Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-05

Amber. without speaking, went to his
side and touched his shoulder with that
pitifuliy inadequate gesture OF sympathy
which men so frequently employ.
II killed him." said Rutton. DULY.
Yes" replied Amber. He was not sur
prised: he had apprehended the tragedy
from the moment that Rutton had fed
him. speechless: the feeling of horror
that he had at first experienced had
ebbed. merged into a sort OF apathetic
acknowledgment of the inevitable.
After a bit Rutton turned to the table
and drew an automatic pistol from his
pocket. opening the magazine Five cart
two had been exploded. II was not
sure" he. said. thouehtfully, how many
times 1 had fired" His curiosity salts
fed, he reloaded the weapon and returned
it to his pocket. He died like a dog. -
he said. "whimpering and blaspheming
in the face Of eternity 4" 4" out there in
the cold and the night. 1t was
ing through his flesh. go
He shuddered.
Didn't he resist?" Amber asked. in
voluntarily.
his revolver until it was empty. Then
."
What made you waltz.
II didn't care; 1t didn't matter. One
Of US had to die tonight: he should have
known that when l refused to accom-
pany him back to 80 was hungry for
his bullet more than for his life: I gave
him every chance. But 1t had to be as
1t was. That was fate. Now ." He
paused and after a little went on In a
more controlled voice. "Quaintly enough.
IL there's anything in the theory of
heredity. David. my hands have been
stained with no mans blood before to-
night. Yet my forbears were a murder
Gus lot. Until this hour / never
realised how swift and uncomfortable
could be the impulse to slay. T" ."
His voice trailed of into silence and he
sat staring into the pickering flames that
played about the driftwood. Now and
again his lips moved noiselessly.
With a wrench Amber pulled himself
together. He had been mentally witness
to the murder-had seen the Bengal.
obese, monstrous. fiabby. his unclean
carcass a gross casing for a dark spirit
whining in the throes Of death.
"Rutton," he demanded. suddenly, with
out generalization, what are you going
to dor
"Do" Rutton looked up. his eyes per-
picked. why. what is there to do? Get
away as best can. l presume-seek an
other hole to hide In
But how about the lawT
THE law? Why need it ever be known
what has happened tonight? / can
count on your sllence-I have no need to
ask. Doggott would die rather than be-
tray me. He and I can dispose Oft
No one comes here at this time Of the
year save hunting parties. and their eyes
your way in the morning. Wen clear
out Immediately after"
You'd better take no chances"
Suddenly Rutton smote the table with
his fist. by Indur!" he swore strangely.
his voice quavering with JOY. II had not
thought of THAR He jumped up and be-
gan to move excitedly to and fro. Il
am free! None but you and / know OF
the passing of the Token and the delivery
Of the message-none can possibly know
time. at least. I am In no danger Of"
He shut his mouth like trap on words
that might have enlightened Amber.
"Of what?''
in the world where q man may lose him
self. There's Canada-the Hudson Bay
region. Labrador. - ."
A discreet knock sounded on the door
in the partition and 1t was opened gently.
Doggott appeared on the threshold. pale
him.
"Well?"
ANY orders. sir?'
Yes begin packing up. We leave to-
Every good. sir"
THAT IL all tonight"
"Yes. sir. Good night. Good night. Mr..
Amber" The man retired and at inter-
walls thereafter Amber could hear him
moving about, apparently obeying orders.
Rutton replenished the fire and stood
with his back to II, smiling almost hap
PLY. All evidence Of remOrse had d,sap-
peared. He seemed momentarily almost
light-hearted. certainly In better spirits
than he had been at any time that night
Free" he cried. softly. And by the
simplest Of solutions. Strange that I
should never have thought before tonight
Of" He glanced carelessly toward the
window, and 1t was as IL his lips had
been wiped clean of speech.
Amber turned. thrilling, his flesh creep
ing with the horror that he had OWNED
in Rutton's transfixed gaze.
Outside the glass; that was lightly sill
vered with frost, something moved-the
spectral shadow Of a turbaned head
moved and was stationary for the space
Of twenty heart beats. Beneath the tur-
ban Amber seemed to see two eyes. wide
staring and terribly alight.
"God.'' cried Rutton, thickly. jerking
forth his pistol.
The shadow vanished.
With a single thought Amber sprang
upon Rutton, snatched the weapon from
door, let himself out.
The snow had ceased; only the wind
raved with untempered force. Overhead
1t was blowing clear; through difts and
rents in the fast-moving cloud rack pale
turquoise patches Of moonlit sky showed,
here and there inlaid with a far shining
star. The dunes were colby a-glimmer
with the meager light that penetrated to
the earth and was cast back by its white
and spotless shroud.
But Amber. at pause a few PAGES be-
yond the doorstep, his foref1nger ready
upon the trigger of the automatic pistol.
was alone in the hollow.
Cautiously. and. to be frank. bit dis
he made a reconnaissance. cir
cling the building. but discovered nothing
to reward his pains. The snow lay up-
broken except in front of the cabin. where
the traces Of feet existed in profuss con-
fusion; Amber himself, Rutton. Doggott.
the babu. and perhaps another. had
passed and repassed there; the trail they
had beaten streamed out of the vale to
the eastward. Only, before the window,
which he had seen the peering
head. he found the impressions
OF two feet. rather deep and definite, toes
pointing toward the house. as though
some one had fingered there, looking in.
The sight Of them treasured him ndicu- |
lously.
AT least" he reflected ''disembodied |