Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-16

i lldHSOuSly ne ledlu d ,lOW,
cry, the cane was swept aside, a blow
landed glancingly on his shoulder, and
he was carried fairly off his feet by
the weight Of man hurled bodily up
On him with staggering force and pas
sion. Keeling, he was borne back and
down step or two and then, choking
on an oath-dropped his cane and with
one hand caught tie balusters, while
the other tore Intellectually at wrists
of hands that clutched his throat. So,
for a space, the two hung, painting and
Then endeavoring to swing his
shoulders over against the wall, Kirk
wood released his grip on the hand
rail and stumbled on the stairs,
throwing his antagonist out of bal |
ance. The latter plunged downward
dragging Kirwood with him. Clawing,
kicking, graphing, they went to the
bottom, jolted violently by each step; |
but long before the last was reached,
Kirkwood's throat was free
Throwing himself off. he got to his
feet and grasped the railing for sup
port; then waited, painting, trying to
get his bearings. Himself painfully
shaken and bruised, he shrewdly sur
missed that his assailant had feared
as i'll, If not worse. And, in point Of
fact, the man lay with neither move
nor moan, still as death at the Amer
leans feet.
And once more silence had folded
its wings over Number 9, Frognall
street.
More conscious of that terrifying,
motiOnless presence beneath him, than
able to distinguish it by power of Wis
ion he endured interminable minutes
of trembling horror, in a witless daze,
before he thought of his matchbox.
Immediately he found it and struck
light. AS the wood caught and the
bright small flame leaped in the pent
air, he leaned forward, over the body,
breathlessly dreading what he must
discover
The man lay quiet, head upon the
floor, legs and hips on the stairs. One
arm had fallen over mis- lace, hiding
the upper half. The hand cleaned
white and delicate as a woman's. His
chin was smooth an6 round, his lips
thin and petuiant. Beneath his top
coat, evening dress clothed short
and slender figure. Nothing whatever
of his appearance suggested the burly
ruffiian, the midnight marauder; he
| seemed little more than boy old
enough to dress for dinner. In his at
titude there was something pitifully
suggestive of beaten child, thrown
| into q corner.
| Conscience-smitten and amazed
Kirkwood stared on until without
warning, the match flickered and went
out. Then, Strengthening up with an
exclamation at once of annoyance and
concern, he ratified the box; it made
no sound-was empty. In disgust he
swore it was the DEVILS own luck, that
| he should run out Of vestas at time
so critical. He could not ,even say
whether the fellow was dead, uncon
scious, or simply shamming. He had
little idea of his looks; and to be able
to identify him might save a deal OF
trouble at some future time-since
he, Kirkwood, seemed so little able tc
disengage himself from the clutches OF
this insane adventure! And the girI
what had become of her? How
could he continue to search for her
without lights or guide, through al
those silent rooms, whose walls might
inclose a hundred hidden dangers II
that house of mystery?
But he debated only briefly His
blood was young, and it was hot; i
was quite plain to him that he coult
withdraw and retain his self-re
spect. If the girl was there to be
found, most assuredly he must fine
her. The hand-lamp that had daz
zled him at the head of the stairs
should be his aid now that HI
thought of it-and providing he wa
able to find it.
In the scramble on the stairs he hat
lost his hat, but he remembered tina
the vestas shortlived light had dis
, covered this on the floor beyond tn
! mans body. Carefully stepping acros
the latter he recovered his hyadgea,
and then, kneeling, listened with al
ear close to the fellows face. A softi
> regular beat of breathing reassure
J him. Half rising, he caught the bod
: beneath the armpits, lifting and drag
, > ging it of the staircase; and "knel
again, to feel of each pocket in tn
ludu CloIilli5, paul do OIL oDFiOo1
: precaution, to relieve him of his &C
: vertised revolver against an untimel
/, Weakening, partly to see If he had tn
4 lamp about him.
. The search proved fruitless. Kirl
= wood suspected that the weapon, Xix
: his own, had existed only in his VII
: TINS ready imagination. AS for tn
y. lamp, in the act of rising he struck
. with his foot, and picked it up.
1t felt like metal tube couple {
inches in diameter, foot or so
length, passably heavy. He tumble
e with it impatiently. However tn
+ dickens" he wondered audibly, "doe
q the Internal machine work. AS
happened, the thing worked with di
concerning abruptness as his untraine
q fingers fell hapchance on the sprin
IS A sudden glare again smote him in tt
4 face, and at the same instant, fro
l. point not yard away, apparentl
o an inarticulate cry rang out upon tt
4 stiffness.
Heart in his mouth, he stepped bac
lowering the lamp (Which impish