The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-16

she made out a man. in whose hands
the black streak across the light was
being vigorously manipulated
Then she saw another man-dtmly. he 4
being further from the yellow disk He /
stood with his back toward her, at the
head Of the bed apparently gazing
down at the occupant
She could not move-she could not I
cry out. Frozen into immobility, she /
stood and watched
There was a smothered exclamation |
from the corner Of the room. the black |
streak was withdrawn, two hands ap- |
peared in the circle Of light-a quick |
movement, the door swung open, and |
the light shone within the safe
/ The man at the bedside turned his |
head and watched as the hands deity |
and quickly emptied the safe OF its
contents. She found herself mechan-
fcaIly counting the leather cases as
those greedy claws drew them out. The
safe was nearly empty. when one large
Jewel box slipped from the fingers and
clattered on the fooor. What happened
7 next was like a confused dream. She
guessed rather than saw that her hus-
band had sprung up in bed and was
4 graphing with the man at his side;
she knew he had succeeded in getting
out on the floor by the sound of Scuf-
fling all over the room. Not word
was uttered; there was choking
sound, a final struggle. and then silence
She found that she had opened the door
wide, and now stood staring through
gone. She stretched out her hand. and
pressed the electric SWITCH In the daz-
cling glare that followed she saw two
scared men staring at her; the next
moment they were gone. and the cool
night air fiuttering her draperies tolo
her that the window stood OPEN
Wide eyed, she advanced into the
room. Her bare foot struck against
Something hard and cold. Mechanically
she picked 1t up. but she did not LOOK
at it; she saw only her husband
He was half sitting, half lying IN a
low armchair. His hair was disordered,
and where his sleeping suit was drag
ged open at the throat livid marks
showed He was bound hand and foot,
and gagged. Anger and arnazefaen NJ
were in his eyes as he stared AT MS
wife He made an impatient movement,
and struggled into an upright slltlhs
posture As plainly as though he had
spoken, she saw in his expression the
why don't you give the alarm
she said not a word. but moved
2 slowly and noiselessly toward MN;
I following upon her rebellion the even,
1 ing before had brought an unwonteo
: CLEAN into her eyes. Her heart peal
: furiously She stood silent before MN,
scorching him with the intensity Oh her
Uneasily he tried to stand up: but
= the cord round his ankles hanpere9
S him. and he sank back He twisted
; self of the gag His hands were tea
behind his back He was helpless; he
d realized it. and looked at his WE Al
most appealingly. Then his glance zen zen
- on what she held in her hand He
frowned. then raised his eyebrows, ana
? looked steadily up at her
f Her ewes had followed his, and with
h a little start she saw that wnat sue
d held in her hand was a revolver ne1
j lips moved
e lessly.
n a muscle His eyes never left her face
:, He felt rather than saw mat sne
: slowly raised her hand.
# Again her lips moved, but no sound
y came from them. The silence was op-
\ In the very moment OF this startling
: and unexpected peril his mind worked
~ clearly and he realized that wha1eNei
happened she was IN no danger Inc
murder if murder there was to. be
=, would be put down. together with the
=, self-evident burglary. TO the account Oh
the robbers of his safe. For an 1nstan'
a he wondered whether she realized tnaI
- Her face told him she was thin lne
,, only of him and of her hatred of hin
- of her longing to be free and tht
"A means at hand He hardly unoerstoOS
why but he felt relieved.
Into the range of his vision as h'
l stared at her came the long shining
- barrel of the weapon she held II wa
but a few inches from his eyes. stu
i. they never faltered-tnoSe proud gray
- eyes that had so often Knocked her
= There was no mockery in them now
- only steadfastness and expectation
~ She pressed her lips together an'
The The i manner fell with a harmless
D. click
She burst into a fit of hystericaI laugh
SO ter that rang sharply through the stlH
N ness, and dropped in d heap at his feet
a. He closed his eyes for a moment an
"a ~ aboye- he leaned forward and with jerl
u OF his bound limbs kicked the pistol GU
Of her limp fingers to the fuTeder ena
OF found 1t when they found him helpleSs I
his chair, my lady In a faint on the noe 9
and the empty safe yawning moeklngl
he at the scene
MY lady wishes to, speak with you,
no said AmeIie, the maid.
Lord Melehester turned from the win
ng My lady-is better?' he asked in a lo'
The Frenehwoman threw up her hands
dy She ts-how you say2-rnuch SNAKE Axe
~. ~ On the stairs he met a police officer.
so prit. nv lord. he remarked. This is
e Valuable clew.,' He held up a revolver
d "Ah. yes I noticed it-last night!
on IT'S loaded observed the constabl
~ But the hammer has fallen between w
'ly YOU with it, my lord?'
)e- s-Yes-er-that is-yes: it was pointe
an straight at me- My lord spoke hurr1edI
Et the door Of his wife's room he pau
elf ed.
e en Come in said her voice in answer
-. his knock
My she was yerv paie. and she did not me
his gaze: neither did she speak
nd .'You-wished to see me2 His vol
r. was low and hoarSe-
~ She stared down at her hands. twist'
hts toss t1er ~ i,el gol5 xrrnt TO see me
the she sat5 sIovSlv
yhf 49, go, three turns r7r, and dow