The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-02-21

- ITTING In his study one cold De-
cember evening. listening to the
wind tearing through the street.
~ Russell Day thanked his stars
that It was his off night. and that
he was securely protected from the
storm.
Day was a reporter on one of the big
New York dailies. an active, nervous
younSster, the proper man in the right
place when called upon to do clever.
hard newspaper WORK never at a loss to
embrace an opportunity. never lacking
in any Of the necessary requisites to the
position he filed on the staff.
The excitement, nervous energy, and
multiple dangers OF the life he led were
food and drink to him, and he stood in
awe of nothing.
His work brought him in contact with
all kinds Of crooks, and he had had
many eventful experiences and narrow
escapes. but. backed by revolver, he
had always come out of them unscathed.
Although he had helped draw the net
around many a law breaker. he had
made no enemies. and was on friendly
terms with all those men the law held
in durance vile.
Stay-there was a single exception.
and tonight. as Day sat there with
cigar between his lips. he thought for
the first time In six years of the only
man whose hatred he had incurred while
in the line Of duty. and of the threats he
had uttered as he was taken from the
courtroom after being sentenced for
burglary and attempted murder.
The trial was one OF intense interest,
and Day had helped Irvine some of the
meshes in the skein Of evidence which
had established the prisoners guilt be-
yond a .doubtA
II was late one Winters night when
the jury returned the verdict.
Day was writing his story furiously.
utterly oblivious to his surroundings or
to tho part he had played in the case.
After the verdict had been announced.
the prisoner turned and cursed the
judge, jury, and witnesses. Then. sud
denly facing the newspaper men. he
warned Day that he would live to regret
the day on which he had interfered in a
matter which did not concern him
The next mornings paper contained
graphic description Of the scene. and
Of the prisoners frenzied eloquence-
and was then speedily forgotten.
Tonight for the first time he thought
seriously of the fellow: then the menace
ing words he had uttered and the dead
" looks accompanying them.
He did not hear the door open, nor
the servant announcing a caller.
with a start. he came down to earth,
Tipped the ashes from his cigar. and
turned his head-to find his eyes on
level with the barrel of an ugly looking
revolver aimed straight at him by the
very person of whom he had been think
ing.
1t was certainly not a pleasant posi-
ton to be in, and his heart beat a lit
tie faster. But fear was not Russell
Days way OF meeting the situation.
He had faced death too often to be-
come frightened now. SO with just the
slightest look of surprise. he asked
suavely:
How the devil did you get away from
Sing Sing. Thompson"
Thompson replied with an ugly smile.
That's too long a story to tell yer
now I'm out. and KEN straight here ter
keep Their promise 1 made yer jest six
year ago"
1.-The promise you made me?" queried
Day. stealthily slipping his hand around
10 his revolver pocket
Not much. yer don't"' exclaimed
Thompson. raising again the weapon
be had for a moment lowered: "ef yer
moves yer hand agin, yer a deaderi
Jest set still. and don't try no tricks!
Russell obeyed. not merely because it
was policy to do so, but he suddenly
realized, with sicxening sense of dis
may. that he. had placed the weapon on
the mantel upstairs when he returned
home that afternoon.
He was. indeed. helpless without It.
and, though a dozen plans occurred to
him. all were Immediately rejected
Thompson was q big, burly fellow. a
head taller than Russell who was OF
the average height. The latter had
muscle and brain. the former strength
and weight backed by a fierce and fren-
zied determination to revenge a fancied
wrong
lie also had n revolver to assist him.
so the odds were as much in his favor
as they were against poor Russell Day.
The escaped convict was surly. III
tempered and desperate. long. shabby
ulster reached TO his shoe tops, butte
close to conceal the prison garb
meath.
An old SLOUGH hat. wet with snow and
?. was drawn down 60 his eyes.
cleaned with a venomous light
'sted or Russell. who. cool ana
Looked at him as though
sarsr welcome acquaintance
Z he had "A desperate
nd knew too that