The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1906-11-01
DUKE OF
DEVIL
MAY-CARE
by HANNIo UENhoON
Author Of
'1hs Blhek VOLS Breed nc
~1R~sa~7R~Os~QRss
u C0oPyrightio 0s. BY D Appleton a caj
CHAPTER vL-Continued.


CHAPTER VL-Continued.
Joe Balfour bounded to his feet,
caught Dukes shoulder and shook
him. But the other man did not look
up; he only replied YEARLY;
Il didn't know him; never saw him
before: some poor devil Of a lumber
man, I think
How did 1t h~appen?"
do you remember that table Just
behind the partition in Catslina's sa-
Ioon-where We had lunch early last
night? Next 70 the side door? It
happened right there; l went back
again about the middle OF the night"
what was the trouble2"
Il can't remember exactly how Il
commenced: there was nothing much.
/ was drinking a little. but rot enough
TO affect me. I went IN the saloon
There was a big crowd in the front
part, SO I went into the back part
and sat down at a table opposite this
man. He was eating oysters. I think
probably we had some words he
cursed me, but I ought TO have paid
no attention to that, he was so drunk
he could hardly stand. Then he tried
to get up. with a fork in his hand;
didn't mean to burt him. but I
matched a bottle and hit him in the
head; broke his skull. The blood
gushed out. all over everything; he
fell. and don't think he ever moved"
who saw it," This was the law
yer's instructive question.
Nobody; IL made no noise. / got
vi by the side door and ran. Be
fore I had gone half q block / remem
bered my hat and had to go back for
It. He was lying there, dead, with
one arm doubled under him. A lot Of
fellows from the cock-hght we're sing
ing in the front room; but they
couldn't hear a word"
Joe sat down. stunned and Devil
dered. as Duke went on:
Il ran out again. Joe. you don't
know how awful It Is 70 be on a
silent street with nothing but your
own footsteps. ana 10 know uhat you
can't run away from yourself. When
I got up the hill as far as Cherry
street I felt an insane desire TO see
that man again. I thought how cow
ardly Il was or me to leave him ~
ing there with nobody to help him.
l tried my best not 10 go back. but
it was 10 use; I had 10 go. !
sneaked down the hin. through the al
leys, got TO the door, and stopped.
Il knew exactly how the man would
look, lying there on his face with
that arm doubled under him, and a
puddle OF blood at his head. hung
back in the dark and tried to reason
myself out OF It. My head was just
as clear as Il is now; ! understood
It fully. / remembered reading D
long time ago that hundreds OF muir.
derers are captured az the morgue In
Paris every year. just because theY
could not resist the desire to 90 bach
and look at the people they had killed
That was awful, but / opened th,
door, and went IN. The body bad
been carried away. and a negro wa
scrubbing the floor,
II searched for him all over town
az all OF the undertaken shops, bu
could not end where they had ,akei
him. There's a dead woman oyeI
yondor az Druly's parlorA / went II
and looked at her a long time. i
is very solemn 70 look a. the dead
they are so stili and white. Then
came here"
He had spoken on and on in a lov
voice. more TO himself than 20 hi
friend. when he stopped. eyerythln.
grew deadly still The clock licked
the FIRE cracked. II was nearly dy.
o'clock.
There came a sharp football on n.
uagstones outside; It sounded yer.
loud. almost as II It were in IN.
house. Stricken with terror, DukI
grasped the arms Of his chair an.
listened until the early traveller ha.
passed.
Joe dressed himself in silence
when he was done, he touched hi
friend on the shoulder.
You stay here. old man." he said
gently; "I'm going down TO see abou
this thing"
Il should have been daylight. bu
looking to the horizon one could no
guess from which direction to expec
. laggard sun.