Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-01-30

w NY 8oAIu. SPTiukluB hEOuuu eu-
countered the scared white face Of Mr..
Wentworth. He was still holding the
smoking pistol in his hand, that quaint
weapon of eastern design, and his agi-
tation was 30 great that he trembled
violently.
you are not hurt?" he gasped.
@No."
THANK heavenH This as devoutly
a. man ever uttered those words
what is 1t? How did 1t happenr"
"Why." said he. ''the thing was load
cd. Accidentally snapped the flint.
Look, you might have received this in
stead Of the wall"
He walked across the room and
showed me where the bullet, after max
ing splash, had imbedded itself in
the plaster.
Heavens! What providential es-
cape! An inch or two more and"-
EYES," said, beginning to quake
now all the danger was over. 81 felt 1t
almost scorch my eyes,"
He threw the weapon down with an
exclamation Of disgust.
"People who sell old firearms without
first ascertaining their condition ought
to be criminally prosecuted" he pro-
ceeded energetically. "Chance, and
chance alone, has averted one of the
many tragedies with which the news
papers daily provide us. have often
wondered how people can be so care
less; now realize how easily an acci-
dent may happen. But thank heaven
no harm has come Of 1t. You will for
give me7'
sWillingly," smiled, but was still
bit shaky. How were you to know
the thing was loadedY
AYE" he echoed solemnly. "How
was to know?"
His distress was 30 evident and sim
cere that began to make light of the
matter. not wishing to deepen the con-
Germ which I saw so yisibly affected
him. No doubt 1t was a narrow es-
cane. but misses never count. All the
same 1t was lucky for me that I had
suddenly thrown back nv head, the
better to view the pictures. Otherwise
there would have been one more shoot
ing fatality to record.
left him with his -protestations ring
| ing in nv ears and carried away with
| me the picture Of pallid face, pale
and uuiyering mouth, and two little
eyes that shone like points of hot met
al. 1t was not pleasant picture, and
as entered my room l instinctiyely
locked the door. For of a sudden a
thought came to me, or rather. a
| thought that 1 had repeatedly striyen
| to Danish, assumed the aggressive and
forced itself upon nv attention. I
stroye to nut II away MS one of those
things which do man no honor, but it
would not be denied. Presently 1t beat
in upon my brain; it throbbed through
every pulse: 1t turned me cold with a
hopeless, sickening dread. Was the
discharge of the pistol due to accident
or generalization?
My uncle had not yet come in, SO l
had no one In whom could confide,
but the possession Of this horrible
doubt robbed me of all reason and sent
me into maddening maze of conjec-
ture. Surely, surely this man, this Mr..
Wentworth, gentleman without
doubt, and one Of the numerous class to
be found in the West End, could have
no connection with Wooching and the
Society OF the Hidden Meaning? 1t
was monstrous thought, unworthy Of
me. unworthy of any honest man. and,
a. I have said, ! sought to stife it,
but up 1t leaped like flame which will
not be suppressed. And yet would
give 1t no welcome which in any way
might be construed us an encourage
ment, for as yet had still some faith
In man.
A few minutes later my Uncle Jim
came in, and after listening to an apol-
ogy for his absence Che had been pay
ing visit in the neighborhood of Pal.
meira square) he inquired the news. 1
accordingly told him of my second
meeting with Mr.. Wentworth and of
the incident which had taken place in
that gentleman's room.
There was no manner Of doubt as to
the direction his thoughts Immediately