Middletown transcript., 1911-02-04

Sp6uuS nhu hll16u LIS SlE4 FWA1c3
carelessfy as be would have
annihilated a fly, and-he called
ST, Antonio to witness he should
die, too.
Finally, out of brassy skies,
the red ball Of fire that had tor
tured his eyes, his brain, all day,
rolled leeringly cut Of sight, and
Manuel SUNK into the shadows
that lined the shrubbery hidden
lawn of the great millmau. He
watched the evening star break
through the silky skies like a
great flashing gem, and when it
was dark enough a slender moon
hung, bowfashion. near the star.
He erept closer and closer to
the house. Suddenly, from
foundation to dome, it was swept
within with soft white light.
Draperies undrawn, one room
near where he stood yielded to
his resentfuI gaze the full
measure Of its architectural and
decorative beauties.
-
A door opened, and a man
whose brow at the temples was
touched with silver crossed the
room and sat down in a massive
chair.
Now, Manuel gloated exulting-
ly. over the rusty revolver,
caressing its time stained bar.
rel approviugly. He raised it
once, took careful aim at the
bent head and waited. Around
3 gloomy clump of bushes he
sight ofa hurrying auto.
mobile flying a red-cross flag. tt
stopped at the gate of the man.
sion and some one alighted. The
man in the chair rose and quilted
The room.
Manuel waited. Fifteen,
twenty, thirty minutes. Then
the door closed and the doctor |
came down the steps. Manuel |
was there, beside the car, before
aim. Tell me, he said, who is
t? Who sick?
The physician looked down at
him perplexedIy, made a motion
IS if to ignore the request, then
'econsidered aud replied courte.
'usly. 1t is Mrs. Stacy. She
$ very i'll. Probably cannot live
through the night. Some mill.
land, he assured himself as he
lrove away.
Manuel crept stealthily back
o his place in the bushes. Well,
ct her die. Was not his Maria
lead already, perhapsP He
should die, too. Hesmiled grim.
y as the great millman re- enter
ID the room and, setting him.
ielf, buried his face in his hands.
lis grief, it was all for himself,
or his own. No thought for the
title mother he had crushed
nercilessly only this afternoon.
He raised the revolver and
waited, motionless, for the nom.
mt, the second when that bowed
lead should be lifted, the proper
lace presented for the bullets
mark. He had good aim. In the
Id country one could not be too.
amiliar with the use of weapons.
He could almost hear the
leavy sigh with which the mag.
Iate raised his head, slowly,
Yearly. In an instant it would
ave been over. A door swung
vide, and into the full glare of
he electric light tiny figure
oddled. With a gasping cry
danuel lowered the weapon. His
ountenance worked convul.
lively, a change crept into the
'engeful eyes.
The millionaire held out his
rms and the child crept to their
protection. One great tear rolled
own ManueIs face as he gazed.
pair of crutches had fallen
eedlessly to the floor, and when
be childish form was turned to
iis vision he saw the cruel de-
ormity of her misshapen limbs,
be awful hump that would press
opelessly on her life, her
through the years to
ONE. There was no cure. No
ruel surgeon could relieve her
t the curse that had been laid
n her youth. her Innocence