Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-04-08

you are to fire. Oh! Gideon Havle.
I've prayed on my Bonded knees for
this moment, and now tia. come
and"
AT this moment we entered the
room to find Hayle standing with his
back to the window that opened into
the balcony, which in it's turn over
looked the somewhat steep slope
that led to the cliff and the sea,
Codd was on the left of the center
table, revolver in his hand, and =
look upon his face that had never
seen before. On the other side of
the table was Kitwater, with long
Knife in his hand. He was leaning
forward in crouching position, as
II he were preparing for spring.
on hearing our steps, however, he
turned his sightless face towards us.
1t was Hayle, however, who seemed
the most surprised. He stared at me
| as if | We're man returned from the
dead.
Put up that revolver, Codd," I
cried. "And you, Kitwater, drop
that knife. Hayle, my man, it's all
up. The game is over, so you may an
we'll give in"
Leglosse was about to advance
upon him, warrant in one hand and
manacles in the other.
What does this mean?" DRIED
Hayle.
His voice located him, and before
we could either of US stop him. Kit
water had sprung forward and
clutched him in his arms. OF what
followed next I scarcely like to
think, even now. In cannoning with
Hayle he had dropped his knife, and
now the two stood while q man
could have counted three, locked to-
gether In deadly embrace. Then en-
sued such struggle as hope shall
never see again, while we others
stood looking on as If we were bound
hand and foot. The whole affair
could not have lasted more than q
few moments, and yet it seemed like
an eternity. Kitwater, with tho
strength of a mailman, had seized
Hayle round the waist with one arm,
while his right hand was clutching
at the others throat. saw that
the veins were standing out upon
Hayle's forehead like black cords.
Do what he could, he could not shako
Off the man he had so cruelty
wronged. They swayed to and fro.
and in one of their lurches struck
the window, which flew open and
threw them into the balcony outside.
Codd and the Sicilian police official
gave loud cries, but as for me could
not have uttered a sound had nv
life depended on it. Hayle must have
realized his terrible position, for
there was look Of abject, hopeless
terror upon his face. The blind man,
of course, could see nothing of his
danger, His one desire was to be re-
vengea upon his enemy. Closer and
closer they came to the frail rail-
Ing. Once they missed 1t. and stag
gered a foot away from 1T. Then
they came back TO 1T again, and
lurched against it. The woodwork
snapped, and the two men fell over
the edge on to the sloping hank be-:
low, Still locked together, they:
rolled over and over, down the de-,
clivity towards the edge of the cliff.
A great cry from Hayle reached our
ears. A moment later they had dis
appeared into the abyss, while we
stood staring straight before us, too
terrified to speak or move.
Leglosse was the first to ind his
voice.
"My God!" he said, show terriblet
how terriblel"
Then little Codd sank down, and,
placing his head upon his hands on
the table, sobbed like little child.
What is to be done2" I asked, in q +
Mortified whisper.
go down to the rocks and search
for them," said the Sicilian officer.
"but I doubt if we shall be able to
find them; the sea is very deep OF thia
point"
We went. Kitwater's body was dis-S
covered, terribly mutilated, upon the
rocks. Hayle's remains were never.
found. Whether he fell into the deep.
water and was washed out to sea, OF
whether his body was damned between
the rocks under the water, no ono
would ever be able to say. It waR
gone, and with it all that were left
of the stones that had occasioned their
misery.
Codd did not accompany us in the
search, and when we returned to the
villa above he was not to be found.
Never since the moment when we left
him sobbing at the table have I set
eyes on him, and now, suppose, in
all human probability never shall.
Later on we returned to Palermo to
break the news to Miss Kitwater.
Shocked though she was, she received
the tidings with greater calmness
than 1 had expected she would do.
Perhaps, after all, she felt that 1t was
better that 1t should have ended 30.
Three years have elapsed since We
paid that, terrible visit to Palermo.
1t may surprise you, or it may not,
when say that N now married
man, Margaret Kiln alter having con
sented to become my wife two years
ago next month. The only stippla-
'tion she made when she gave her de-
cision was that upon my marriage I
should retire from the profession in
which had SO long been engaged As
had done sufficiently well at it to war;
rant such a step, consented to do So
and now lead the life of "a country
gentleman. It may interest some peo-
v,1o ~ T., L. L..