Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-10-29


seen presence. I shortly understood
the reason of this feeling for at the
turthermost end of the lighted room
l saw the bamboo curtain swinging be-
tore the half-open door move gently
70 one side. almost imperceptibly. as
though stirred by a summer wind And
Then. creeping softly, softly. very
stealthily beneath the curtain cama
the creature from the outside NJ the
house on the fan.
Cautiously he knelt beside the
screen and drew from the basgins
sleeve OF his blouse the knife-Iopr
thin-bladed and keen-but, as I AID
not fail to note, without the sickenjpo
stain on the point that had been thar,
when my attention had first heon
called to bis pictured presence.
That tragedy. which / could in no
wise prevent. was to take place be.
fore me ! felt sure. yet dumbly PRAYED
tnat someone might come. or some nm
toreseen happening might occur to be-
trey the creatures presence before Il
was zoo late. His intention was eyi-
IDENTITY not to kill the lovers as they
STOOD nor yet to surprise them by a
sucien onslaught. for he stiu crouched
c4oss to the partition, almost hidden
oE the Dwarf tardinieres holding the
small cumquot trees, golden with their
yellow fruit, the one hideous blot on
the harmonious color scheme of the
pretty room; watching, watching and
awaiting until the mans shadow.
alewly, slowly, reluctantly retreated
nom view. Then back to the room
came the woman. tripping lightly. 1t
seemed as II l almost hear the click
OF her little sandals on the polished
toor and I imagined that some plain
tive song Of Japan issued from the
sefuy parted cherry lips to be sur
prised into silence az she came upon
tRs nSurs partially concealed next the
screen. A look Of frightful, unutter-
ahls fear sESrspread the beautiful face
and the widening eyes looked pitifully
Wild and appealing Us the wretch rose
menaeingly from his position and
spxsng toward her. One sinewy hand
curved cruel fingers about the slender
throat She svayed weakly, clutching
at the erawny chest and struggling
madly to push him from her. The
knife-ughl 1 shrieked sleud-was
thrust deep iEte that exquisite body
and drawn out A white hand huttered
to the hut Again II was plunged
deep. deep
You nendi HslpI Murder! will
no one comel" screamed, wildly
dinging the fan far from me.
Why, Constance exclaimed my
husband. entering the room at a dead
run, what In the name Of all Bed
lamites is the matter with your" but
ny only response to his question was
70 fall forward an UNCONSCIOUS heap
into his outstretchsd arms.
When l oeme To myself. over and
over again I tried 10 explain 1t all to
him. and although inclined to laugh at
me, together we examined the house
on the fan, which appeared in its or
binary state of crooked outline, while
the FACE OF the earless wretch re-
meinsd darkly inscrutable and the
windows OF the dwelling dim.
Finally, after much coaxing and
caioling. prevailed upon my husband
~ oOhO l4AC AoAs dn0 lCNlol Win 1t.
back 10 the young officer Of the Oc-
topus from whom l had received it
Weeks lengthened into months, and
still no answer came to the missive
and the Incident by mutual consent
had been buried by US. until one day
at luncheon long, white envelope was
handed in by the postman.
sOuiCk oufClxt RfChardD orsad
excitsdly, pouring tea on the table
cloth and diligently sopping it up with
a biscuit, Open 1t, do it's from
Japan. 1 can see the postmark from
where l sit"
Almost as much interested, If not as
much excited as myself, he broke the
seal and read aloud to me the follow
Ing:
Dear Rex: Tell Mrs. Rex, with my
best compliments, that she bids fair to
rival Mime. BiaVatsl1y or even the abnor-
NAL Ann O'Delia- Joking aside. though, old
man. that little wife OF yours must be en-
dowed with mediumistic powers That
fan was the direct means OF aiding in the
arrest, and the subsequent putting to
death OF one Wong Ling Foo, a half
breed Jap, who was responsible for the
death of Q Yamashiro San, the Japanese
WlIe OF lleut- James Roderick, u. 5. N.
You met him in Washington in 'ss The
woman informed her husband Of the in
tended uprising Of q certain colony In
Nagasaki in the hearing OF her murderer,
who. being one OF the conspirAtoFs, and
suspecting the woman, to whom he was
related. of treason. concealed himself in
her apartment during the interview with
Lieut.. Roderfck. When the latter left
the house. Wong Ling spranE upon his
victim, stabbing her repeatedly, but after
leaving her to all Appearances dead, she
must havo managed to sorawl a picture
Of the wretch, and his name On the fan,
trusting that her husband would find II
and recognize the rnap from the peculiar
facial deformitY, which perhaps you no.
decd, The fan, however, became the
property of the merchant for whom Mrs
Rodefick did some decorating. hence your
wife's present, which ! purchased from
the same merchant ] never have taken
much stock In the occult, but Mrs. Rs
vision, dream, or whatever Il may be
called, is one Of the most Incompetent
sible thiaSs that ever happened, and on
the strength Of II Lieut. Roderiek brought
that brute Of hsethen to justice Re
member me with best regards to your
wife, and 5elieve noe,
Yours very sincerely,
CHARLES SHELLEY BRIGGS. u. 8. N