Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-08-18

across the stoop, and an instant later
voices followed by . sound Of shut.
fling, scufning feet. But when found
him again he was alone-sitting alone
in tho 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 q muscle through what
seemed to me an eternity.
Il 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. I
fancied I heard, first, 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
rtble, 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 we'll as
I, and better, what had happened on
there in the darkness: that Power.
suspecting Blacks intentions. had
made 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 a while heard something
moving In the barnyard and lodged
back into hidtng-nto the shadows.
Then a man passed between me and
the light, like 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 Chinaman-a low-caste
coolie, judged. I couldn't hear what
they said-they spoke in undertones
but I managed to catch q word or
two, among them boat: which fitted
in with my suspicious. At once Black
got up-heavily,. as II very tired
and went through the house and out
by the front door; 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 q blind
man can accomplish, with instinct ~
hforcing the sense Of touch.
He threw in the motor cutoff
switch, to begin with, and the motor
started on the spark. just as some
automobile engines will. Then he
monkeyed with the detecter for a
while, listening. Nothing doing, ap-
parently-though he may have been
getting the range for New York. The
next thing, he disconnected the re-
ceiying apparatus, threw the current
in through the starting box and pr,.
mary switch, and began calling the
New York once Of the Standard Wire
less. stopping now and then to listen
for their response. Presently that
came through. and he told 'em to stand
ready to take an important message
for Voorhis, the second vicepresident:
they were to get him on the telephone
at once-wake him up and insist on
an instant answer. You'll
have gathered that number In the
list of my many and varied accom-
plishments the ability to read Morse
by ear; once upon time was
regular telegraph operator.
"The message was: Power has left
without warning, taking boat to row
to Vineyard Absence Just discovered.
Send Trustworthy substitute immedi'
ately. When may I expect him? All
quiet here; island fog-bound.'
1.-The reply came through within
| twenty minutes-which was pretty
quick work. OF course couldn't
hear 1t; l only knew it was being re-
! ceived.
"Just as Black gave the o. X. 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
ly tone: 'Everything's the matter
! That ass, Power, has stolen one OF the
boats and left the island. I've just
asked Voorhis to send some one in
his place. He says there's man on
the way; 1t seems Power sent in bis
I, resignation yesterday evening. Those
were his words, In etfect-as nearly
as I can remember them. He added
something offensive about that being
the finish Of that Irritation and that
he'd thank her to leave the next op
orator alone She said: 'Oh-h!'-as
II he'd hit her with whip. Then he
got up and announced that he was
going to tho farmhouse to get some
breakfast. It was then just getting q
little light He said she needn't hur'
~, that he would probably be at the
beach by the time she came to break
fast-wanted to find out which boat
| Power had taken. Then he went away
and the woman shut the door
again.
This time let Black take his road
alone; I'd other fish to fry. I could
hear his wife moving about In the
other part Of the building and Judged
she was dressing: but she took IN In
terminable time to It. In the
course Of the next century or two
however. she came out, dressed. and
took the path to the farmhouse. !
let her 30, timed myself as close as
| 7 .,o,,ld ord Nn<1pod into tho wireless