The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-10-30
Copyright. 1910. By Louis Joseph vance,

I'll / Udu IOEt lu0 eOuuu Oh tuSLu, tAeA
he shook himself and said to the WON
an in pretty steady voice, consider.
ing how hot he had just been: Get
back to bed, Kate. I'll stay up the
rest Of the night. That matters set
tied: you needn't worry any more
l thought his voice sounded not I'M
kind. but it was plain his temper
ruled the man.
His wife hesitated, but seemed
afraid 20 cross him. She said some
thing ! didn't catch, and went back,
closing the door.
Il was of two minds, whether to
follow Power Of could or wait and
see what next, and while was debat.
ing 1t, Black returned. pulling on his
coat. He'd managed to get into his
clothing In a surprisingly short time.
He went straight to the door. jerked
1t open. and slammed out, taking the
same path as Power. | followed,
judging my distance at discretion.
The path led us directly to the
overcautious, and SO permitted Black
to get too far ahead. By the time
caught up. something had happened |
didn't quite see through, at first.
heard the gate click behind Black,
then his footsteps as he pounded
across the stoop, and an instant later
voices followed by a sound of shut
him again he was alone-sitting alone
in the kitchen, the only lighted room
In the house. He had drawn a chair
up to the table and sat square to it,
his feet solidly on the floor, his hands
spread out fiat | could see him quite
plainly through the open door. He
just sat there, staring at the blank
wall opposite (of course, he couldn't
see anything. for that matter) and
never moved a muscle through what
seemed to me an eternity.
81 daresay this lasted over ten min
utes: 1t seemed hours. Then sudden
ly 1t came-what we'd both been wait
ing for-like thunderclap for unex-
pectedness, only more awful.
fancied I heard, first, a thin, far
shout; at any rate, Black threw back
his head, as if he had heard some
thing. The next instant the air
seemed to shudder with the most ter
rible, indescribably narrowing scream
Of mortal agony
Then silence again-nOthing more.
Beyond that preliminary start, Black
hadn't moved. He sat on, just as he
was. though he understood as Well as
l, and better, what had happened off
there in the darkness: that Power,
suspecting Blacks Intentions, had
made a break to get away by boat,
but had been overhauled by some
body instructed by Black-overhauled
and murdered. And he could
sit there, unstirring, with that on his
conscience :!
"After while l heard something
moving in the barnyard and lodged
back into hiding-into the shadows.
Then a man passed between me and
the light, like a ghost, trotting along
noiselessly. He logged up to the house
and into the kitchen: as he entered,
Black swung round sharply. This new
arrival was a Chiraman-a low-caste
coolie, judged. | couldn't hear what
they said-they spoke In undertones
but | managed to catch word or
two. among them boat which fitted
In with my suspicious. At once Black
got up-heavily, as If very tired
and went through the house and out
by the front door: I tagged along, OF
course He went directly back to
the wireless station, sat down at the
operating table, and gave another
marvellous exhibition Of what blind
man can accomplish. with instinct re,
inforcing thn sense OF touch.
"He threw in the motor cgt-of1
switch, to begin with, and the motor
started on the spark, just as some
automobile engines will. Then he
monkeyed with the detecter for d
while, listening. Nothing doing, ap
parently-though he may have been
getting the range for New York. The
next thing, he disconnected the re-
ceiving apparatus, threw the current
in through the starting box and pri
mary switch, and began calling the
New York Office Of the Standard Wire
less, stopping now and then TO listen
for their response. Presently that
came through, and he told EN- to stand
ready to take an important message
for Voorhis, the second vice-president:
they were TO get him on the telephone
at once-wake him up and insist or
an instant answer. You'll
Yha% 7 hSsr~ In, hE
list of my many and varied accom-
plishments the ability to read Morse
by ear: once upon s time | was
regular telegraph operator,
The message was: Power has leff
without warning, taking boat to row
to Vineyard Absence just discovered
Send trustworthy substitute immedi
ately When may | expect him? Al
quiet here: island fog bound
The reply came through within
twenty minutes-which was pretty
quick work. OF course / couldn1
hear it; l only knew It was being re
ceived
Just as Black gave the Q, K. sig
nal and shut of the motor and dyna
mo. the door opened again. and his
wife spoke to him She said. almost
timidly: Douglas is anything
the natter He said in rough, sur
~ tone: 'Everything's the matter
That ass, Power. has stolen one Of the
boats and left the island. I've Just
asked Voorhis 70 send some one II
his place. He says there's a man OF
the NAY. II seams Pnuer sent in his