The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-09-15
THE NEWS DEMOCRATS DAILY STORY
To be published in daily installmcnts on this page
The House of a
Thousa and Candles
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Copyright by
The Robbs Merrill Company
CHATTER X

put new energy into my tone, and he
turned and walked before me down the
corridor In the direction from which he
had come We were, dare say, a pretty
pair-he tramping doggedly before me-
iolloWlng at his heels with his lantern
and my pistol The situation had played
pfettily into my hands. and | had every
intention of wrestling from him the rea-
son for his interest I'm Glenarm house and
my affairs.
Not so fast" ] admonished sharply.
Excuse me- he replied mockingly
lie was no common rogeu: ] felt the
quality In him with a certain admiration
for his scoundrelly talents-a fellow.
-Ieuec1ed- -Mha-Mas- best studied at the
point of a pistol.
] continued at his heels, and roked the
/. muzzle OF the revolver against his back
. from time to time TO keep him assured
OF my presence-a device that was TO re-
gret a second later.
We were about 10 yards from the end
OF the corridor when ne flung himself
backward upon me, threw his arms over
IN head and seized me about the neck.
turning himself lithely until his fingers
clasped my throat.
fred blindly once and felt the SNAKE
OF the revolver hot i'm my own nostrils
, The lantern fell from my hand and one
or the other Of US smashed IL with our
feet.
wrestling match in that dark hole
was not 20 my liking / still held on 10
the revolver waiting for a chance TO use
I II. and meanwhile he tried to throw me,
forcing me back against one side and
then the other Of the passage
With a quick rush he flung me away
and I'm the same second | fired. The roar
OF the shot in the narrow corridor seemed
interminable. j flung myself on the floor,
expecting a return shot. and quickly
,rI aag a
. dead ahead, and | rose TO my feet. fired
again and leaped to the opposite side of
the corridor and crouched there. We
had adopted the same tactics firing and
lodging TO avoid the target made blythe
fash of our pistols, apd-wateA4Hs and
listening after the roar OF the explosions.
II was n very pretty game, but destined
not TO last long. He was slowly retreat
Il ing toward the end of the passage. where
There was, remembered, a dead wall His
ponly chance was TO crawl through an area
window | knew TO be there, and this
would, felt sure, give him into my
hands.
After five shots apiece there was a
ltruce. The pungent smoke of the powder
caused me 10 cough. and he laughed.
Have you swallowed a bullet, Mr..
lSlenarm?" he called
X / could hear his feet scraping on the
< cement floor; he was moving away from
me, doubtless intending To nre when ne
reached the area window and escape be-
4 tore / could reach him. l crept warily
1 after him. ready TO fire on the instant,
4 put not wishing TO throw away my last
Partridge. That | resolved 10 keep Tor
flose quarters at the window.
I He was now very near the end. OF the
Corridor: / heard his feet strike some
boards that remembered lay on the floor
here, and was nerved for shot and
.land-to-hnnd struggle, IL II came TO that.
was sure that he sought the window;
heard his hands on the wall as he felt
Nor IT, Then a breath OF cold air swept
he passage, and | knew he must be
iirawing himself up 20 the opening. |
bred and dropped 10 the floor. With the
boar Of the explosion | heard him yell.
but the expected return shot did not fol-
Bow.
The pounding OF my heart seemed TO
hnark the passing OF hours. | feared that
nv foe was playing some trick. creeping
Howard me- perhaps 10 fire at close range,
u r. 20 grapple with me I'm the dark. The
old air still whistled into the corridor.
Ind l began TO feel the chill OF Il. Being
red upon Is disagreeable enough, but
r,aiting I'm the dark for the shot In worse
rose and walked toward the end OF the
tassage.
Then his revolver flashed ami roarod di-
tectly ahead the flame Of II so near that
blinded me. ! fell forward confused
nd stunned but shook myself together in
moment and got upon my feet. The
raft OF air no longer blew into the pas
fage Morgan had taken himself OF
N~orah the window and closed IL after