The Forrest City times., 1904-08-19


 ful. are quite safe"
 The men looked at him as though they could scarcely credit their senses: then one or two began 10 sob. and one man laughed
 And this spy" he questioned A fierce murmur ran around the room: the men. with one accord. started to1 ward the corner. where the man lay bound
 Kill him-kill him." they shouted. The president raised his hand Stop, cried he. the man is mine mine to punish as see fit Leave him to me. You will accompany our brother Nassoloh. indicating the pseudo off cer, Ito place of refuge. From our friend admission, We are no longer safe | here"
 But"
 q have spoken" said the president. sternly
 The conspirators turned and silently went out. As the man who had laughed passed the spy he kicked him in the face and laughed again.
 Then the president was alone with the spy He stood looking at him for moment, cruel smile on his white bearded face Presently he took from his pocket a long fuse. placed one end in the powder keg. and wound the other about one of the tallow candles an inch from the burning wick Then he placed the candle in front of the spys face. where he could almost touch it. and. turning went to the door At the threshold he paused.
 Your fate will be a lesson to your fellow spies he said-and was gone. The spy heard his steps as he went down the passage. he counted them till they died away in the awful silence of the night. Then he looked at the candle How long would it take an inch of tal- low to burn? The police would not come till nine. Would it last till then? He looked at the clock Twenty min- utes past eight Would that inch of taHow last 40 minutes? If it should not. would being blown up be so painful?
 He looked at the candle again: 1t seemed to melt away before his eager gaze. He tried to shriek but could not
 the bruise on his face. where the man had kicked him. hurt fearfully he became unconscious He dreamed of his mother. dead years before. He thought that he was a child again and that she had taken him on her lap. and was telling him the old stories that he loved. It was sum- mer. and he could hear the reapers singing. He laughed with happi- ness
 He opened his eyes. The darkness of the room frightened him and he tried to call his mother The gag was still in his mouth and like a flash the whole dreadful sickening truth came back to him. The hands of the clock pointed to 20 minutes before nine. and the can de was more than half burned He shook like a leaf; a dreadful nausea sickened him
 Again he looked at the clock Ten minutes of nine. The candle seemed to burn slower Was there still hope? Would the police come on would they come on timeP He strained his ears to hear their coming. but there was no sound Good God, would they be late?
 It was five minutes of nine. He tried to pray He was lost No, At last he could hear the soldiers approaching: but the clock was striking nine. A knock on the door. and the flame had touched the fuse. He watched the spark as it crept, like snake. across the floor. nearer. nearer, nearer to the keg He tried to scream. The sound of door being broken open. The footsteps of men on the passage. outside the door, but the spark had reached the keg A flash
 A second later. when the soldiers en- tered they saw a sight that frightened even them used to fearful sights as they were. A dead man. bound and gagged, lay upon the floor His face was green with terror. his hair snow white. and his eyes red. staring and protru6ing.
 On the floor was the black mark where a fuse had burned, and in one corner was a powder keg-empty'