The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-12-23

| cord, in which cross pieces or stout
| hickory were kn0tted at intervals OF a
foot. He unfastened IL and laid IL
loose upon the rock, with the lo0ped
end free.
"The ropes has been years exposed
to the damp and they're bound to go
one day. Hef they should happen 10
20 this day, this here knotted rope
may come in partic'lar handy. You
know how 10 use 1t, my gel. Here's
for start"
With the torch IN his hand he be-
gan the return along the rope.
He had got 10 the middle when he
stopped.
whats thatT he asked, sharply,
holding the upper rope with one hand,
while he raised the torch with the 9th
er. and peered out into the darkness.
1t was fearful to see him standing
there with the upheld torch over the
awful chasm, the one luminous object
in the blacknees.
Did you hear anything, pardner"
"No."
Seemed 10 me heard rifle cooked.
Blamed old foolr' he muttured in self
reproach, as he continued his course.
without accident or other incident
he reached the ledge, and with grunt
Of content seated himself on n boulder,
letting the torch drop by his side.
There was pool Of water there; with
q hiss the light went out
The next instant there was fash
in the darkness beyond, followed by
the sharp crack Of rife shot.
We could see nothing but from the
lodge opposite came a groan, and Brace
called family:
I'm hit pardner; look out for your
SELF
The shot hSd been fred after the
light was put out, leaving him in OBJ
scurlty. The faculty that had enabled
the assassin to descend that terrible
ledge in the dark had enabled him TO
mark down poor Brace when he was
no longer visible TO our eyes.
This reflection struck me, az, torch
in hand, / sprang upon the rope bridge
TO cross 10 my fallen partner.
Back, pardner, back groaned
Brace; hes got the Hcsper, and he'll
have your life; back"
raised my torch, and looking TO.
ward the ledge, ! saw man kneeling
over Brace 80
He raised his arm TO silence Brace,
and the light fell on the bright blade
OF the knife he held in his hand. |
shouted. Turning, he saw me midway
across the chasm, and sprang TO his
| feet. Then ] recognized him. Ii was
Won UoeCk.
It was he. but could believe my
senses? His eyes were not the same.
At that distance his sightleSs eyes
should have been hardly distinguish.
able from his cadavCrous face, but now
they shone out black and lustrous. Yet
in that instant as he looked toward me
they seemed 10 fade away in the light
Of my torch. And this was no decep-
ton OF my sight
With a savage cry Of rage he held
up his arms to shield his eyes from the
light, and grasping his knife, he made
his way quickly toward the rock TO
which the rope on which ] stood was
attached
In n moment the whole mystery was
revealed He was NyctalopS, and his
eyes blind in the light, were gifted
with the extraordinary power of seeing
in the dark-a power by which was
explained all that had hitherto been
inscrutable in the robbery OF the Great
Hespcr and the attendant events at
Monkcn Abbey.
With a perception that he intended
TO cut the rope which sustained me, |
FASTENED TO reach the ledge on which
he stood But my progress was n2CcS-
sarily slow, for the lower cord,
stretched with the weight upon it,
formed a deep bend, and my damp
boots slipped upon its wet surface.
Which would be cut irstI II it were
the upper one, l must trust To catching
the lower rs / fell. Witt this view.
kept myself rs perpendicular Us cir.
cumstanccs permitted at the same
time grasping the upper one with all
my force, in case he cut the lower one
was within yard of the rock when
felt the rope under my foot jerk rs
Van Hoeck cut through the first
strands; the next instant IL went al
together and | was left swinging Ivy
my hands TO the upper rope over the
chasm.
Die, cursed dog. die" shouted Van
Hoeck. with the frantic excitement of
a man achieving at last the object of
his life, as he attacked the upper rope
with his knife. Die and know that
all you cherish in the world shall be
mine-wealth and the woman you love.
! Diew
And with that he severed the last
strand. and l swept down through
space Clinging with desperate energy
TO the rope In my hands. | swung.
cramping myself together in anucl.
patton of n violent shock against the
side of the precipcc. Happily. the
rock above projected little. 80 that
the blow was less severe than | cx.
pected, rebounded. and swung TO and
fro like n pendulum In the pitchy dark
ness.
For. in order 20 get n firmer grasr
upon the rope when I saw his inten
tion of cutting it. I had dropped the
torch. which fell like the spark of {
rocket into the depths below.
What was l 20 do? cared not try
10 nnll myself hand oNer hand mn fhl