Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-01-13

| ONE HAND CLUTCHING a PEN AND
IN THE OTHER A REVOLVER FROM
WHICH A TINY WREATH or SMOKE
WAS CURLING
cheerfully. with hts hand on the mans
shoulder. bat looking anxlously. rJne
the less into his haggard face. stick
70 your colors little longer. The
Eight Is almost over"
Almost Overt" Stackhouse echoed
the words with a curious. duh intona-
ton. My hopes OF happiness are
wrecked. The future is dark-aiI
dark The shadow OF crime. once IL
| falls on mans life. can never be
lifted You know how terribly true
that IS. Mr.. Lamm. This is no more
than nay just deserts. No more. Yes.
I am going away. Whatever the risk
I care not Why should ] stay in this
city OF torment"
Mr.. Lamm gave another friendly
| touch upon the shoulder OF the defect
ed figure, but his own look OF anxiety
was only intensified
Watt" said the detective. In tones
Of sympathy. The truth is coming.
and 10 is coming fast You have trust
ed me SO Tar. Don't cast my advice
70 the winds now"
Il do not care the turn OF my hand
whether the truth comes out to-day or
tomorrow. or never" gloomily an
swered Stackhouse. looking az the face
bent near his own, with hollow, de-
spairing eyes. Il have no longer any
| interest in any possible event that may
happen TO me But out OF this horrible
| place and these horrible surroundings
I mean 70 so. and without delay. MIR.
Lamm, ] thank you again for the no.
BILE way in which you have helped me-"
Don't speak OF that" interposed
Mr.. Lamm.
Il must speak OF IL. In all my tIou-
bic and remorse ] have not forgotten
| II. And now let me have your oil.
Mr.. Lamm, and ! will draw my check
for the amount at once-the last check
that Thornton Stackhouse will ever
Ill out in Boston"
My dear sir" Mr. Lamm remon-
strated, Il have no bill to present.
Why, my work is not done yet When
the proper time comes shall not for
get IT, be sure OF that" he added, with
assumed hghtness OF manner.
StackhOuse got up rather unsteadily.
but with a filled purpose IN his look.
Let me go into your inner office, %
he asked. and make out a check II
it's only as matter OF form Besides.
l want 10 write a moment on another
matter. and ] should like 10 be undis-
turbed by any chance caller you might
have"
MT. Lamm was at the door OF his
little den" in a moment, opened his
desk. and placed pen and paper at his
visitors disposal. StackhOuse sat
down. and the detective went out. soft
ly closing the door upon the client at
his work.
Reused from certain regretful mo-
mentary meditations by the entrances
OF his trusted worker, BILL" Mr..
Lamm began TO talk with him In an
undertone.
In the very middle of their hushed
conference both men started and
looked wildly around.
The sound Of an explosion came to
their ears with terrible distinctness.
1t was Enthusiastically a pistol shot.
Moved by a common impulse, both
rushed toward the inner Office. When
Detective Lamm pushed open the door
and went in. his subordinate was close
behind.
The room was full OF smoke. But
! the cloud lifted as the current of
i fresher air entered, and in an instant
the two were staring into a face-a
face that did not return their look OF
horror, the face Of dead man.
Dead! Sitting up in his chair at Mr..
Lamm's desk, with one hand clutching
a pen, and in the other a revolver. from
which a tiny wreath Of smoke was curl
ing. was the form of Thornton stack
house.
So true had been his aim. that the
transition from life TO death could have
taken scarcely q second OF time. He
had blown out his brains.
With a stified cry Mr. Lamm's COM
panion started back His white face
met at the outer door the frightened
look of another man. conveyancer. who
had an ONCE close by.
"A man has shot himself in therel"
Ebispered Bill. The newcomer tux