The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-19
Ill.

That night had come down sharp; and
embers was still CLOWN in the nbfry crate
By their fare and flicker We cud Sse that
the room was unoooyplde ave by the
ehaddsrB that KEN and whit with an apper.
i0nt purpose that tinGiSd me backbone.
Az p~uBsyfooted "a wan OF thin. large
glided ovor to the door OF the little side
room. 1t wal aiar. He closed It saft.
He TUNED the key.
'Rist well, me Teddy fair he mummured,
after llstenin' q bit. 'She's scared stiff,
like many anudder dead bud; there's not a
peep out Of her. And now, Smithers2'
l, too. executed me tunn at the glide,
hoatin' over TO the book case within which
the glorious company of the tins and twin
ties Was sequiStrated. TUX u Petroleum
and Simon Magic. and all the rist Of the
wuthies.
I reached In me hand-I brought 1t back
imptyl The space behind was as blank az
the volums wer0 to me-; the bank notes
were garn.
There was a crap on me shoulder, intinse,
fierce; 1t wa large bindin' over with hungry
eyes.
you fool, = he Kissed, have you mulled 1t
aginf Are you dom me false, or we're
you too drunk to reminder s~traighti'
'S'help me Jarge,' ! began: and thin as
! felt his fgger straighten, az / felt that
crap tighten convulsive, i looked around
and stud stiff and breat'less beside him.
Out from the farin', hickerin' shadders in
Vulnerable there slowly emudged into the
twilight Of the crate q shadder less distinct,
less Solid than amy, that OF . wfthered and
yellow old man, his hair and gownd hoatin'
white, his ayes blinkin' pale; yit CHASTITY rid
whore the bandagss crast and recrast his
ohist. 1t vas Ashbel Laire, the fummer
cashier, strangely risen from his deaf bed;
and under his arm was the lost series Of bank
notes, the tins and twinties with which We
had hoped to plaster the face Of the cart.
Ny knee, as it trimbled, struck aginst
somethin' hard that bounded away like an
electric shock-it was Jarge's.
Jist thin the old man o~oughed-a doleful
sound, but mussy be t'anked, not from the
tombs.
HE hasn't crooked yit, arter ALL" sighed
large, and you cud fairly hear the ~perspira-
tun splosh.
"Aohild cud t'row him . I suggested tInta-
lively.
But large had q wholesome drid Of that
ultlmlt ration of the law, the halter.
Stand FUN for the prisint,' he replied
with a shake OF the head. sThe nuss lie apt
to miss him amy moment; It wudn't do.
He'll either hide the STUFF some'arss Or drop
dead-don't you see2 Don't you eee1'
did see that the old man wal waverins
to and fro like q pendulum about to stop.
Yit in his face was O restless, nervous
anxiety which I b'lieve wud have withstood
eruption itslh until II was satisfied.
what shall I do with thim1' Mr.. Laire
muttered. "damnin' records Of my inoom-
petincy and shame. They are no good 10
amy wan, unsigned as they are, but the evil
doer, who wud cause more misery and dis
triss by ciroulatin' thin. Their strange dis
appearance has long since been forgotten;
why blast me " mem'ry by ~perducin'
thin nowf'
He bint over the CRATE. lookin' down
into embers, which like him showed Glimmers
OF light and heat yit must soon be ashes.
Let him. whispered large. There's not
enough to scorch the outside Sheet
Even 80. Mr.. Laire dropped rather than
t'rew the compact package Of close. crisp
into this crate. There was a feeble
fame, as here and there an ind curled up,
and thin q deeper gloom. az n the notes
had instinctively performed their bankin'
funcahun.
I've wondered since whether 1t was not
the cocaine. or rather the lack Of 1t. that
gev him such unoanny vigor. Reminder
bis wound had shet him OF from the secrit
habit Of Year,. His nerves must be up
In arms. In open revolt, oryin' for vengeance
unless they had their demands.
Him In q state OF oommaf Thin physicians
who said 90 had not reckoned on the tin
needles that was spurrin' and pricks
In. him on until he shud reach q full stop.
AZ all evintS. with q scream Mr.. LAire
lot hissef 60. There stood on the cintre
table near by an old fashuned lamp. tall
and stately. hayin' an enormous glass ball
NJ globe as q receptacle for the lie. Before
or ! cud even divine his purpose
hs picked II up with HerculAnum strengt'
md brought IL down asmash into the crate.
There wa q blaze and o Of flame. |
out as from q vulcanits. lickin'
he painted walls. the decorated ceiin'. |
Ihrfvellin' the cuttains and hllin' the air
With little rid divvles Of tins and twinties;
but Mr.. LAire didn't seem TO mind Il. as
10 lay silent and stil. his gray lips cot In q
AnGs.