The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-10-15

stone moor OF the passage. He fell
prone on his face, hurting his nose and
mouth. The shock Jared him greatly,
/ but his hands, if not his arms, were
free, and. with the instinct of self pres
ervation that replaces all other sensa-
lions in moments of extreme peril, he
strove valiantly to rise.
! But he was grasped by the neck with
brutal force and some one knelt on
his back.
! Philip Anson," Missed a mans
| voice, do you remember Jocky Ma
son!'
/ So he had fallen into a trap. cunning
ly prepared by what fiendish combina-
ton of fact and artitice he had yet TO
learn. Jocky Mason, the skulking
criminal of Johnsons News. Was he
in that mans power?
! Under such conditions q man thinks
quickly. Philips first ordered thought
was one of relief. lie had fallen into
the clutches of an English brigand.
Money would settle this difficulty if ali
other means failed.
Yes, yes he gurgled, half stran-
! gled by the fierce pressure on his
throat.
you hit me once from behind. You
can't complain if do the same. You
sent me to living hell for ten years
not your fault that 1t wasn't forever
J Lie still. Not all your money can save
| you now. 1 am judge and jury and
hell itself. You are dying-dying-
; dead!'
And with the final words drawled
| into his ears with bitter intensity
Philip felt a terrible blow descend on
his head. There was no pain, no fear,
no poignant emotion at leaving all the
world held so dear to him. There was
an awful shock. A thundercloud seem
! ed to burst i'll his brain, and he sank
into the void without groan.
, Now, in falling the hard felt hat he
wore dropped in front of his face. The
first wild movement of his head tilted
it outward. but the savage jerk given
by his assailant brought the rim slight
! ly over his skull again.
In the almost complete darkness OF
| the passage Mason could not see the
! slight protection this afforded to his
victim, and the sledge hammer blow
he delivered with life preserver-that
murderous implement named SO utter
~ at variance with its purpose-did not
reveal the presence of an obstacle.
He struck with a force that would
have stunned an OK: it must have killed
any man be he the hardest skulled abo.
rigine that ever breathed. But the
stout rim Of the hat, though crushed
like an eggshell, took of some of the
leaden Instruments tremendous i'm
pact. Philip, though quite insensible.
was not dead. His sentient faculties
1 were annihilated for the time, but his
| heart continued its life giving func-
lions, and he breathed with impercep-
tible iutterings.
Mason rose painting with excitement.
glutted with satisfied hate. He lifted
his victims inert form with the ease
Of his great strength.
"Come on" he shouted and strobe
toward a door. which he kicked open.
A step sounded haltingly in the pas
sage. Grenier, the sio-disant doctor.
livid now and shaking with the ague of
irretrievable crime, stumbled after his
more callous associate. Unconsciously
he kicked Philips hat to one side. He
| entered the room. an apartment with a
boundless view of the sea.
Here there was more light than in
the kitchen. The windows faced to-
ward the northwest, and the last radi-
ance of p setting sun illumined a wall
on the right.
Not therew he gasped. I'm this
chair. His FACET must see his FACET
| Mason, still clasping his inanimate
| burden, laughed with a snarl.
Stop that" he roared. Pull your
self together. Get some brandy. I've
done my work. If you can't do yours.
| let me finish it."
"Oh, just a moment! Give me time!
| 1 hate the sight of blood. Get a towel
Bind 1t round his neck. His clothes!
! They will be saturated. And wipe his
! face. I must see his face
Grenier was historical. He had the