Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-08
w z | z .

tween them and me, and in default OF any oUhCr
means of defense ! atched up the massive OAK,
en- chair, and balanced it aloft-a feat could
not perhaps have performed in ordinary mo,
ments. but now excitement impaired magicai
strength to every fibre of my body
Come on! | am free now!' | cried, brand
ishing the chair. "Do you see me? Free-iree-
ircc!'
In the sudden JOY of my recovered liberty
was ten times madder than my opponent.
The artist might have stood for an image OF
amazemont Silent and immovabe he stood, star
ing at me with n vacuous look, evidently unanle
to comprehend how I had gained my freedom.
Then suddenly Daphne's voice was drowned IN
a loud tumult and in the quick tramplng OF nu-
merous feet This was Immediately followed by
succession of strokes on the massive panels OF
the door, dealt by some heavy implements, ac.
companicd at the same time by the sounds as OF
persons scrambling up the ivy outside toward the
easement Rescue at hand!
And now across the obong patch of moonlight
that Law on the stone floor between me and the
maniac appeared some dark shadows, and turn
ing towards the easement to ascertain the cause
the artist beheld human faces peerlng IN through
the diamond-shaped panes. y moment more ana
there came a great shverng and shatterrng OF
glass The cold night air swept with rush
throuoh the broken panes. bringing with it the
wild crash of the Christmas bells, tumult OF
voices. and Daphne's thrilling scream
Peril makes some men mad. 1t made Angelo
sonc He realized the situation--realized that
his hated rival was slipping from his power; but
tho knowledge of this fact only made him more
desperate. -, 80,
Curse you You shall not escape!" he cried
fercelv. "In have your life, though l die the
next moment for it,
With tbe dagger cleaning aloft, he darted on
me- Measuring him with my eye, ! swung the
chair round. and tried to bring it down on his
head, but he cluded the blow by springng deftly
to side. -, j,
The robe Of tragedy is often sewn with the
+I,re,ds of comedy The chair intended for the
ar+is+ rchted instead on his unfinished picture,
and went sheer through the canvas, overturning
the easel and inAicting more damage to the
,nintcd Colosseum in two seconds than old lime
b,s been able to inf1ict the solid original in
well-nigh two millenniums.
"NIv picturel Oh, my picture" cried the art
lst .'You have destroyed it,
petrded with dismay he gazed on the ruins
| Of his work of art. oblivous for the moment OF
o,.or,.+birr else. Taking advantage of his sur
n,;sc T enranr forward, and seized him by the
throat with such force and energy that he top
Med backwards, and measured his length on the
foor of the cell. I fell with him.
. ""Thnt's it! Bravo Hold him down" cried
voice. which ] recognized as the Barohet S
"Ne'U he with you in an instant
Cir Huoh. nv uncle, and some others were
+o,,dinc on the window-ledge, striving to effect
nm entrance bv forcing asunder the slender cross
bars of the easement.
The artist Law extended on the floor of the
aoll NJ, knee was on his chest, and with one
Lond 7 Grasned him by the throat, and with the
other pinioned to the floor his hand that held
The dagger. 7 tried to keep him in this position
ill aid should come, but with a strength almost
superhuman he rose to his feet, dragging me witt