El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-09


Late as 1t is we have business with
you. Open the door. Don't stop to
DRESS"
But this appeal received no more
recognition than the first, and after
rappfng on the window against which
he had flung the words he came back
and looked up and down the front of
the house.
1t had a solitary aspect and was
much less comfortable looking than he
had expected. Indeed, there were
signs of poverty or at least Of neglect
about the place that astonished him.
Not only had the weeds been allowed
to grow over the doorstep, but from
the implanted front itself bits of board
had rotted away. leaving great gaps
about the window lodges and at the
base Of the sunken and well nigh top
ping chimney. The moon flooding the
roof showed up all these imperfec-
lions with pitiless insistence, and the
torn edges Of the green paper shades
that half concealed the rooms within
were plainly to be seen as well as the
dismantled knOcker which hung by
one nail to the old cracked door. The
vision OF Knapp. with his ear laid
against this door. added to the forlorn
and sinister aspect Of the scene and
gave to the constable, who remembered
the brothers in their palmy days, when
they were the life and pride of the
town. a by no means agreeable sensa-
ton as he advanced toward the de-
tective and asked him what they
should do now.
Break down the door," was the I'M
compromising reply. "Or wait! The
windows Of country houses are seldom
fastened. Let me see il 1 cannot en-
ter by some one of them
Better not" said the coroner, with
considerable feeling. Let US exhaust
all other means first" And he took
hold of the knob of the door to shake
1t. when to his surprise it turned. and
the door opened. 1t had not been
locked.
Rather taken aback by this, he hesi-
tated. But Knapp showed no such
scruples. Without waiting for any
mans permission he glided in and step
ped cautiously, but without any delay.
into a room the door of which stood
wide open before him. The constable
was about to follow when he saw
Knapp come stumbling back with q
face whittier than his own.
"Devilish work." he muttered and
drew the others in to see.
Never will any of them forget that
sight They had not as yet recovered
any more than the mass of their towns
folk from the shock Of seeing Agatha
Webb lying In her blood on the old
horsehair sofa. But this-this was 50
unexpected and SO deplorable that.
hardy men though they were. they sue
cumbed without being able to resist
the overpowering impression made up
ON them.
On the floor near the entrance lay
one brother In q streak Of moonlight
which showed every feature OF his
worn and lifeless face. and at table
drawn up in the center of the room sat
the other. rigid in death. with . book
clutched in his hand.
Both had been dead some time. and
on the faces and in the aspect of either
was visible a misery that added its
own gloom to the pitiable and grew
some scene and made the shining Of the
great white moon. which filed every
corner of the bare room, seem a mock
cry well nigh uncomfortable to those
who contemplated it. John dead in his
chair! James dead on the floor! What
could be sadder and what more pite-
Gus?
Knapp. who of them all would natur-
ally feel this least. was Of course the
person to speak first.
Both wear long Boards" said he.
but this one on the floor was doubt
less Lotions customer. Ah?' he cried.
pointing at the table, as he carefully
crossed the floor. Here is the bread.
and Even he had his moments Of
feeling. The appearance Of that loaf
had stunned him; one corner Of it had
been gnawed of.
"a light Let us have a lightr' cried
Mr.. Fenton. speaking for the first time
since his entrance. These moonbeams
are horrible. See how they cling to the
bodies as IL they delighted In lighting
up these wasted and shrunken FORMS"
could it have been hungerY began
Abel. tremblingly following Knapp's
every movement as he struck a match
and lit a lantern which he had brought
In his pocket.
ton in a secret remorse no one but DR..
Talbot understood. But who could
have believed 1t of men who were once
Are you sure that one Of
them has gnawed this bread? Could II
not have BEEN
These are the marks of human
teeth" observed Knapp. who was ex-
the loaf carefully. II declare.
1t makes me very uncomfortable. not
it's in the line of regular
And he laid the bread