Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1907-05-10

crystal pendants. The snerin, leaprns
away from stoddard's chair, wa
struck on the head and borne down By
the heavy glass
Smoke from the firing hoated IN
clouds across the room, and there was
Q moments silence save for the sheriff,
who was groaning and cursing under
the debris Of the chandelier. At the
door chickering's face appeared again
anxious and frightened. think the
scene In the room and the slow prog.
ress his men were making against ~
had half-paralyzed him.
We were all getting our second wind
for q renewal Of the fight, with Nor.
gan in command Of the enemy. One
or two Of his men. who had gone down
early In the struggle. were now crawl
Ing back for revenge. ] think I must
have raised my hand and pointed at
Pickering, for Bates wheeled like a
flash and before realized what hap
pened he had dragged the executor into
the room.
You scoundrel-you migrated"
hOwled the servant.
The blood on his face and bare chest
and the hatred In his eyes made him a
hideous object; but in that lull Of the
storm while we waited, watching for
an advantage, | heard, somewhere in
the wall, that same sound of footsteps
that | had remarked before. Larry
and Stoddard heard 1t; Bates heard it,
and his eyes fixed upon Pickering with
a glare of malicious delight.
There comes our old friend, the
ghost" yelled Larry.
Il think you are quite right, sir"
said Bates. He threw down the re-
volver he held in his hand and leaned
upon the edge of the long table that
lay on its side, his gaze still bent on
Pickering, who stood with his over
coat buttOned close, his derby hat on
the floor beside him, where 1t had
fallen as Bates hauled him into the
room
The sound of a measured step, Of
some one walking, of careful foot
on a stairway, was quite distinct.
even remarked the slight stumble that
| had noticed before
We were all so intent on those steps
in the wall that we were off guard.
heard Bates yell warningly, and Larry
and Stoddard rushed for Pickering.
He had drawn a revolver from his
overcoat pocket and was about to fire
at me when StOddard sent the weapon
flying through the air.
Only moment now, gentlemen"
said Bates, an odd smile on his face.
He was looking past me toward the
right end of the fireplace. There
seemed to be in the air feeling of
something impending. Even Morgan
and his men, half-crOuching, ready for
rush at me, hesitated; and Pickering
glanced nervously from one to the
other of US. 1t was the calm before
the storm; in a moment we should be
at each others Threats for the final
struggle, and yet we waited. In the
wall / heard still the sound of steps.
They were clear to all of us now. We
stood there for what seemed an eter-
nity-l suppose the time was really
not more than 30 seconds-inert, wait.
Ing, while l felt that something must
happen; the silence, the waiting, were
lntolerable. / grasped my pistol and
bent low for spring at Morgan; and
every man in the room was instantly
on the alert.
All but Bates. He remained rigid
that curious smile on his blood-smeared
face, his eyes bent toward the end Of
the great fireplace back of me.
That look on his face held, arrested
numbed me; | followed it. | forgot
Morgan; a tacit truce held us all again.
stepped back till my eyes fastened
on the broad paneled chimney-breast
at the right Of the hearth, and it was
there now that the sound of footsteps
In the wall was heard again; then 1t
ceased utterly, the long panel opened
slowly, creaking slightly upon its
hinges, then down into the room
stepped Marian Devereux. She wore
the dark gown in which | had seen
her last, and a cloak was drawn over
her shoulders.
She laughed as her eyes swept the
room.
All, gentlemen" she said, shaking
her. head, as she viewed our disorder,
what wretched housekeepers you
are"
Steps were again heard in the wall,
and she turned to the panel, held it
open with one hand and put out the
other, waiting for some one who fol.
lowed her.
Then down into the room stepped
: TkalI.,..( Z !.