Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-12-26

a few disappointments. Men of for
eign appearance in particular we mark
ed as our quarry. especially those who
have the brand Of the east or the far
east. But though at the sight of a
man have sometimes felt my heart
leap to my throat closer inspection
dissipated the hope, or, rather, l should
say the fear, for there was more of
fear than OF hope in 1t.
And SO the time few on, and bitter
" cold January was drawing to close.
A good six months had already passed,
and in that time the world forgets
much. know that had reached that
state In which no longer experienced
any difficulty in lulling my fears, and
/ could sleep without dreaming of try
ing to escape from man with strange
eyes who pursued me with cleaning
knife and who was ever on the point Of
stabbing me just as woke. I think
my uncle also was beginning to rest
though rest he would not while his sis
ter's murderer was at large. But he
was just a little more contented, less
given to gloomy fits of abstraction,
when something happened that set Us
all in whirl again.
thought one night, waking sudden
~, that some one was trying to force
the window Of my room, but after ly-
ing for many minutes listening intent
" came to the conclusion that 1t was
nothing but my fancy. So, secure In
the possession of well barred win
dow, soon fell asleep again. But
when awoke in the morning still
retained recollection of my fright
and, rapidly dressing, went out to In
vestigate that side Of the house, but
though subjected 1t to pretty close
scrutiny saw nothing that led me to
suspect the presence of an enemy.
However, on skirting the back Of the
building passed close to the stable,
upon the door of which saw some
thing that made me start. A step or
two closer assured me that l had not
been mistaken. There, distinctly visi-
BILE. was the fatal egg shaped sign
drawn grimly with red pencil.
looked and looked again and then
drew closer to make sure that there
was no mistake. Every nerve in me
was now trembling with excitement,
and for several moments I stood look
Ing at the dreadful thing like one un-
able to realize Its meaning. Then,
forcing my numbed limbs into action.
turned about and hurried into the
house, bursting into my uncle's room
with: '"The sign! The signp'
1.-THE signy, he shouted excitedly.
turning round with lightninglike ra.
pidity. do you mean the
Eyes, yes, the same. Come! It is on
the stable door,"
Without further words he dashed by
me. out through the back of the house
to the yard, at his heels. Before the
stable door he stood and very narrowly
scrutinized the tracing.
'It is tire same?" he said. ut is like
the one you saw on the gatepostY'
Exactly. but bigger"
'Then," said he, "our enemies are
close at hand.''
I then told him how woke up in the
night fancying heard some one at my
window. He started and looked very
serious.
why did you not Gull meY'
Because lay awake long time
listening, and, not hearing the sound
repeated, easily persuaded myself
that was dreaming"
at was wrong of you" he said. "Cal
me always If you hear anything sus
picious We have n desperate set Of
people to deal with. Davie. We mus
lessen their number on every possibl,
OCCASION. Now run in and fetch me-
the keys of the stable. We must see Il
everything is all right inside"
did us was hidden and on return
ing found him closely examining thu
door. But with the exception of thu
sign there was nothing to show that 4
had been tempered with. The loci
was intact. and when the key was in
serted into 1t the spring flew bacl
with sharp click. But when the doc
was thrown open we saw at once tina
something had happened.
The horses (my uncle kept two O.
them were stretched out in their STALL
stiff and cold. knew this at once b,
the look Of them, and so did he, for
with cry, he sprang into the stabl,
and began closely to examine them
There were no streams Of blood t,
truce to their fount, but just at sth,
back of the ears wound about hal
an inch long was discovered. TIL,
| piercing Of the vertebrm had at onc'
paralyzed the brain, and the poor AMI
mails had fallen dead without strug
gle.
For long time my uncle stood look
Ing at the two beautiful horses tina
had been his pride, his face white an,
drawn. his lips working convulsively