The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-02-23

what neyt?" wcrGsrvd O'RourEe.
What can the me::niag Ct It All be
oew?' =, ,o,r.+,np
With each development the mystery
was assuming more fantastic propor-
tions, becoming still more impene-
trable and unsolvable. But he had no
leisure in which to ponder it now, II
Des Trebes were to be restored. And
O'Rcurke worked over the man as
tenderly as though they had been life
long friends, with skillful fingers es-
timating tn nature ana extent of his
wounds, with sound knowledge OF
rough and ready surgery doing all
that could be done to bring him back
to consciousness.
At last Des Trebes sighed feebly; a
spot of color, febrile, tickle, eyanes-
cent, dyed his cheeks; his breath rat
tied harshly in his gullet; his eyelids
twitched and opeEeG wide. He glared
blankly at the face above.
"Des Trebes!" cried O'Rourke. "Des
Trebes!'
His voice quickened the intelligence
OF that moribund brain. A fash of
recognition lighted the staring eyes.
The lips moved without sound.
"Des Trebes!"
"Ah, yes the Irish
man
The whisper was barely articulate
O'Rourke put to his lips cup CT
brandy diluted with little water.
Drink" lie pleaded, and try to tell
me what's happened to ye. Who gave
ye these wounds? Try to speak
But no l shall
not tell'
"But-good God, man! ye've been
murdered!'
The white lips moved again; the
adventurer bent his ear low to them.
I'VE have both . lost
but you your wife
My wife!"
In a frenzy O'Rourke resumed his
efforts to strengthen the dying man
with spirits and water, but Des Ire
bes, with a final effort, obstinately
shut his teeth, moving his head i'm
perceptibly from side to side in token
Of his stubborn refusal.
So he died, implacable. In death
the chiselled features remained set
in a. smile sardonic and triumphant
Dying, he gave no comfort to his
For a little time longer O'Rourke
knelt at Des Trebes' side, watching
and wondering. Eventually he sighed
heavily, shook his head, shrugged his
shoulders and rose. And, rising, he
perceived for the first time that he
was no longer alone with the dead in
that place.
Eneeling in silence by the vicomte's
side he had till then been hidden from
the inner doorway to the room by the
drapery of the center table. And eyi
IDENTIFY it was this circumstance which
had emboldened man to slip in from
the main hall and approach Sypher's
desk at the back Of the room.
AS O'Rourke appeared he was con
scious first Of something moving il
the room-a movement caught vaguely
from the corner of his eyes. Then he
heard stifed cry of fright. He had
already his revolver in his hand, so in
stant had been the obedience of his
brain and body to the admonition OF
instinct.
He swung about with the weapon
poised, crying: "Stop!'' The other
man was apparently trying to escape
by the door to the hall, but was much
too far from it to escape the threat.
ened bullet. A jet of fire spurted from
his hand. O'Rourke heard a crash
and clatter Of broken window-glass be.
hind him. Without delay or conscious
aim he fired and saw, still indistinctly
through pungent Wreaths of smoke:
the figure reel and collapse upon
itself.
The man had hardly fallen ere
ORourke stood over him, with a foot
hrm upon one arm, while he bent and
Wrenched a revolver from relaxing fin.
gers. Then, stepping back, he took
stock Of the murdercus.minde in
truder, and saw at his feet, writhi1g:
coughing and splitting, Chinese
coolie-a type of the lowest class, his
face set yellow mask, stolid, IN
emotional, brutalized Even then it
betrayed little feeling; only the slant
set black eyes burned with unquench
able hatred as they glared up at the
conQueror. O'Rourke's bullet
had penetrated the mans chest; anG
as he squirmed and groaned through
his sharpened teeth of rat, a Grim
son stain spread on the bosom of his
coarse white blouse.
Wholly confounded, ORourke shook
an amazed head. A third element had
been added to the mystery with nc
effect other than to render it more
Opaque and dense than before.
The telephone, it's raucous voice