The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1902-02-06
The Devils Demise
BY Sno~vden King.
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eCopyright. 1901, by Authors Syndicate,
1.-TWO Nouns ags OTIS Macmanars


Of his life-a woman's -~no,'' He had
been tramp1ing the streets of Louis
vile ever since, smoking a number OF
cigars and wondering what he should
do with the rest of his life
Common sense kept wins pering that
Grace Langdon was not the only woIn-
in the world, anS that he, Macma-
nara, young, handsome, and
wealthy, but his heart was beating to
another tune, and he knew it would
put away.
As the gas and electric lights began
their rivalry, common sense gained the
supremacy so far as to cause the young
man to buy a book and tell himself he
would go home and try to read it, He
had just come out of book store and
was turning the storm collar of his
coat up against the driving snow, when
a voice very low and very clear, and
also very close said: cit is warm in
my home"
Did you speak to me?'' Mcnamara
asked of gray sha dow lie ming a gainst
a lamP-post-
Il said it is warm in my home.''
Mcnamara laughed There is moth
ing very novel in that fact, my good
fellow; there are millions of homes to-
night as warm as the tropics, in spite
of the weather outside-my own. for
instance, to which am going now
'EAre you going?'' 1t was not the
question only; the voice held a soft, en-
chanting cadence that fascinated Mac
manara.
We'll, yes, am sure I shall start for
home as soon a my car turns the cor
ncr-''
Ans am $ equally certain you viii
go with me-
t'Since you are 50 sure of it will you
tell me the name of my would-be host ?''
and Macmanara listened somewhat
eagerly for the answer which came
without hesitation.
Il am the Devil''
''This is interest ting. I have had nu-
merous indirect invitations to visit
you, Mr.. Devil, and a number of my
friends have predicted that my final
resting would be with you, but I never
expected you to step up in the flesh
and invite me, and the fact is, never
in all my life felt much like going to
you L do tonight
At that moment a carriage stopped
outside the curbing, and the cOachman
came down to examine the harness.
The carriage door opened and one of
the occupants asked the cause of the
delay Mcnamara caught sight of the
face that had caused both his joy and
his sorrow. When the carriage moved,
delicate lace handkerchief CLEANED
white beneath the gas light. Only an
instant it lay there-the next it was
reposing in Macmanara's coat pocket
The name daintily written in one cor
ner of the handkerchief was .Gracie.''
Good night, Mr. Devil really must
be going If you viii take my advice
YOU will go back to that very warm
home of yours and stay there until
spring, for, who knows his
world, can tell you the W Gather here
is going to be very much worse before
long
The gray shadow stepped out into
the full glare of the pickering light, re-
vealing handsome young man dressed
in stylish suit of gray.
Il am disappointed,'' and Mcnamara
whistled- .'Why. you are young man
and thought the Devil was a old a 5
mustache and no horns! If you want
to ma squerade the Devi,-why don't
you make up for the part? %
The se1f-confes Devil DOTTED his
hat. Feel he said.
In striking contrast to fair. aim ost
womanish complexion and a blend
mus tache. his hair was black s L CHIT +.
Macmanara's hands g1ided slowly over
! the bowed head in search of the horns.
| They were there, and a thrill crept
| down Macmanara's spine s he touche d
/ them He had TESTED with the man, be
lieving him to be crank, but low, for
some reason, he did not understand.
He was startled.
You are convinced, and will go with
me 20 Always soft and low, yet very
! clear, the Devils voice was melody.
! Mcnamara looked up. A pair OF
clear blue eyes, behind which there
seemed to burn a fiame-eyes unlike
any he had ever seen before, looked
/ straight into his own The Devil ha d
possession of his man in a moment,
| but even with his sense enthralled
! Mcnamara shuddered he asked:
/ Il must die first2s
ttNo,'' the Devil answered emphat-
lcaI1y, Il want you to go with me
and see and feel the beauty, comfort
and happiness in my home and then
come back to the world in the flesh
and tell how base1y [ have been ma
+ Ggned-''
! While the Devil was speaking they
! We're moving straight toward the
river, and when they reached it he
unlocked a sklff and invited his guess
| to step in As the boat went send
! ding down the river Macnanara won
+ dered where the Devil had learned his
stroke The Falls City quickly faded