Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-24

fort him. But. Of course, I could not do
so then. and we. stood there silent in the
lobby, Pearson glancing up and down the
the hotel.
Don't think me inquisitive, pray DON'T"
l said, at last; hut why are you anxious
to find Roach?'
He looked at me-
Tommy he said eff don't find him
before somebody else does. something will
happen; mark myr Words
Why?' said l.
It's all on account of a woman" he said,
but what under the sun a man like the
Rajah can see in a creature like that put
me out OF 1t: and yet at nod of her head
and 1t isn't even a pretty one-I believe
he'd go to hell. It's strange d strange"
I don't exactly understand" I said.
We'll. the situation is this. son. said
Pearson speaking slowly and pulling a his
long mustache. Do you remember the pic
lures OF the Dance of Death in the Ii
brary?''
l recalled at once the drawings of Roland
| son-the skeleton. armed with dart, about
| TO attack some unsuspecting person in the
| midst of happiness or contentment.
| . 1et DO not exactly understand" said.
| Speak palmer
Pearson appeared to look over my head
but he answered slowly and distinctly.
| There's some one looking for Roach and
| Death is with him." he said. Something
| VIII happen here, take it, in the next few
| Suddenly he about faced and walked slow
| ~ INTO the hotel lobby. He was breathing
| loudly and trying hard to swallow. like
| man whose throat is parched with thirst.
| Standing close to the elevator were a man
and woman. The man knew by sight He
was dressed in long black coat, his hair
entered evilly like a hawks. His name
| was Terriss. I remember having heard it
said that in the old days the Vigilantes had
overlooked him The woman never took
The int IN hay
| lips. drawn tight across her teeth, was
b!otched, and her mouth had blurred ap-
| pearance: Her frightened hands rubbed
| against the side of her skirt. l saw all this
| from following Fearsons eyes. The ele-
Vator slid down and stopped softly. The
| man grasped the woman by the arm and
| went inside but before the boy could close
the door Roach stepped quietly around the
shaft coming from some side entrance
Fearson and were close behind hi<n and
we all three entered the narrow box to-
gether
What happened then came so quickly and
was such shock to me that feel almost
faint now when l remember it.
Roach turned and saw Pearson, but be-
fore he could say word something came
from fearsons lips, a sound short and
horrid, like the breaking of a bone
AND he struck Roach full in the face and
closed with him!
Down they went on the floor, Roach with
hoarse, cursing cry God! what a sound
IT was): The woman gave a scream and
mans shoulder shreking incoherent words.
He half supported her: his coat was open
and one hand was behind his back Me
chemically | pushed the struggling thrust
ing 'tangle of great limbs and bodies with
my loot to keep them from the open door
way as the car assembled. Roach had
stopped his cursing and groaned in hasty
strainlng groans. l saw Pearson who was
on top. lean over and bring his face close
to Roach's. He was saying something, low
beneath his breath, but Roach bit at him
IKE lighting dog. his teeth snapped to-
sethor and he caught his own lips between
them and the blood Redeemed over his
chin.
Just then the elevator struck the top
ana nearly threw me off my feet. Terriss
Grew the woman out on the landing. the
boy ran shouting down the hall and | was
left alone with all that dreadful struggle
on the floor.
Pearson glanced at me sidewavs and
loudly
II was just in time. Pull that rope and
run US down. Hurry he said
l obeyed without a word. How slow it
seemed to drop, and all the time Pearson
was talking to the moaning figure under
him. whose wrists he held in the clasp of
his strong fingers.
Don't struggle, Dick D-n If man T
had to. Don't you hear me? He was GO
Ing to shoot You. She tod me so. Listen,
It's l., old pal, Pearson. l had to do it.
Listen! There. stop; won't hurt you. Dick
Dick, old boy he'd shot you through his
coat Come all the way from Pinto just to
do 1t. My God, he doesn't hear me- Oh
IN the woman's soul!'
Roach was moving his hands still at
tempting to free himself. His eyes ONLY
showed the whites and was blowing bloody
bubbles through his teeth.
Pearson looked up at me. What am I
going to do? God help me- he asked
I've hurt him badly"
We reached the bottom at last with a
creaking blow on the woodwork. There was
| a crowd gathered there already.
Pearson let go his hold and got up on
his feet. He was so cool and earnest and
appeared so right that offered to
touch him and he backed slowly out into
the hall.
Two three men raised Roach, and he
stood there swaying, deaf and blind, with
the desire to kill, his head thrust out. as
II he peered through smoke, and his bloody
jaw dropped horribly. They might have
known, 1t seems to me. but the movement
was quick. perhaps they could not have
stopped it. The flash and report came to-
gether. 1t seemed if something went off
inside my head and breast.
1 saw Pearson lurch forward across an
easy chair. coughing and strangling. There
was scattering on the white tiled floor.
Roach drew himself up with the air of
drunken man who tries to keep his dignity.
handing the revolver to the bystander near
est him. and, staggering away, asking for
an officer in husky voice
The pistol smoke smelt like a noxious
gas. and nearly overpowered me.
Iney carried FearSOn, OF dragged him.
rather. into the nearest wash room and
laid him on the floor. with some dirty tow
els underneath his head ] knelt beside him
and placed my cheek close against his One
of his lungs was filed with blood but he
could whisper.
Have you a pistol, Tom?' he said in NY
ear. Put it in my pocket. It'll go easter
with him if they find pistol-he was crazy
meant to save him-stood between me and
a knife. he did, once long ago-cut him to
strings" He was lisping thickly. Met
them on train she managed to tell me-
were going to clear out-swore to Kill him
Terriss did. Fight distracted hm-she lost
overwhelmingly going on for years.
Oh, Tom, I'm going to de-don't let him