The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-08-17

began to pace to and rro. What thS
hell can I do but give myself upt-
You mean that!"
The question was Involuntary on
Coasts part, wrung from him by sur
prise, so difficult he found It to credltf
the mans sincerity. j.
"Of course" Blackstock explained,
simply; its too late now to make a
getaway. II It hadn't been for
that racket They'd cop me
before could get out of town" He
paused, questioning Coast with his In
tent stare. you wouldn't let me OF.
would your You'd tell the police. OF
courier"
"Of course"
Blackstock nodded as II he found
the reply anything but surprising. "of
course. He was your friend"
Yours, too. Why did you do itH''
This damnRble temper OF mine.
He-didn't you heAr7--threatened to
tell Kate Thaxter. :" Black
stock resumed his walk.
"What?"
Never understanding to prevent
our marriage"
"A.l you killed him for that7"
Blackstock stopped, staring down at
the body. Yes" he said, in a sub
dued voice.
III that's your way, you'd have to
murder me also, you know, before you
could have married Miss Thaxter."
The man looked up and nodded.
ali la
for good and all. We needn't quarrel
about It."
He went back to his seat
Good Lord, how long they arei-
He began to talk, to maunder to
himself Of what might have been and
what had been, speaking of his aims,
ambitions, achievements in an oddly
detached way, as he might have re-
viewed another's life, only emotional
when forced to realization of the fact
that this was the end of 1t all. The
phrase, This ends it," punctuated
the semi-confessional soliloquy mo-
notonously, repeated over and over
with the same falling infection. Coast
| detected not a word, not even q note
| OF regret for his crime, save inasfar
as 1t affected Blackstocks fortunes
blasted them.
A shrill clamor Of the telephone
bell electrified them all. Dundas cried
out. Blackstock jumped up and
stumbled into the hall. Coast, rising.
heard his voice.
Yes. Tell them to come up"
He returned, almost Keeling. Here,
Dundas," he said, slowly, you let EN-
in, will you, like a good fellow"
Mute in his panic, Dundas went to
the door.
Coast could hear the whine Of the
ascending elevator. the clanking OF
Its safety chains.
Abruptly he was conscious that
Blackstock's temper had undergone a
change. From passive surrender to
bis fate the man had passed to q mood
Of active resistance. Somehow In
stinctively, Coast seemed to divine
this in the surcharged, tense atmos-
| phere Of that moment He shot a
swift, suspicious look at the man, and
caught in return look of low cunning
and desperation.
tention, listening. every sense alert,
every muscle flexed-a man gathering
himself together as a cat about to
spring.
The elevator was very near the
| floor.
by God!" Blackstock whispered.
wetting his lips; and again his eyeS
were blazing. 'T1l fool 'em yeti"
The man turned swiftly. Outside
the elevator gate changed. Coast
heard a confusion of footballs and
voices. knocking on the door. And
suddenly he understood what Black
stock intended. Already he had re-
gained the side table and snatched up
the pistol. He turned with II lifted.
They shan't have mel" he cried, and
reversed It to his temple.
you fool" Coast screamed uncon-
sciously. With almost incredible
swiftness Of action he flung himself
/ upon Blackstock and seized the pistol,
detected it toward the ceiling. II
exploded.
For moment longer he was strug-
CLING frantically with Blackstock to
save the man from self-destruction.
Then, without warning, he was seized
and dragged away, holding the pistol.
| A strange hand snatched that away.
Other hands pinioned his arms to
his sides. He fought for freedom for
an instant, then ceased to resist, thun-
derstruck with amBEement.
Blackstock lowered over him, point.
ing him out. That's your man-taks
him!" he cried. Hes done murder
and was trying suicide. managed to
keep him quiet until he heard you
coming, then he made a grab for the
pistol. Thank God, you're in tirnal"
Something stuck in Coasts throat
his tongue trying to articulate in a
mouth dry with fear and consterna.
ton. You liar!" he managed to say.
You"
shut up, you'll" One Of the police
men holding him clapped a hand over
his mouth.
why" be heard Blackstock say,
! "vou saw him yolrself RentIernep -