The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-12-24
CHAPTER XVI.
Nemesis,

When Nevins saw Grayton sing &c
the ground with a moan and roll over
on his side, he was seized with sud
den horror. He had never realized
the awful nature of his deed until IL
was done. Unprincipled as he was
he had never dreamed, even in his
worst moments, of staining his hands
with such a crime. The temptation
had come to him suddenly and unex'
pectedly. He found himself at bay.
The thing he had plotted for and
worked for four months was in danger
of being taken from him. Nor was
that all; he might find himself in
prison on a charge of felony. There
appeared to be only one way to es-
cape. There was no time for reason
or argument. He must make his
choice that instant.
What followed seemed almost as I'M
real to him as 1t did to Grayton when
he recovered consciousness. Then as
In a flash the whole horror OF the
thing dawned upon him. The drip
ping knife was still in his hand, and
at his feet the body Of the man he had
murdered.
His first impulse was to fling the
knife from him into the furze and
heather, but a moments reflection
suggested danger in such a course.
The knife might be found and identi.
fed. So he stopped and stabbed 1t
into the earth again and again until
he felt sure every trace of blood was
removed then slipping 1t into his peck
ct he cast one hurried glance at the
motionless body Of Grayton and plung-
ed forward into the darkness. He was
not troubled about the fog now. He
was thankful for It. 1t seemed a kind
of protection. He thought he knew
pretty well the direction he wished to
go, and he hurried forward with bent
head and in the main with unseeing
eyes.
He made a number of mental cal
culations as he stumbled his trackless
way across the furze and heather.
There seemed ample time to clear out
of the country before any inquiries
were made. His movements had
been so erratic and uncertain OF late
chat his absence a few hours longer
than usual would cause no alarm to
Mrs. Dyer. AS for the curate, he was
1T ~everybody's beck and call, and fire.
quently sat up a whole night with
some sick parshioner. Hence 1t
would be noon next day before their
absence would be remarked upon. BY
the time Blight got his slow wits to
work the afternoon would be well on
its way. Indeed, before st. Chloe dis
covered anything serious had happen
ed he might be safe in London.
He grew a little more cheerful as
these conclusions shaped themselves
in his mind. He was half disposed
to turn back to st. Chloe and spend
In his own bed. He was by
no means sure 1t was not the safest
thing to do. II he had been sure
that Grsyton had taken nobody into
his confidence he would not have hest.
tated a second, but there was the bare
possibility-though 1t was by no
means probable-that there were
other people on his track, and, IL so,
the sooner he showed a clean pair OF
heels the better.
He had still two hours grace before
the last train for London left Cligger
Junction. Taking a bee line across
the country he ought to be able easily
to cover the distance In that time. Al
any rate he could make the attempt,
No telegraph wires would be at work
during the night, and before day broke
he might have deposited the box with
Lord Richard Grovely, and got a hun
bred or two perhaps on account.
He gave up all idea now of hiding
the box and returning for 1t at a late
date. The killing of Grayton had
ehanged the entire situation-for that
Erayton was dead he had no doubt
whatever. His only course was to get
clean away as quickly as possible.
The farther he advanced, the more
difficult became the way. He struck
a line OF "shoading" heaps that more
thar once threw him fiat on his face
He resented this very much, for he
knew 1t would give him a soiled and
cishevelled appearance. and that he
was anxious, for obvious reasons. to
avoid.
The fog, instead Of CLEARING, seemed
to get nor dense. The spongy brack
en- and heather appeared to have
given place to loose rubble. He was
walking along a ridge of some kind
the ground sloped on either side o.
him. Suddenly blackness that was
blacker than the night yawned at his
feet. He tried to draw back, but was
too late; with a cry that was hall
curse. half prayer. he clutched wildly
at nothing. There was an awful mo
ment when he felt himself sinking
through space. and then Oblivion.
When he recovered consciousness
the dawn was family revealing itself
IA ! square patch eighteen feet above
his head. He had fallen into a pros
pecting pit, and lay In a mangled hear