The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1907-05-30
THE SECOND
DANDY CHATTER


| a iOhS tihiC dSo mat ~ ONhOh "
should stand between you and myself;
I swore that | would have you. and
would bend you as 1t pleased me-or
break you. Yes, you've reused a Turk.
ing fiend In me, and I'll stick at moth
ing now. First, let us understand
each other in regard to Dandy Chater.
lie took a turn or two about the
room, with his head bent. as though
undecided what to say or what to leave
unsaid. At last, going to his former
position near the table and standing
there, he began to say what he had to
say.
you loved Dandy Chatter . oh
don't interrupt me; you would say
you love him still, I SUPPOSE knew
that, from your own lips, as well as
from what | saw and heard when you
were together. wonder IL you woul
love him now-if o could see him.?
Il don't understand you" she said,
in a low voice. why should | not?'
"Because-well, because he wouldn't
look NICE" he responded, with a grim
laugh. 'In a word-because he's
dead!"
Through the mind Of the girl there
fioated the words the little man who
had accompanied Harry had spoken:
"One is dead-the other Is liying!
but she said nothing; she was almost
afraid to speak, because she wanted
so desperately to hear what he had TO
say in explanation OF that mystery.
"Yes-he's dead. He stood in my
way-blocked up the path which LED
to my desires. More than that, | had
made a tool of him for years-had
/ used him for every mea and petty
thing | did not are to soil my W
hands with. He might have told tales.
Do you know what I did with him.
She looked at him with a face OF
horror. and slowly shook her head.
Look round these walls-look at
this miserable place in which you
| stand. 1t should have a value in your
eyes. for 1t has heard his death-scream
+ Within a dozen yards Of II, on the
bank of this river-at night struck
him down. And I'd strike him down
again tonight If he stood alive before
I lie. AIu yOu you hou5"
man who felt the killing OF that puny
lover OF yours no more than he would
have felt the killing Of a rat?"
He had felt it, though, and he felt 1t
still; or why did his hands tremble in
their grip of the table, and why did
he glance for a moment, with that
| bianched face, behind him
CT - Aa,n, 60 fAar him nnU as
she had not feared him before; looked
about her wildly as il for a way NJ es.
cape.
"Ah! o shake and tremble now, do
your" he said, mockingly. You'll
tremble more when you know what /
intend to do. Think OF 1t. You're here,
far away from any houses, and you
may scream your heart out and no N
will hear you. Whatever love | felt
for you is gone-turned TO hate in
stead. BY Heaven, pretty Miss limo
cence''-he brough his fist down heay-
lily on the table-"you shall daily with
me for an hour or two for the first and
last time, and then go join your lover
in the river!"
He darted round the table toward
her, but she evaded him, screaming.
and made straight towards where
Philip stood. Ogledon, in his mad
rush, tripped and fell; and, at the same
moment, Philip caught the girl, swung
her round in the darkness where ne
had been standing, and stepped out
into the light.
1t was all done so rapidly that Ogle-
don was on his feet and had actually
come on with a blind rush before he
saw who stood in his path, and even
then he had no time to stop himself
scarcely time even to cry out. IN a
moment Philip had him by the throat
and had him forced TO his knees;
bending over him and looking full into
his CHASTITY face he spoke the first
words that rose to his lips; reassumed,
for a moment, that character he had
taken upon himself near that very spot
but a week or two before.
Dandy Chatter is dead-Ils he!
Struck down by your hand from be-
hind in the dark-murderer? Do you
look In his eyes now-in this place
where you killed him-or will you still
cry that Dandy Chatter has come back
from the grave?"
The face into which Philip Chatter
looked suddenly changed horribly:
mouthed and chartered at him. In some
unearthly tongue, and the head fell
| backwards. He felt the body relax
and drop under his hands: heard a
sort OF gasping cry; and then 1t slid
out Of his grasp to the floor. At the
same moment the door was flung open
and the place seemed full of people.
In front of them were some consta-
bles-and, just behind them. the face
Of the Shady I'm. Philip had a dim
idea that Madge had come out into the
light, and was bending over the pros
trate form Of Ogledon. He knew, too,
that handouts were on his wrists. and
that he was strongly held by q couple
Of men. Some others had gone to Og-
ledon and were raising him up.
"Yes-take me-" he cried. reckless
"; IL don't mind now; my Innocence
10 proved. Look to that man"-he
pointed towards Ogledon. "Hs knows
nv story; he IL my chief withess!"