Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1902-03-27
CHAPTER Kill

Though Rachel Corr had never been
in bed that night, 1t was not until the
usual hour next day that she opened the
front door OF her cottage, and began her
morning work. She had spent the night
locked into her own little bedroom, and
so Shan had not guessed that she was
not only awake, but listening in an an
guish of fear, when he came in at dawn.
And now, when he came down, he would
see everything just as usual, and his
mother pursuing her ordinary tasks. So
Rachel thought, while she pursued these
tasks as she had never done before, her
eyes hollow and feverish, her step weak
and uncertain, and her hands almost use.
less in their unsteadiness. At the slight
est sound she started backward, as if she
had been struck, every limb trembling
and her breath quick and irregular. And
Just once she folded her hands high above
her head, and her lips moved slowly
though the cry never passed them:
"Not murder Oh, kind heaven, not
murdern
Her morning tasks were all finished
and no traces left of her own untasted
breakfast, when Shan at last came down
stairs, and, without addressing a word OF
salutaton to his mother, sat down mood
lily in his place at the table.
For quite two hours he waited in the
cottage kitchen, the outer door locked,
and the shutters closed upon the little
| show of sweets ana toys in the window
| then he eXtiuguishcd the light and. open
| ing the door, stood for few minutes
| looking out into the darkness. His eyes
grew accustomed to 1t presently, and then
| he turned back, and, without any diff
| Guilty, took his gun from Il corner of the
| dark kitchen. With 1t on his shoulder he
| stood to lock the door on the outside, and
| to deposit the key in Its usual hiding
place. Then he walked on, keeping to the
road. and getting over the ground but
slowly in his excessive caution. As usu-
al, the broken gate at Traveere was half
open, and Corr passed through 1t easily.
without having to remove his gun; but in
the rough avenue il was more difficult to
walk straight and steady, and to keep
perfect silence. Still, he knew the
ground well, and made his way direct to
the spot where he had hidden himself
the night before; and there before him
from the exposed and open window, the
light came lavishly.
A large turf fire burned in the CRATE
and just then the old servant whom Corr
knew so well. was piling more turf upon
II. On the table before this fire two wa1
candles were burning clearly, and below
them-he saw that Mr.. Poynz was writ
ing; for the feather OF his pen was plain
ly to be seen over his right shoulder. al
he sat directly in the line Of light, will
his head bent busily and his back to the
open window.
All this was worth waiting for! Wa
not the darkness even deeper ON thii
night than 1t had been on the previous
one, and the light clearer Whitman
would not his aim be far surer anl
easier? BY the time the old woman ha,
left the room his hand would be steady
and there would still not have been tim
for Mr.. Poynz to move. Kitty rose from
the hearth and walked toward the door
but apparently her master called her. 70
she came back TO the table and spok
evidently in answer to some remark
Then, " tn the characteristic nod whicl
: Shan knew quite well, she Went away
: closing the door behind her. Corr drew
: himself up after that intent gaze, an
2 stepped back again into the darkness.
3 There was no need of another minute
i, hesitation. Kitty was safe in her kitch
en-, Breen would be asleep in that distan
room of his over the stable; Mr.. Doyl
s was far away at Fintona; DR.. ArmstronG
! IL in the neighborhood at all, would b,
h with everyone else who knew the Ems
!, lishman. at Kilver Nicarage, and in be
by now. The deepest silence hovere
8 round the old house, and the darkness
y would make any attempt at discovery q