Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1908-05-22
something IN INV appearance mlrht he.

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der that its first finger was empty.
When had somewhat recovered my
self, l said casually;
do you know much of the Cape"
He shook the ash from his cigar and
replied slowly, with a grim smile:
Il haven't been to the Cape for five
years, and I'm not anxious to go again
1t has associations In my mind that
are not pleasant"
At this time it was just about five
years since my wlfe's death, and, with
out appearing unduly anxious, pressed
him further.
Might ask In what sense not pleas
antT
He laughed uneasily, and shrugged
his shoulders.
"Oh, cherchez la femmeagain, you
know"
And you are afraid that she might
see your l suggested.
She'll never see me again, thank
heaven"
My suspicious seemed confirmed, and
1t was all that could do to restrain
myself from rushing on him to strsngle
him with my hands
l could no longer converse with him
as l had done, so pretended to yawn,
and suggested retiring. He looked round
the room from where he sat
Now, If you don't mind" he said.
III just lie here on this couch for an
hour or two. 1t will be luxury 10 what
often have 10 put up with"
The suggestion suited my purpose,
for, from the top Of the stairs, my bed
room commanded view Of the door.
/ lit no light in my room, but sat at
The open door and waited The door
Of the smoke room was left ayar, and
| heard the clink Of glass more than
once In the hrst half hour Of ny vigil,
and could just detect the sound Of his
creeping footsteps as he was evidently
making observations In & tour Of the
room
Presently / saw q riding boot BRO
1rnde slowly and carefully from the
door, then q hand u1glOved now, with
three fingers
Peer1ng round, he crept his WAY tc
The drawing room door. He evidently
knew the arrangement o. my house q.
well rs ! did ! SMILED to myself IL
anticipation Of NY revenge For ths
FIRST time in my life ! felt that truly
awful sensation OF lust To XIII. R1Ad
distinctly remember thinking how like
cat md mouse we were.
Hs had key To the door, or he uset
skeleton key, and it WAS wen oiled
too, for he Disappeared into the room
without 3 sound
hsurd the striking Of 3 match and
the forcing OF the cases, ana then
! slowly began my descent Of the stair
cRse.
Presently he appeared again stoot
for e moment, and listened tnteutly
! Then he made his wRy TO the door. and
began quietly withdrawing the bolts al
: l slowly decreased the distance be
r tween US He pulled the door gently
to when he was outside, not venturina
to cause unnecessary noise by latchinl
I 1t, and before 1t had ceased to move
| was near enough to touch it. and
followed him out.
The dawn was just breaI so that
l had no fear Of his slipping off into
the darkness, and he evidently had nc
such intention, for, keeping to the grass
borders Of the flower BEDS he was
stealing off in the direction Of the
stables.
Suddenly he turned, as If some in.
stinct told him that he was not alone
and If l had been an apparltlon the
effect Of my appearance could not have
been more startling, for he seemed pos
itiVely petritied He opened his mouth
as If to speak, and seemed unable to
articulate.
The man was obviously a coward
and the fact seemed to disarm me. He
was evidently calculating his chances
of escape, for he glanced quickly to
right and left, and then, as | walked
leisurely towards him, he turned az
ran.
nave never seen man so fleet of
foot, and, although he had so slight a
lead of me, believe that | should new
er have caught him. My only chance
semed that he might fail, but, whatever
his condition might have been, he ran
as sure-footed as deer. But | soon
knew that he had checkmated himself.
for we were heading straight for the
long line of bushes that frInged THE
Devils Hole" In a natural instinct
| | GhnntA1 m 10
plunged straight into them with fly
ing leap He must have realized his
awful position for a moment, for | saw
him sway, and heard him cry out, but
his impetus was too strong and with
that last cry he disappeared.
knew that all was over, and when
reached the bushes and pushed my
way through the thick growth, lay
fun length upon the ledge and peered
over. There, two hundred feet or so
below, was the poor wretch, beyond all
human vengeance and beyond all hui
man aid.
made my way to the further side,
and climbed down the steep descent I'M
til l reached him, and, as l stood there,
the first rays of sunlight and the t,Sit-
tering Of the birds brought back to my
mind in a flash the memory Of that
morning five years before, when had
kneit by the bedside OF his victim.
There was little doubt on that score
for, besides my diamonds, found upon
him, amongst his papers, all the pub
lished reports of my life's tragedy,
These l distracted before the police
were notified of the robbery, and It's Sc
| nnpnca for rrnntad no r,,hliniA,r L.,