Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1902-05-15

and he didn't"
81 thought Neale got the money"
said Blair. starting as IL from doze.
"Robinson will be released" said
Elmendorf "There'll be no complaint.
This whole case will be covered up"
Covered up?" echoed Blair, and he
laughed. "I'Il he covered up-in my
grave. and, by -, Elmendorf don't
want to die. don't want to die! Can
you understand thatT
Don't die, then," said Elmendorf;
there's no need of it. | shan't trouble
you. | could make a lot of money by
letting you alone, and I'm going to do
it for nothing. or, to be exact, I'm
going to do il for Elsie Miller. You'll
go scot free. Blair, you black hearted.
lying brute!'
Blair suddenly rose to his feet He
seemed to be impossibIy tall as he stood
there with raised shoulders and clinch-
ed hands. staring down at Elmendorf-
"Do you mean to say that you have
not come here to take meT he demand
ed.
That's what | mean." said Elmen-
dorf You can go where you please,
and you'd better go as fast as you can,
for Alden may be here at any moment
Perhaps you have observed certain
physical peculiarities of Mr.. Alden?
seem to hear your bones crack. Blair.
in his hands"
Blair gave utterarce to a terrible
oath
"Do you know what | have done"
he cried in voice tLat sent chill TO
Elmendorf's heart. Look here
He lifted the small bottle and then
dashed II down to shivers.
I'm done for! I've taken enough Of
that to kill three men. No electric
| chairs for me. And now-I might have
lived! might have gone abroad.
could have had money-found new
life; but I'm dead man"
He had wrCnched open the door OF
locker upon the wall. but at the last
words he turned to launch a frightful
I curse at Elmendorf.
! 81 may still save myself" he bab-
i bled. and there was rattling of bot
: ties in the cupboard. This Is II.
! Great heavens. There is hardly enough.
Bring me that water.
Elmendorf started to comply, but his
! speed did not equnl Biair's impatiencc.
/ and the latter sprang forward so that
! they came together There was q
! tinkling Of glass upon the floor.
| Blair sprang back. his face dripping
and ghastly red with the poison.
4 ITS all haver' he cried. ITS my
last chance! And you-you did itp'
With incredible strength and sudden
| ness he seized a heavy paperweight
from the table and aimed fearful
! blow at Elmcndorf. The detective reel
| ed for an instant and then fell face
downward upon the floor. where he lay
! perfectly still.
Blair glanced at him once, then rush
ed to q mirror near the window and
stared at his own lIvid face
"There may be timer he gasped. one
hand clutching his breast "If | can
get to drug store
He seized his hat Instinctively and
rushed to the door, through which he
passed into the hall.
"Dr. Blair" said remembered voice.
II must speak with you. Come back
with me- Where is EImendorf? Have
you seen himW
Frantic. he tried TO shake Off the
hand that was on his arm. but the hand
was Of iron. He babbled unintelligible
words
"Polsonr' cried Alden. "Who is poi.
soned? Come back here to the light"
And he thrust Blair into the office,
practically carrying the man at arms
length. Utterly insane with the fear
of DEATH Blair struck at his captor
vainly and screamed like child.
Elmendorf was struggling TO his feet
as they entered, and Alden uttered a
cry at the sight Of him.
"Did he do this?" he exclaimed.
pointing at Blair. whom he had re.
leased.
Elmendorf pressed his hand upon his
hair, which was wet with blood
"Yes," he said hoarsely; "this-and
the otherp
of his body gathering for effort.
Then he leaped forward and seemed
to pass half through, half over, the
body of Blair. as IL It had been ghost
in garments. Turning, he saw Blair
lying Upon the foor, his limbs comfort
ed, his face bearing the uRmistakable
stamp of death.
Elmendorf staggered forward and
knelt beside the body.
"We're going to keep her secret" he
said. "Her name must not appear In
this. We must see what the man has
in his pockets and In the room. Some
of these fellows make strange memo
randa."
Brenda has told me the story" said
Alden. at could not be concealed. In
fact, had got SO much from the nurse
you bribed that the remainder matter
ed little. And this man was her hus-
band, this cowardly wretch, this assas-
sin Of women"
"He was also an inventor of women,
said Elmendorf. "And l never knew
shrewder trick"
| 10 you ueuu suut He heu uDoue oSS
ing onep
"There was no mysterious woman
III the case" replied Elmendorf. III
was n pure fiction and worthy of Its
author He was clever, and for thor
oughgoing scoundrel- Hello! What's
thisY'
He had drawn sheet of paper from
| Rlair's nocket and after n glance at II
he handed 1t to Alden, who read that
Arthur Gordon Blair and Joseph Neale
captain Of police, were equal partners.
CHAPTER Xxx.
THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS.