The Forrest City times., 1903-11-06

| iagh did not turn his eyes away in
creepy fear at the sight of this corpse
at his feet. Death could make nc
grimace terrible enough to startle him
lhen why should he fear death in sc
beautiful a form? But All, the living,
Ihis thought sent an icy chill to the
very marrow of his bones. and, leaving
his office on tiptoe. he was absent for
a good minute.
There was a fiendish glare in his
gray eyes when he returned and
closed the door behind him.
"Retty Is not at home! Thank God
Tor that!" he exclaimed. MY covered
wagon is at the door. The night is
dark, I'll leave her by the roadside
near Schuyler's house. Who but a
brutal Grunkard could strike such a
murderous blow? I'm saved, I'm
saved!"
kanelaSh lifted the dead woman as
II she were sick child. threw his
cloak over her and. carrying her out
20 MS wagon. placed her in a sitting
posture on the back seat. Then.
springing into the vehicle. he drove
away.
He had a good mile to 90. and half
the distance had been covered when
suddenly black figure sprang into the
middle of the road, laid hold OF the
horses head and brought him to a
standstilI
II was Schuyler Brant.
Hello, DR. Harry! You're id unso-
eiable this evening. Ha, ha, ha. ha.
ha! Why didn't you stop and ask a
fellow to ride?" And ere Ranelagh
could gGlp his heart down. the man
had leaped into the wagon beside
him
I'm at it again. DR.. Harry" the
man ratified on. But. say. has Mary
nesn to see your" he asked, lowering
his voice and throwing a strange ten
derness into it.
Ranelash was now fighting for bis
own life, and the struggle put unearth-
ly ken into his mind
"Sh! for Gods sake be quiet. Brant,"
he whispered INTO the drunkard's ear
She's there behind us on the back
seat asleep. WORKOUT. It's been too
much for her,"
oh, what wretch I am, DR.. Har-
ry!" moaned the man. leaning forward
and hiding his face in his hands.
At that instant the dead wife lurched
forward and sank in a heap between
the seats, her chin catching on the
back of the front one.
Ranelagh felt her. and so did the
drunken husband for her head fell
forward until her forehead pressed
AGAINST his back
The doctor gasped and shivered as
if someone had dashed knife ir.o his
back, down. down to his very heart.
Was all lost? No, not yet! There
was one more card to play.
Dent stir, Brant." lie gulped. "She
is kneeling; she is praying, She's
praying for you, man, Don't stir, Let
her have her sleep out" And DR..
Ranelagh seemed to speak the truth,
for the shaking of the lifeless form
was terribly like the heaving of
sobbing heart
1oN ~ N4lu Stii I1t Hall lul.ltu
and, patting that beautiful deaths
head brol.e out weeping:
Take heart, dear wife, take heart
BY Heaven, will be a better man,
swear it. Mary, will swear it On the
little Bible mother gave mel" And
then, as if some other thought had sud-
denly flashed upon him. he whispered:
Pull up, DR.. Harry, pull up! Let me
out, I'll run home cross lots and wash
UP and put on other clothes. Speak a
good word for me, DR. Harry! Gem
fort her! Drive slowly; get her Gained
down. III meet you at the door" And
shaking off the influence of the liquor
Brant sprang lightly out OF the wagon
and disappeared in the deep shadows
of the increasing storm.
Like a poor wretch condemned to the
pcine forte ct dure, from whose
crushed breast mereiful hand might
suddenly lift The mass of iron, Rane-
lagh heaved q deep and long-drawn
sigh. which sounded like brother to
the blast which played around him
Then, having driven somewhat nearer
to Brants house, he alighted, took the
dead body of the mans wife. bore it
into a tticket near the roadside, laid
it upon the ground. regained his wagon
and drove swiftly hOmeward, after he
had turned around in front of the
drunkard's house.
Upon the preliminary hearing. the
village doctor told how the woman
had come to him complaining Of her
husbands prolonged debauch; how he
had striven to comfort her and. the
rain coming on, had started to drive
her home; how they had met Brant:
how Mary had kneeled and sobbed in
the wagon. and how Brant had leaped
out and FASTENED across the field.
Ranelagh could not remember that
Brant had said anything about wash
ing up and changing his clothes. The
servant was in the bedroom, undress-
ing. when she heard the doctors wagon
halt In front of the house
When questioned as to whether she
heard Mary's voice downstairs, her re-
ply was that she had not, but that she
could hear Brant talking plainly: