Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-04-18
CHAPTER XIV.
A Meeting In the Dark.


anyway. If you only wish to add to
your predatory transgression," ironi-
cally, "byt gratifying a homicidal i'm
pulse, wouldn't it be less stupid-par-
don the word from stranger-to ac-
complish it in a quieter and more del
icate manner? For your own sake, of
course!" he ended softly.
The silence grew. Noiseless as a
shadow, Bruce again moved; a possi-
BILE leaden answer would not find him
in the place whence he had spoken.
Who are you?" The voice was
hoarse; vibrated harshly. In the bare
room, the echoes seemed to distort the
sound. There could be OWNED, how
ever, in the hollow, unfamiliar ac-
cents, an abject pusillanimity. He who
had dared to enter the Goldberg house
and rifle the safe, had lost the cool
pluck that must have nerved him to
the risky and difficult coup.
Bruce whistled softly. His foot came
floor; he stopped for it and answered:
Never mind"
But do," in shriller accents.
Quick, or"
Hush, fool, or they will be here.
And put down your revolver. Dol"
persuasively. I'm not half so afraid
of an armed adversary who is man of
mettle as" contemptuously "a polt-
room with a weapon
Did the fellow lower his arm? The
stiffness ensuing lasted only moment,
but 1t seemed very long. The un-
known, in an uncertain voice, repeated
his first question.
That is little to the point" replied
Bruce. Perhaps, just for the instant.
he forgot his own danger in derisory
interest, called forth by the situation.
Il might indulge in a like curiosity.
but do not AS far as am concerned"
languidly, 'let the darkness keep its
secret. You may be a mere vulgar
chevalier dindustrie, professional
housebreaker or cracksman. Or you
may be a gentleman, subjected to
temptation and fallen-one of Mr..
Goldbergs guests" shrewdly.
Again came the ominous. prelimina-
ry click; Bruce knew the finger, act
ing in conjunction with the palm, was
about to apply the necessary second
pressure. Lithely he shifted once
more: the hammer did fall but the
cartridge only snapped.
Lucky for you!" exclaimed the
young man, and leaped forward. His
the billet of wood struck something
hard; the revolver clattered to the
floor. Let 1t lie!" A suppressed
sound answered; the fellow seemed to
shrink back; to occupy a small space
in a corner. IF you got your deserts,
I'd leave you, senseless, beside 1t, with
the pearls in your pocket; for them to
find" He broke off. held his head
toward the door and listened. He
thought he heard stealthy footsteps
without, but could not be sure. The
silence now was that of the grave.
Don't give me up. DON'T" the man
cried out in a sudden agony of fear. u
was mad: did not know what l did
It was the first time. Those cursed
pearls they bewitched me. l am not
myself now. For the love of Heaven
broke from him, tell me, is it real?
No terrible dream?"
I'm afraid it's real enough" OBJ
served Bruce dryly. Although, nc
doubt it would be very agreeable if it
were not. If both of us could just
wake up, and find ourselves in our own
comfortable bedroomsl Turn over and
go to sleep again. That would be jol-
ly, wouldn't it?"
His jesting tone had a ghastly
sound he could fancy the others
shudder. He remembered somewhere
having once witnessed, or rather
heard, the scene of a play In which
the characters moved and spoke in
blackness like that of the pit. He trieo
to think of them now; those people al
cross purposes in the depths; wha'
tangle was it they were trying tc
straighten out?
He could not recall. He wondered
vaguely if the burns. the pain, had no,
made him a little feverish. He was
once more resting against the sink. II
seemed to him an interminable perioo
since he had entered the deserted Page
dwelling; in reality but a few moments
had passed. He experienced sudder
lethargy and should have liked to YIELD
to the feeling. To throw it off, now
ever: to regain possession of himself
his alertness, he laughed:
You've got a bad attack of afraid
you're going to- ba- -found-o he OBJ
served with light accents. Cheer up!
No doubt, you'll take roster view o.
the situation in the morning. That IS,
he added, IF you act at once!"
You mean," uncertainty, you're 60
ing to let me go?"
IF you can get away--frOm them
he supplemented.
But why should you do that? VIII!
are you here? Were you, too, running
away from someone?" vehemently.
Bruce moved toward the door ''
was standing near the Goldberg house
they took me for YOU" wearily. Il
would have been inconvenient for M
to have stopped just then. A yount
lover dreaming beneath his dulcinea'
window" mockingly, might be avers'
IN eyplaining his romantic presence t
n hard and unsympathizing world"
Did the other, even in his terror de
tect the derisiveness of those tones
His own voice came out of the night
now in a sudden, sharp whisper:
see. You. too, were after the pearls
pard,"
The last word seemed added, afte
an instants hesitation, as If the fellow
made belated attempt to veil his po
sition. a possibly respectable standing
in the community.
will you share" Bruce spok
swiftly. Since you honor me h!
calling me 'pard!'"
"I-J-" ruDiditV struggled Will