The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-05-03

Inc entrance across the wav ,cst,nct
,e'S paused in the shadow to watch
's door swung open and out onto
40 pavement there stepped a great
h ,uan WIN massive bulldog shaped
eao ana neck, and mustaches that
Moved from his lips like yellow four.
.ains; by the gasllght could see the
=. uo"''iihe power of his arm as he
'nrust out his hand to some one vet
within the car, and a cold premonition
VI something wretched to come swept
ioVer me. To my ears there came a.
snoFt' peculiar cough, and from this
nannerism of which l had heard, as
well as from pictures which I had
s7eh IN the newspapers, I instantly
recognized him. The dragon had ar.
,!Ved IN his juggernaut. Richard
Mackay, the Infamous, the moral lep-
.er' WHO, corrupt of soul and body, had
long lelgned as autocrat of the under
world and prince of spoilsmen, doomed
across the way. Fearless and able,
powerful yet subtle, always a domi-
nant force for evil, he was one from
"nom any man might recoil with Sc.
cret fear.
And an instant later the wretched
tn'ng came to pass. From out of the
gar and into his grasp there stepped
the woman whom I loved with all my
soul, and my heart seemed to stop.
With his arm around her waist. bra
zenly Indifferent as to who might wit
ness he passed across the walk by
ner side and threw the door wide by
sweep Of his free hand. For some
reason-I learned later it was because
o. weakened spring-the door failed
20 close promptly, and distinctly saw
them In the subdued light of the in
terror as they stood close together
awaiting the descent of the elevator
ear. 1t was but a fleeting glimpse,
yet had It lasted longer l believe l
should have cried outright in my az
ony. For as plainly as l ever saw
anything in my life I saw him draw
her close to him as impetuously as I
had done in my outburst as he lifted
her face and half buried 1t beneath
ais sweeping mustache. Then the
door mercifully closed, shutting out
the sight and leaving me with horror
FILLING my breast and the GOODNESS Of
death creeping over me. For an in
slant l was incapable of movement,
then regaining partial control of my
self, lurched away. Benumbed Of
Ibrain, my knees turned to water and
with jealousy tearing at my vitals
like vulture, l staggered homeward.
81 Upon the night Of horror that fol-
flowed I do not care to dwell. Like
one In fever ! tossed through the
hours sleepless save for the f1tful
dream moments when I wandered far
lAiato the evil haunts of the nightmare.
Morning creeping grayly into my
room found me with head splitting
Eahd set eyes that stared at the ceiling.
rf one who is crippled with rheuma'
itism in every joint. arose stiftly
lsbathed myself and crawled out into
tie air. It was Sunday morning, and
IGfeady the chime Of distant bells mel
NED y my ears: i was all plain t.
jfe How, nef 0ecelt INA tfe4EEe1s';
and had been sentenced over night
to the gibbet I could not have been
more wretched. In the miserableness
Of 1t I stood soul sick before the utter
hollowness Of all things. There could
be but one explanation Of it. The
hideous innuendoes that had haunted
my ears like the whisperings of sea
shell had been less than the truth
and had been used as the false light
to mislead the world: as dummy
the fool. Oh, the treachery and the
wickedness and the black shame OF
It! And that this woman for whom
would have given my hearts blood
could be guilty Of such cruelty to me!
Broken-heartedly, l sobbed beneath
the oaks like a child.
Plainly there was but one thing
could do. ! must renounce her I'M
QualiAedly even though 1t well.nigf
killed me. for I could never share
her with anybody-as we'll might
man be asked to cut his heart II