The Glenwood post., 1908-06-20

i
| had sunk down onto his arms How
still he sat! The minutes passed
away. Still he sat motionless, his face
| buried.
1t was dark. The yellow CLEAN
streaming out Of the window only
served to make the surrounding dark
ness denser. The lamp on the table
cast pale circle Immediately in front
of the office. There was NO other
flicker of light on the street. Into
this circle there moved a shadow. 1t
retreated - advanced again glided
back in to obscurity. Was it something
alive, or did the moving of the lamp
cause the shadows to thus skip about?
But the lamp had not been moved. 1t
burned steadily in the same position.
The relaxed form of the unconscious
man was still bent over the table.
Nothing had changed within. Prob
ably some dog locked out for the night
had trotted within the radius of light
Maybe cotton-tail had hoped into
the light for second. Louise did not
know whether rabbits ever came into
the town, but it was likely they did.
1t might have been one of the strayed
cattle wandering about in search of
food. That was the most probable sup
position of all. OF coure it might
have been only her imagination. The
little pinch of fright engendered Of the
moving shadow and the eerie hour
passed away. Her eyes grew pensive
again. How still it was! Had Cor
don fallen asleep? He lay SO quietly.
Had he grieved himself into slumber
as girl would do? No-men were
not like that.
All! There was the moving shad-
quickly. Then her eyes grew wide and
fixed with terror. This time the
shadow did not stink away again. 1t
came near the window. crouch.ng. Sud-
denly, it stood up straight. Merciful
Father! Why is it that a human be-
ing, creature of reason and judg-
ment, prowling about at unnatural
hours, inspires ten-fold more terror to
his kind than does brute in like cir
cumstances of time and place? Louise
tried to scream aloud. Her throat was
parched. A sudden paralysis held her
speechless. 1t was like nightmare.
She writhed and fought desperately
to shake herself free of this dumb
horror. The cold damp came out on
her forehead. Afterward she remem-
bered that she knew the man and that
it was this knowledge that had caused
her nightmare of horror to be so un-
speakably dreadful. Now she was
conscious only of the awfulness of not
being able to cry out. If she could
only awaken Mary! The man lifted
his arm. He had something in his
hand. Its terrible import broke the
spell of her speechlessness.
Mary! Mary"
She thought she shrieked. In real
ity she gasped out broken whisper;
but it thrilled so with terror and
pleading that Mary was awakened on
the instant. She sprang out of bed.
AS her bare feet touched the floor a
pistol shot rang out close by. She
had been trained to quick action, and
superb health left no room for cob
webs to linger in the brain when she
was suddenly aroused. She had no
need for explanations. The shot was
enough If more was needed there was
the lighted window across the way
and here was Louise crouched before
their own. Swiftly and silently she
seized her revolver from the bureau.
glided to the window and fired three
times in rapid succession, the reports
mingling with the sound of shattered
glass.
Il think l hit him the second time,
Louise" she said, with a dull calm.
Il can't be sure"
She lighted lamp and began to
dress mechanically. Louise stayed not
to answer. In the hall she encountered
Paul Langford, just as another shot
rang out.
Go back, Miss Dale" he cried, hur-
riedly but peremptorily. You mustn't
come. l am afraid there has been
foul play"
She looked at him. 1t hurt, that
look.
He is dead" she whispered. Il am
going to him." and glided away from
his OBTAINING hand.
He hurried after her. Others had
been aroused by the nearness of the
pistol shots. Doors were thrown open.
Voices demanded the meaning of the
disturbance. Putting his arm around
the trembling girl Langford hastened
across the street with her. At the door
of Gordon's office he paused.
Il will go in first, Louise. You stay
here"
He spoke authoritatively; but she
slipped in ahead Of him. Her arms
fell softly over the bowed shoulders.
Her cheek dropped to the dark, gray
streaked hair. There was little change,
seemingly. The form was only lit
tie more relaxed. the attitude only .
little more helpless. 1t seemed as II
he might have been sleeping. There
was sound, a faint drip. drip. drip.