Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-05-21
ls|''1s

saw revolver lying on the desk by
| the inkwell
The weapon had an ebony stock,
carved with deaths head. 1t was
Murgatroyd's, as Darrell well knew, and
by what chance had its owner gone
into the hills without it?
The clerk noticed barrels curious
glance at the flrearm.
! That's the old MANS" he vouch-
safed; first timeI ever knew him to go
away and forget 1t. Make yourself at
home. What name did you say?"
Nathan"
"All right, Mr.. Nathan. Nothing Ia
this layout is too good for the old
mans friends. If you don't see what
you want, ask for it."
Much obliged"
The clerk withdrew and resumed his
penwork in the outer office. Picking
up the pen, Darrell wrote as follows;
"Mr Darrell presents his compliments
to Mr.. Murgatroyd and desires to state
that he is now In town awaiting Mr..
Murgatrcyd's pleasure. Mr.. Darrell also
wishes II known that he can be found
this evening at Mr.. Hawkbill Hender-
sons. He trusts Mr. Murgatroyd will
embrace his opportunity
Darrell knew his arrival In camp
would be noised abroad and reach his
enemy's ears. Murgatroyd's absence
from Sandy Bar, therefore, made a
sudden and unexpected meeting inn
possible.
Darrell therefore desired the Motif.
cation to come through himself. in his
own way. Having addressed the en-
velope, he inclosed the folded sheet,
laid the communication on the desk
and placed the revolver on 1t for a
paperweight.
Then, lighting a cigar, he leaned
back in the chair, wondering why fate
couldn't be kind and send Murgatroyd
to him as he was then--in his enemy'5
own room with his eneny's own re-
yolver within easy reach. Presently
the artfulness of Murgatroyd's charac-
ter suggested something and the re-
volver suggested something else.
Picking up the weapon, Darrell
pressed spring and turned the barrel
down, revealing the cylinder Six
cartridges nestled murderously under
bis eyes.
He listened intently. The scratch,
scratch of the clerks pen came to him
monotonously.
One by one he extracted the car
tridges and then, by means of sharp
pointed steel letter opener he embed
ded deeply in each leaden slug the ini-
tial ''M." To replace the cartridges
and return the revolver to its original
ment.
Next, Darrell recovered the pen and
continued his writing.
I'm the event that Mr.. Nathan OAR
rel, in whose pocketbook this message
is placed, should be made victim of
foul play, he respectfully suggests the
following for the coroners considera-
ton:
First-The fact that Lester Muir
gatroyd has sworn to shoot Nathan
Darrell on sight.
Second-The fact that a covert at
tack has ever been preferred by Lester
Murgatroyd to a meeting in the open.
Third-The fact that the bullets in
Lester Murgatroyd's revolver have been
marked with the letter ''M."-Note:
The letter "M'' might be mistaken for
'W" and technicalities have more
than once saved Murgatroyd.
A word to the wise, etc.
Folding the sheet Darrell placed it
in red Morocco purse taken from his
breast pocket. Immediately after
wards he got up and passed into the
other room.
Get through" asked the sallow
faced young man.
"Yes," said Darrell. With pleasant
good afternoon" he left the Office and
turned his steps in the direction of one
of the two hotels which the town
boasted.