The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-05-21
IContinued from last week.

| throat. II is in these Involuntary
| sounds that the voice retains its nat
+ ural Gu:l:;y more distinctly even than
| in speaking. \ strange eagerneSS grew
| in Glrn!Strr'S face. and he approached
| the partition Stealthily. 1t was of wood
and glass. the panes clouded and
opaque to a height Of some six feet:
but. stepping upon chair. he peered
, into the room beyond. A man knelt in
litter Of ,pers before the open safe.
! its drawers and compartments remov-
ed and their contents scattered. The
| watcher lowered himself. drew his gun
and laid soft hand upon the doorknob.
i turning the latch with firm fingers. His
vengeance had come to meet him.
After lying In wait during the long
night. certain that the vigilantes would
spring his trap, Mcnamara was as
founded at news Of the battle at the
Midas and Of Glenister's success. He
stormed and cursed his men - COW
ards. The Judge became greatly exer-
cised over this new development.
which. coupled with his hight Of long
anxiety, reduced him to a Utiful hys-
terra.
They'll blow US up next. Great
heavens. Dynamite. Oh. that is bar
barous. For heavens sake, get the SOL
diers out. Alec"
"Ay. we can use them now" There
upon Mcnamara reused the command
Ing officer at the post and requested
him to accouter a troop and have them
ready to march at daylight, then be-
stirred the judge to start the wheels OF
his court and invoke this military aid
in regular fashion.
"Make it all a matter Of record" he
said. I'VE want to keep our skirts
clear from now on"
"But the townspeople are against
u.s." Quavered Stillman. They'll tear
us to pieces"
"Let 'em try. Once get my hand
| on the ringleader. the rest may riot
and I've damned
Although he had made less display
than had the Judge. the receiver was
no less worried about Helen, Of whom
no news came. His jealousy, famed
to red heat by the discovery of her
earlier detection. was enhanced four
fold by the thought Of this last adven-
tura. Something told him there was
treachery afoot, and when she did not
return at dawn Ee began to fear that
she had cast in her lot with the riot
erS. This aroused perfect delirium
Of doubt and anger till lie reasoned
further that Struve, having gone with
her, must also be Il traitor lie recog-
nized the menace in this fact knowing
the mans venality. so began TO reckon
carefully its Significance. What could
Struve do? What proof had he? Nc
hurried straight to the lawyers office
and let himself in with the key be car
ried. 1t was light enough for him to
declpher the characters OH the safe
lock as he turned the combination. so
he set to work scanning tire endless
bundles within, hoping that after all
the man had taken with him no incrim-
mating evidence. Once the Searcher
paused at some fancied sound. but
when nothing came Of 1t drew his re-
volver and laid it before him just i'll
! side the safe door and close beneath
his hand, continuing to run through
the documents while his uneasness in
creased He had been engaged so for
creak at his back, too slight to alarm
and Just sufficient to break his tension
and cause him TO jerk his head about
Framed in The open door stood Roy
Glenister watching him.
McNamara'S establishment was so
genuine that he leaped to- his feet
faced about. and prompted by secre-
tive instinct swung to the safe door as
though to guard its contents. He had
acted upon the impulse before realiZ-
ing that his weapon was inside and
| that now, although the door was not
/ locked, it would require that one dan
gerous. yes, fatal second to open 1t.
The two men stared at each other
for a time, silent and malignant, their
glsnces meeting like blades; in the old
; er mans face a look Of defiance, In the
younger's dogged and grim purposed
enmity. McNamara's first perturba
ton left him calm, alert, dangerous,
whereas the continued contemplation
Of his enemy worked in Glenlster to
destroy his composure, and his purpose
bIazed forth unhidden.
! He stood there unkempt and soiled,
. the clean sweep Of jaw and throat
overgrown with three days black
stubble. his hair wet and matted. his
whole left side foul with clay where
| he had fallen in the darkness. A mud
! dy red streak spread downward from a
cut above his temple, beneath his eyes
were sagging folds. while the flicker at
his mouth corners betrayed the high
nervous pitch to which he was keyed.
! Il have come for the last act, Nc
! Namara. Now we'll have it out man
! to man."
] The politician shrugged his shoulders.