The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-11-26

only loosening grasp between him
and eternity. Rut Richards. with a
nimbleness born Of his peril. loosened
his own griI, Of HutchinssS and, huri-
ing himself violently Backward, ciurE
spra " ing TO gbe wall Instantly
Hutch:ngs turned over and on i.j<
hands ana knees started to err. .st
along the pipe out over the abyss.
My God, Richards. what is it all
about?' cried Sheriff Black as he bur-
ried up.
Mad" replied Richards. "stark
mad Been SO for n week Tried to
kill me and himself several times.
Now it's something else. | was close
TO it that time. Look at him, He'll
| go off there before he is half way
across
| Hutchings crawied steadily out OF
the ice covered pipe The watching
men trcmbled for him, but he seemed
devoid Of fear.
| The rescue party climbed down the
slope and ran across the gulch In the
hope of heading him off. but the dis,
lance was too great. He got to the
other end of the rrestle ahead Of them
and disappeared in the woods.
| The sheriff drew Richards aside
'sWhat did he mean by taking your
best wishes TO her?'. he asked.
Richards dropped his eyes and seem
I'd reluctant to reply. "Oh. just a era
Ey notion" he said evasively.
No; that won't do. Bob" replied the
sheriff. i've got to know what has
been going Oh up here
But on my word. Black replied
Richards. lit is only that the man is
daffy You see. we've been alone up
here together for three months. With
out soul to speak TO and with no
word from the outside after the wire
broke. i, was enough to drive any man
off. and poor Hutch was blue from the
first We auarreied about triffes. and
afterward called each other fools, and
made it up again and again. At FIRST
we had the wire. but--weil. You see. !
knew little Of the code. and ] used
to talk tn the telegraph operator in
town--Miss Coyne. you know-just 81
pass the time away. you know-Gn
that used to make him wild. aithou.rta
did not discover it until afterwarfi
said ! WAS making love TO her over the
wire"
Which. as Il matter of fact. yea
were." interrupted the sheriff.
Nov. Black. as a friend. you msi>'
promise not to bring her name ii:to
this. merely. eh-talked to her aa
ordinary topics-and Hutch went 10
about 1t. Perhaps it was the Deceni-
Der storm. hut | always believed IL.
broke that telegraph wire. He seem
ed greatly amused over it-used to ask
me each morning afterward what was
the news from the station. He got
violent about a week ago. had to be
always ON guard against him. could
not leave him alone and the loss OF
sleep was firing me out. Then
thought OF swapping the switches In
and out 10 attract attention In town.
/ did it for several nights before be
saw through it, Last night. while |
was signaling he jumped for me- All
he said. at it again. are you?' The
current went off and we had it out in
the dark. saw your fire and knew
you were coming. But SO did he.
Then he tried to get away. ! barricad-
ed him in the switch room. but he
broke out just as you arrived.
my boy" answered the sheriff i
don't believe it will be necessary to
mention the lady's name.
THANK you. old man. r.
'.Yes. continued the sheriff; lit Will
not be. necessary. She told me all
i about it before | left
what.
Yes. you must have kept the wire
hot between you But how a man can