Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-03-15
ne Terror or
Tankervil1e
by GEORGE "A. BEST.

.1s.t.f ! \ J. ~. 4 i F.sss
THOROUGH the mist which hung like
pail above the waters of an UNI
familiar sea, the sun appeared blood
red and angry. In the high valley,
away to the westward, the pillows of
a new river were still rushing madly
towards the inundated lowlands in
the wake Of the first great wave which
the treacherous wall of a hillside
reservoir had set free in the darkest
hour before dawn.
In the bed of the River of Death lay
the demolished town of Tankerville,
its submerged streets still illuminated
by the glow of dozen incandescent
lamps, which distorted into weird
shadows the many gruesome objects
that rolled by in an endless procession
Just beneath the surface.
And, high on the hillside, the en-
gines of the Generating Station were
still clanking noisily, for the engineer
had long since fed from his post to
gaze in silent horror upon the strug-
Cling forms which foated by, in twos
and threes, on the relentless tide be-
low.
In the center Of floating table. a
man sat tailor-wise, grasping a re-
solver in his right hand lis face.
framed by long taugled beard and
mass of unkempt hair. was cruel and
repulsive. Ills shirt. open at the FROM.
showed a newly-iniicted wound on the
breast. The human derelict was an
outcast and a felon who had been
often described by tie police as the
Terror of Tankerville" that he was
known in the district 10y no other
name.
The frail raft spun ike a top on the
eddying tide; but the outcast chung
tenaciously with his bare feet TO the
few yards of wood which formed the
deck of his craft, holding the shining
thing in his hand high above the reach
of the water.
a hand shot out suddenly from the
center of the whirlpool. and three
fingers grasped the narrow ledge of
the table top. causing the raft to heel
over dangerously. The three fingers
worked convulsively for a moment,
and the fourth, mere stump, moved
in nervous sympathy with the others.
The pistol spat viciously towards the
submerged side, and the raft gently
righted itself. In the whirlpool astern
white face revolved slowly for mo-
ment and then disappeared.
4 child's voice rose, clear and shriIl.
above the roar of the rapids and the
crash of grinding wreckage. The man
with the pistol lowered his weapon
for the first time, and turned cautious
~ round in the direction of the sound.
AT the same moment some floating
vessel. in the shape of large bath or
cistern, struck sharply against the end
of the raft and capsized, leaving a
tiny form struggling on the surface of
the water, within arms length of the
outcast.
The engineer on the valley side shad-
ed his eyes, for the sun had changed
from blood red to gold, and the float
ing objects on the great lake were
bathed in a dazzling white light. Fo,
moment the raft appeared indistinct
and shadow; then it glided down the
stream on a silver ray, and the figure
of man and child stood out in bold
relief against dark background oi
bracl5en and fir.
where are we guin' to, grandad?'
asked the child. 50 ing up at his
strange compani II with a pitiful
smile.
ITO Kingdom come, mos likcly.'
replied the Terror" grimly. "HolC
on tight, an don't git asllin' me ques
tions, an'-an' don't call me youi
grandad, eos i amt"
Il always call old men 'grandad,'
said the boy. coniidentially. II had ;
real grandad once. an he was some
thin like you-but prettier; yes, eyei
SO much prettier! ] s'Pose Kingdom
comes a long way of? >"
Not so very, judgin' by appear
ances."
rs it the same Kingdom come as
say in my prayers, JUS before 9Th,
win be donep"
.'Mebbe it is"
lis it comfortable place, III,
home?"
IT conldn't be much wuSs nor This
anyway"
"Will dad an mann be there, too?"
II reckon they've arroye already