Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-10-05
CHAPTER XVII.
A TRAGEDY ~rNroRsEI.N..

grave.
Good God." he murmured. after a
moments Inspection OF what lay there.
Il would never have guessed this. This
Is Il 1000 times worse than l imagined!
Here, Lester. hold the light. I'll UNI
cover the face" and thrusting the icrch
into my hands. he attacked the loose
earth at the other end of the grave.
l, too. moved somehow to the other
end, and threw the light down into the
shallow hole. Godfrey worked With
desperate energy. hurting the dirt right
and left. l watched the flying hands
I'm such an agony of horror as l hope
never again to experience: stared down
into the c%.eepening hole. With the cold
sweat starting out across my forehead
at the thought of what any instant
might reveal.
Again Godfrey dropped to his knees.
and l was conscious of Il face growing
beneath his hands. almost as if he were
calling 1t out of the darkness. Clearer
and clearer 1t grew, as he brushed
away the clinging clay: then he stood
erect with a little sigh of mingled hor-
ror and satisfaction.
Staring up at us was a face-not q
woman'S face-not Marcie Lawrence's
face-but a mans face. florid. heavy
jowled, with a black moustache; dead,
yet not calm i'm death, but contorted by
Il hidcous %grilnace, as though chuckling
%ith satisfaction.
Miss Lawrence may. indeed. have
sailed on the Umbria.' God
frey, after Il moments silent cOntcm-
plation of the CHASTITY countenance.
She had every reason to iee-to the
earth's end. if possible. For she left
her husband here!"
j could find no word to answer: my
throat was dry. contracted; l felt that
l was suffocating. So this was the
secret! No Wonder we had not guessed
It,!
zone can easily build up the story"
went on Godfrey, in a voice carefully
lowered. She came. here called by the
note. desperate, ready for anything
ready even to kill the devil who'd writ
ten 1t. For he was. a devil, Lester
look at his facet"
1t was in truth, repellant enough
dOubly fepellant now with hat trium-
plant leer upon it--cold and hard, with
cruel lines about the mouth: a bloated
face. too, marked by dissipation and
bestiality. l suddered at the thought
that Marcia Lawrence may have once
been in his power-that he a tried
TO drag her down from her sweet girl
ish innocence
He deserved it," I said hoarscly.
He deserved it-and more!"
Yes" agreed Godfrey, mo doubt he
did. II she vas ever in his hands, she
must nave suffered the torments of
HE'LL
He fell silent a moment, staring down
at the face.
But I don't understand" I burst out,
forgetting for a moment to lower my
voice: Il can't understand
Godfrey laid his hand sternly upon
my lips.
shout like that
The words recalled me suddenly to
a sense OF our danger.
WED better get out OF this" 1 whis-
pered.
'Yes-and as soon as we can. Wen
have to call in the police. Besides,''
he added grimly. I've got to get off
h story and it's getting late"
"The story?" I echoed. suddenly sick
at heart.
$50 far as 1 know 1t, Lester. There
can be no doubt about this body. l
suppose"
A curious sound behind me. as of
q dog painting for breath, sent a sud-
den chill through me. l raised the
torch and sent a beam of light
sweeping about the cellar. 1t rest
at us around a corner OF the wall-a
face so distorted. SO demoniac. that 1t
seemed scarcely human. Then there
was q flash Of flame. a report. and
the torch crashed from my hand,
wnie q gust OF acrid smoke whirled
felt Godfrey clutch me and pull
me down beside him into the half
filled grave: / even fancied that I
touched the staring face which lay
there. In an agony OF horror I
struggled to free myself. to stand
rather than that. but he held me fast.
whispered. IT she fres 'aa again. I ns
drop her." and 1 knew that he held
his revolver in his hand.
Don't do that" 1 gasped. Don't
DO You've no right to do that"
Il have the right to defend myself"
retorted Godfrey grimly, and waited.
his muscles tense.
But h did not fire again. Instead.
there was a long. unbroken silence.
during which. 1t seemed to me l could
feel my hair whitening on my head. I
also became conscious OF a stinging
numbness In my right hand. Minute
after minute passed. and still no
sound came from the outer cellar. &
felt that IL the silence endured a
moment longer. ] should shrek aloud.
Lie STILL" whispered Godfrey. at
last last ~. and a.. Ill Try to find the torch.
my hand feels numb"
Let me see" n ! felt his fingers
touching It softly here and there. IT'S
Just q scratch. | think. But wait TIL
I find the torch"
I heard him cropping about for It;
then Tor 9 time all was still again.
Suddenly. from an angle Of the wall.
9 shaft Of light shot about the cellar.
It was empty.
IAN right. Lester" said Godfrey's
hand"
him. "A moments examination showed
that NV WnHn6 VS0QY fnAanA Nm1SS =