Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-02-15
A STORY OF MANHATTAN.

! probably have done il had that quiv-
cring silence endured moment
| longer.
"Simmouds gave me your lantern, -
said Godfrey. with an admirable calm
| ness. Lester, have your cane ready"
He threw q broad band OF light upon
! the carpet and Keeping carefully with
] In this path, approached the door, felt
/ for the electric button, and switched on
/ the lights.
! Half blinded for an instant We stood
! staring at each other. at the floor Z"
/ For Gods sake" gasped Simmonds
| mopping the sweat from his face, what
/ is it?"
! It's snake" said Godfrey tersely
/ THE deadliest ina the world II YOU
! don't believe me, look yonder." and ne
! pointed to the huddled mass on the
/ floor.
! did not look was afraid to;
| had already seen too much. | was
/ grateful when Godfrey ierked down
curtain and threw il over the body
| Then be gave Simmonds the lantern
and closed the door. which We had
left open when we entered.
Now he continued sharply, there's
no use i'm giving way to our nerves.
We're in no danger but that snake is
| hid around here somewhere and the
| first thing for us TO do is 10 find it.
Were there two snakes, Lester"
No L answered. as articulately as
| could. Il think not, | never saw but
one"
Il thought YOU said Ccciy took that
one with her"
so she did-wut; l didn't see il.
She had cover over the cage"
Godfrey's face palcd suddenly.
Good God. he murmurcd.
A uilninHgG G.fgaH I 81 =
a chair for support.
IL had been no accident, she had
left Fe-Fe behind to avenge her-and
what a vengeance, She had not
laughed and forgotten
Then, m q flash, ] understood that
last strange sceue-the change I'm Ce-
clly. AS she stood watching uS from the
deck Of the receding boat the press
ing against the rail, the frantic ef-
fort 10 shout a message TO Tremaiue-
she had rcicuted, she did nor wish To
Kill him. she loved him yet But of
mat warning ne had caught only a
single word
The bed!" l cried. "The bed,"
Right, agreed Godfrey inclsivcly.
and walked 20 the bedroo door. I'm
an instant, the inner room. was ablaze
with light. He armed himself with one
OF Iremaine's canes. and together We
approached The bed.
Ready now he said. and with
sudden movement stripped back the
covers. But there was nothing under
them.
The pillow perhaps" he said. and
turned il over
There was quick movement. a soft
kissing, vicious head raised itself.
two eyes Of orange fire glared at
| heard the swish of Godfrey's cane
and the head fell. Fe-Fe would work
no more evil.
And then, as I looked more closely
at the coils, | perceived something else
there something bright, irridescent,
glowing
Godfrey lifted the mangled body with
the end Of his cane and threw ii into
the middle Of the bed. Then he bent
over and picked up--the necklace.
4 was sure we would find il here"
he said. But look at it-isn't IL
beautiful"
Ii was more than that. it was su-
perb. Not dead white, now, but warm,
full of life was ii the salt bath.
or was il that the cloud had been re-
moved forever from its owners life?
As ] looked at it, there seemed to be
something unearthly in it's beauty--it
seemed TO be rejoicing.
The snake bit him probably" added
Godfrey, thoughtfully, 'as he thrust
the necklace under the pillow. 1t was
fitting punishment"
1t was greater than he deserved"
l protested hoarsely He was not the
man TO meet a death like that"
"A man! He was a vampirei" said
Godfrey sternly. He lived on the lives
of others. Don't let your sentimental
ism blind you. Lester"
"Oh. you don't know him" / cried.
A hot resentment of fate was sweeping
over me. ! realized that, down at
the bottom OF my heart | had never
really believed in Tremaine's guilt
even now, / hardly believed in it.
Godfrey turned to Simmonds, who
stood contemplating the scene with
staring eyes, his lantern still open i'm
his hand.
It's hard luck Simmonds" he said.
You're not going TO get the glory.
after all. But who could have fore
seen a thing like this?"
Simmonds opened his mouth and
shut it again without uttering
sound
You'd better notify the coroner"
continued Godfrey, and, | suppose to
be strictly regular, I'll have TO turn
this necklace over to you for the night.
Guard it we'll Simmonds; it's worth a
hundred thousand dollars.
What stammered Simmonds. Is
IL the-the-the-"
Yes. it's the Delroy necklace Youn
have TO go with us to Babylon in the
morning, to attend the inquest. / fancy
there'll be something of sensation
when we produce the necklace there
Ell, LESTER" and he laughed a grim lit
tie laugh OF anticpatory triumph
Then he glanced at his watch
Il must be going" ne said. I've got
to fire this story down to the Office
What a scoop it Will be! TIL tomor-
row, gentlemen
I heard his footsteps die out along
the hall then a sudden horror of the
place seized me, a deadly loathing:
and / CROPPED my way blindly from the
room.
THE. END.