Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-09-18

were securely tied with a tough
cord. My back was pressed against
the bottom drawer in my heavy desk,
that my body was fastened securely
to it by a cord wound about its base.
The knots cut into my flesh. My pos
ture made struggling an utter i'm
possibility.
Speeches. and helpless, l gazed up
bewilderedly at my assailant. He
vas enveloped in a black macintosh,
and my gaze fingered dazedly on the
discolsured red lining inside the cape
which was thrown over his shoulders.
His sinister-looking face was dis
torted with a look of savage exulta-
ton as he noted my return to con-
seriousness. The next instant an evil
smile crept into his eyes-a horribly
expressive smile that made my blood
run cold, and left me eager for
his speech.
Coolly annexing one of my cigars
he lit it, and, STOPPING, pulled the
smoke deliberately into my eyes.
"Good-evening, Richard Shenstone,"
he said quietly. you're no doubt
surprised to find yourself in your
present constrained position. l re-
greet the necessity, but do you the
compliment of saying that with a
slippery individual like yourself it
is wise to take no risks. Richard
Shenstone, l am come to kill you'll"
He announced his purpose as coolly
as if retailing al anecdote. For a
brief second my heart seemed to
cease it's pulsation. The next in
slant in the throes of mortal terror,
| was straining at my bonds like a
| frenzied mailman. His burst of
mocking laughter fired me with the
strength of a giant, but it was in
vain. The fellow had secured me but
} too well. Overcome with my siren
uous efforts | collapsed, while the
fend urged me with horrible chuck
3 lings to persist.
"Good!" he cried. 81 like to see a
man die game! Now, listen to me,
. Richard Shenstone! This day, through
YOUR 1lulS lldIU C1oluChSNs you SShp
two men to a living death. You
would say that you were but an in
I strument-their fate was assured,
whoever had pronounced the indict-
, ment. Probably so, my learned
J friend; but l was in court, and knew
you were glorying in the task. Dog
} that you are, you gloated over your
victims as if you enjoyed the sport of
it! Fool, and worse than fool, to
!, imagine hat you could defy us with
IMMUNITY. But enough of this. There
is one O'Leary left to act as avenger
of his brothers. This night | strike
n a blow which will vindicate the
brotherhood in the eyes of their
comrades the world over, and by the
same act punish you as you deserve
A shade of t~olerance-a little re
st%raint-and you would have been
spared"
q He threw the half-smoked cigar in,
! to the crate and, springing to his
feet, crossed behind me to the door.
. As he rose, | noticed that his boots
6 were covered with galOshes, which
accounted for his noiseless entry. In
l. a moment he was before me again, a
small black bag in his hand. With
staring eyes l watched him as he
n passed over to the telephone and sci
e the bag down very carefully on the
floor.
Fumbling in his pocket he pro
n duced what appeared to me the
striker of an alarm clock, which he
d proceeded, with delft fingers, to at
tach to the hammer of the telephone
t. bell. | followed his every o
e ment as a trapped animal watches
t.. it's destroyer.
It From his lips there issued the sount
l of suppressed laughter as he rose ane
=? surveyed his work. Measuring of
d a space directly above the bell HI
screwed into the telephone box a lit
e tie hook. Immediately below hi
t screwed another, and then he turned
l. and bent to open the bag.
d "No commonplace end shall b.
yours" he snarled inadvertently. "Yol
y shall admit the method of your an
'e initiation has the merit of origin
IT atty at least. And, more than that
1t it shall be contrived by the hand o
is one as innocent of intent to murde.
as any child. Now watch me closely
n my friend, and learn how the hand o
l. death will strike you"
IS He plunged his fingers into tn
N bag and drew out a glass jar full o
. water, in which there appeared sus
r pended an inner glass tube filled witt
&c some yellow liquid.
eff you are anything of a scien
: tist," he said, drawing it slowly out
t. you will know that this little tub
u requires very delicate handling
Nitro-glycerine, Shenstone? Do yo'
recognize it's appearance? The leas
u shock to that fragile receptacle, an
= - He elevated his eyebrows an
n smiled in my face significantly
"a "Now let me explain the modu
ls operandi.
" "You will observe here, let into tn
~ side of the tube, the necessary per
~cussion-cap. You see, | attach tn
W suspending wire to the hook-so, an
,I this dependent wire to the other
= so, which brings the little cap a
: most into contact with the e2
tended hammer of the telephone bel
>, Now, my eloquent murderer, what d
you imagine will happen when yo
are next rung up? Rung up! B
- heavens; that's the %neatest touch o
=. ALL"
- He anphed apain-a hollow. mirtI