New-York tribune., 1903-06-13
CHAPTER VII.

L ESCAPE FROM THE JEWS HOUSE
1t was Mr.. Rodriguez. He lay face downward
and slantwise across the front OF the hearth,
with arms spread, fingers hooked. and his neck
protruding from the collar of his dingy dress
ing gown like a plucked fowls. He had cast a
slipper in falling and the flesh Of one heel
showed through its rent stocking. For mo-
nent supposed him in fit; the next was re-
cofIing toward the wall away from dark. moist
line which ran from under his left armpit and
along the uneven boards to the far corner by the
window. and there, under disordered truc1le
bed, spread itself in q pool.
With my eyes glued upon this horrid sight 1
slowly Strengthened myself up-having crouched
back until felt the wall behind me-and so
grew aware Of a door beside the chimney breast,
and that It stood ajar upon the empty landing.
The dead mans heels pointed toward it. his
head toward the window at the foot Of the bed.
And still my shaken wits could not grasp
could scarcely clutch at-the meaning Of what
saw I only felt that there something hor-
rible inenacing. hideousy malignant IN the fig
ure at my feet; only craved for strength Of will
to dash by it. reach the door and fling myself
down the airs-anywhere-away from 1t. Had
it stirred I believe 1t had then and there de-
stroyed my reason, and for life
But it did not stir. And all the while knew
that the thing lay with its breast in a bath Of
blood; that it had been stabbed in the back and
the blood yelling down under the clothes. had
gathered in pool, ready to gush and spread on
all sides as soon as the body should be lifted or
its attitude interfered with. I cannot tell how
I found time to reason this out, but did.
knew. too, that I could not scream aloud if
tried: but had no desire to try. 1t might wake
and lift up its head. 1 felt backward with my
hand along the wall cropping unconsctously for
something to aid my spring toward the door, but
desisted. For the moment I could not move
With that-either this was all a dream or I
heard footsteps the fiat roof outside; very
slow. soft footsteps. too of somebody walk
ing on tiptoe But If on tiptoe. why was he
coming toward me? Yet so it was; my ear told
me distinctly.
As his feet crunched the leads close outside the
window I caught a gleam of scarlet then the
frame grew dark between me and the daylight.
and through the pane a man peered cautiously
into the room.
It was Archie Plinlimmon.
He peered in, turning his face sideways for
better view and shading 1t, after a moment.
with his hand. So shaded, and with the day
light behind it, his face after that first instant
became an inscrutable blur.
But while he peered speech broke from me
words and a wild laugh
Look at it, Look al it!" cried, and pointed
He drew back instantly, and was gone.
Don't leave me, Mr.. Plinlimmon-please
don't leave rnew made a leap for the window
halted helplessly-and fell hack again from the
BODY was alone again. But power to move
had come back and must use ii while IT lasted
If could gain the stairs now
StealthiIv. and more stealthy the fear re-
turned and grew I reached the door, pushed IT
open and looked out on the landing But for a
worm eaten trunk and line of old suits dan
Cling from pegs around the wall it was bare
The little light filtered through q cracked and
dfscolored window high up in the slope of the
roof The stairhead lay a short two yards from
me. to be reached by one bold leap
This however was not what first saw; nay
how or when I saw it is a wonder still For.
across the landing door faced me; and. as
nuebed mine open this door had moved-was
moving yet, if to shut.
IT did not quite shut. It came 70 standstil
when almost foot ajar. Within could see yet
other suits of clothes hanging; and among these
1urlzed some one watching me perhaps through
the chink bv the hinges. was sure Of it-was
aIr,est sure had seen hand on the edge of
the door: a hand with a ring on one of its
fingers and just the edge. and no more. OF
dark cuff.
For perhaps FIVE seconds endured 1t. my hair
lifting; then with one sharp scream. / dasheo
hack into the room and across the corpse. strug-
cled for moment with the window sash ana
ninging it up. dropped out-n1ore dead tnah aiiVe
upon the leads.
out there in the reviving sunshine. my hrst
thought was to crawl away as fast and as lar as
possible; to reach some hiding place where