Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-02-18
TfffN MAN
OUTSIDE
Bv CLARENCE BoUTELLE.
Bv CLARENCE BoUTELLE

when l went into the room. 1t was foul
when I found that for which l look
ed. slipped 1t into convenient hid.
ing-place upon my person. / turned
to go.
Fate had ordered other thar
peaceful ending for my nights work
glanced toward the bed. The occu'
pant was sitting bolt upright, wide
awake, watching me. Those deeI
black eyes, I shall remember them
until I die those stern and scornfu
lips-I shall never forget them-no
nor the wordS they uttered-'Coward
thief These. and my name.
You sac the alternative which cir,
cumstance offered me. You cannot
blame me-hlame circumstance. If
was secretly glad of the opportunity
before me. if l had a private grudge
to satisfy and q personal vengeance ol
feed If those black eyes had done
work which ! could never forgive; il
yonder heart had felt and yonder brain
schemed beyond my power to pardon
that is nothing to you. 1t is none OF
your business. You have the hint
though, and much of comfort may ii
bring you!
"The crime was yours. The guilt is
yours. I promised to find and bring
you certain things. l have found them
l have them. They are yours when
ever you choose to come for them
And the price 1 paid for them was no
more than had to pay. l only digress
enough to say that when 1 struck a
blow for you l struck one for myself
as we'll. If it eases your conscience
any to know that, know it. But If you
have any curiosity regarding me,
check it. or, better still, stif1e it. Find
out why l did gladly what even you
would have shrunk from-try to find
out my reason for it-and will strike
again! A word to the wise is sufficient.
Do you understand?
II sprang to the side of the bed. /
did my pleas-my duty, I mean.
Pistol? No. Only fool calls atten-
ton to an evil deed which fate neces-
states.
knife? All, 1 was tempted! To dis
figure that face: to leave a mark upon
1t which friends could never forget
that would have been heaven to me.
But used no knife. was too wise
for that.
"One shrek rang out on the start
led air Of the stormy night as l forced
the frightened wretch down upon the
bed and covered the face with huge
pillow. Then the struggle began. 1t
was fierce and long. Sometimes 1 fear
ed I should fail. / shall carry the
marks on my throat for many and
many a day which those strong hands
left there. But 1 won. Resistance
grew ess-lesS-less-and ceased al
together. l held the thick pillow In Its
place for many minutes. Then raised
it. The black eyes were staring hor-
ridly at vacancy; their days of mis-
chief-doing were for ever over.
hn1 0ln
dead body of my-your-foe,1 mean.
Death had come in a troubled dream,
for all that face or posture could tell.
You had your wish. l had mine, and
we were both safe. Safe, because the
stolen things were unknown to others
than their owner and would never be
missed; safe, because there was no
evidence of murder or violence any
where.
IT could have wept for very thank
fulness. 1 laughed aloud for JOY. Ana
then. STOPPING over the bed for one
last look at the vanquished, l raised
my eyes to a mirror on the opposite
side of the room. I scarcely knew my
own face, so pale and drawn and
changed was it. I gaZed at it with a
sort of fascinated wonder. And as
gazed I heard a noise behind me.
only looked toward the reflection in
the mirror of the window which was
behind me- The rain was beating upon
ii in a torrent. The wind was rattling
the open blinds outside. For mo-
ment that was all. The-I saw a face
pressed close against the pane. A man
outside was watching. He was not
looking directly toward me. He was
rather. gazing upon the face OF the
dead.
"I watched his reflection in the
glass-watched it for more than a
minute. I tried to catch some express
sion. or to have memory and atten-
ton grasp some peculiar feature which
would enable me to recognize the man
outside if I should ever meet him
again. Perhaps you can guess the use
I meant to make Of the Information
craved-
But no matter.
II failed
He wore a soft hat, drawn low
down over his face. He wore Goa
with a broad collar, and the collar
was turned high above his chin anC
cheeks His unkempt hair was al
about his face. should not know
him again if 1 were to meet him face
to face. I should not have the righ
to be even suspicious Of his identity.
was the victim of an optical Illusion
and that there wasn't any man at the
window behind me at all. 1t would bt
a very natural and philosophical con
clusion to reach, and I believe yol
can rise to philosophical heights Wher
sitting before a roaring fire with
good cigar between your teeth, ana
bottle of something strong at your ell
bow. It is easier to be loglcal anC
critical under such circumstance!
| (your circumstances as you read TINS
| I doubt nOD, than 1t would be IN I
lonely room. in a lonely house, WITT
the dead body of one who an hour age
was full of life and vigor lying within
reach Of your cruel hand, and with al
unknown man watching you. But th'
| idea of illusion occurred to me-eVel
| to me-and | almost dared pray ina
| the thought was based on truth. Ih'
| face would fade out. fade away In
manner that was strangely startling
and. at first thought. eXplainable only
on the theory | have mentioned-th'
theory that l had OvertaXed my pow
ers: the theory that l had given my
mind staggering blow; the theory
that | could no longer trust my
senses: the theory that. having done
YOU such service as made you my debt
or. and myself such service as made
| life worth living. l was going mad.
But was not mistaken. was no
| losing myself in the mazeS OF lunacy
The face was real. The man was real
When he drew back from the win
dow-drew away from the rain-wash
ed glass; lost sight of him in tn
outside darkness; when he pressed
close to the window l could see hin
again.
Il bore his watchfulness as long a
7 could-his watchfulneSS of the deat
rather than of me. l suddenly spran'
to my feet For safety | would do any
| thing. | rushed to the window.
threw up the sash. l faced the storm
the light from the dim lamp falling
all about me and turning the falling
raindrOps into a shower of glory.
The man sprang from the balcony oi
which he had stood. l heard him crasl
away through the tlower-beds ant
! shrubs. That was all. | came away.
got to the station. l excited no suspl
ciOn. | don't believe my face was Seel
at all by the spy who watched me.
They will talk of a sudden deatl
today. never dreaming that it wa
other than a natural one. But som
one. somewhere, knows that Their
was a murder dOne-knowS it as wei
as | do-knows it as well as you DO