stroke. Which do you
choose, swords or pistols? the latter is
commonly esteemed the easier quttance,
and. as / have d pair, It shall be By
double entry. Both are equal To met
lip Stansfield, said UmpIrdy Spur
way. would you slay an innocent man in
cold blood?
Am l DOT loaded in the eyes of all with
having done the like to the father that be-
gat me?' said Philip Stansficld, rising to
his feet, and besides what right have you
o. any man to say that my blood is cold?
Devil take you, sir. have you not entrap-
ped my Wife'S affections that We're so pre-
cous TO ms? Have you not made my own
son hate me? Have you not chased me with
dogs-yes, bloodhounds-upon the kings
highway? Answer me these things. And
now YOU pirate of murder in CO blood
when | 90 10 more than offer you a choice
Of two honorable ways of discharging a
just debt. l thought that at least you were
an honest tradesman Master Spurway, and
knew how % pay those to whom You We're
indebted
Il do not choose to handy words with
You. Philip Stanstield," the Englishman re-
Piled My life is in your hand. If you
choose to murder me here and now-well.
il is within your power
Capt. Stans1ield looked about the dun
SttH- ne CdItIe was UlCkering a little,
the vents of the lanthorn having been
guttered up. He took out a pocket knife
and coo ly opened them with the lesser
blade. Then he shut the little door again
and put the lantern back on the floor. His
eye fell on tmphrays cloak, which Saul
Mark had flung down as he entered. His
broad, soft-brimmed hat was lying beside
it, a thought came into his head and he
clapped his palm upon his knee with a
loud smack.
II have it, he said This will suit all
parties-you because it will enable you to
discharge your obligations. me because it
gives me the opportunity to pay a visit I
have too long deferred"
He went over to where Gmphray sat, and
the brave Englishman made up his mind
that his latest hour was come. But Capt.
Stansfield only thrust his hand again into
his breast pocket and drew out the nin!a-
ture
Il will return this" he said, "to the
original. There is a right indefeasibly vest
ed in husband to prevent other men car
rying about his wife's picture in their
bosoms like so many pieces of holy cross
The custom offends alike against religion
and morality. l will give this into my
wife's hands and. lest l be denied entrance
will equip me for the purpose"
He drew tmphray's cloak about him and
clapped his tal-Crowned hat upon his head
Thus equipped l need fear no rebuff he
said. lis a sad confession for the hus-
band of one wife to make, but a man never
knows TO what chance he will come in this
world.
Umphray Spurway cried out now with
fear, though hitherto he had been impas
siye marble.
For Gods grace. kill me and be done
with it, he said; let your unhappy wife
alone. Has she not suffered enough? XIII
me and end this farce
Philip Stansfield watched his enemy
coollly as he agcniZed in his bonds
Nay he said, almost gently, that must
not be. For man of the world, Umphray
your methods are crude. 1 have a better
F.1a will he. oh I,N,V, an,
and no more. l will leave you q pistol by
the cheek Of the door here. 1t is loaded
and primed, If on my return I observe
through the secret spyhole that YOU have
successfully used it on yourself G recon-
mend the roof of the mouth myself; 1t is
the most certain, where all are a trife I'M
pleasant, l promise You that all scores are
cleared between us i will do my wife no
hurt. But if not, and your brains are still
unscattered. l shall know that you medi-
tate treachery. L will, therefore, first shoot
ranged for such a contingency, and then I
Will go back and kill-well, you know whom
l will kill
'You are devil, cried Umphray Spur-
way. straining at his bonds till the veins
stood out purple on his brow.
81 am a man of my word said Capt
Stansiield with his hand on the low iron
door of the kiln There is the pistol, and
beside it little printing powder Come
hither, If you please, Mr.. Umphray Spur
way. Stand with your back to the door
ttlI' Will sewer lIlc CDru ABOUT your hands.
Slowly-go very slowly. Do not attempt TO
turn round. or two things will happen
which you would give your life to avert
There,'
With a sharp-edged dagger he severed
the rope, and the next moment the iron
door changed and the bolts shot without
with rasping sound. Umphray Spurway
flung himself against the place, overturning
the lantern in his haste. But he might as
We'll have flung himself against the walls
of cavern. The solid masonary and yet
more solid metal did not even CULVER at
the shock. The sudden darkness startled
him How should he have any chance
without light? He saw little red CLEAN
on the floor and whiff of candle smoke
came TO his nostrils. He bent down quickly
and loi the candle was between his fingers
the wick still glowing red. 1t had rolled
out of the lantern when he overset II, the
door being loose on It's hinges.
Umphray blew cautiously yet regularly
upon the fading red, and after an anxious
moment had the satisfaction of seeing the
flame start again and the candle burn UP
as bright ever.
There before him, close by the edge of the
wall, was the pistol his enemy had left him
to blow his brains out with, and there on
torn scrap of newspaper was a little
pinch of black printing powder. Philip
StanSfield had been as good as his word
CHAPTER XIV.