The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-04-27

bold stepped over to the table pulled |
out the drawer and drew from 1t the |
locket. Enid remembered she had Las |
tily thrust 1t there when he had hand |
ed it to her, and there 1t had lain un-
noted and forgotten. 1t was quite evil
dent TO her what was toward now.
Newhold had recognized the other |
man. explanations were inevitable. |
With his left hand Newbold sought
the catch OF the locket and pressed
the spring. In two steps he faced
Armstrong with the open locket thrust
toward him.
Your picture?" he asked.
'Mine,"
DO you know the locket?r
gave it to woman named Louise
Rosser five or six years ago."
MY wife"
Yes. she was crazy In love with me,
but
With diabolic malice Armstrong left
the sentence uncompleted The infer.
ence he meant should be drawn from
his retlcence was obvious.
L took it from her dead body" grit
TED out NeWDOlQ.
she was beside herself with love
for me; an old affair. you know" said
Armstrong more explicitly, thinking
to use spear with a double barb to
pierce the woman's and the mans
heart alike. That he DETAINED the
dead was of no moment then. ''She
wanted to leave you," he ran on glibly.
She wanted me to take her back
and
Untrue" burst forth from Enid
Maitland's lips. "a slanderous, das-
tardly, cowardly untruth."
But the man paid no attention to
her in their excitement; perhaps they
did not even hear her. Newbold
thrust his pistol violently forward
Would you murder me as you muir
| dered the woman?" gibed Armstrong
| in bitter taunt.
| Then Enid Maitland found it in her
| heart to urge Newbold to kill him
| where he stood, but she had no time
| II she could have carried out her de-
sign, for Newbold flung the weapon
from him and the next moment the
| two men leaped upon each other,
straining, struggling, daring, battling
| like savage beasts, each seeking to
| clasp his fingers around the throat Of
the other and then twist and crush un-
til life was gone.
Saying nothing, fighting in a grim
silence that was terrible, they reeled
crashing about the little room. No
two men on earth could have been bet
ter matched, yet Newbold had slight
| advantage in height and strength, as
he had also the advantage in simple
life and splendid condition. Arm
strong's hate and fierce temper coun.
terbalanced these at first, and with
arms locked and legs twined. with
teeth clenched and eyes blinded and
pulses throbbing and hearts beating
they strove together.
The girl shrank back against the
wall and stared frightened. She feared
for her lover, she feared for herself
Strange primitive feelings throbbed in
her veins. 1t was an old situation
when two male animals fought for SUI
premacy and the ownership Of fe
male, whose destiny was entirely re
moved from her own hands.
Armstrong had shown himself in his
true colors at last. She would have
nothing to hope from him if he was
the victor; and she even wondered in
terror what might happen to her if the
man she loved triumphed after the
passions aroused in such battle? She
grew sick and giddy, her bosom rose
and fell, her breath came fast as she
followed the painting, struggling, cling.
ing grinding, figures about the room.
At first there had been no advantage
to either, but now after five minutes
or was it hours of fierce fighting
the strength and superior condition OF
her lover began to tell. He was fore
ing the other backward. Slowly, inch
by inch, foot by foot, step by step
he mastered him. The two interwin
ing figures were broadside to her now
she could see their faces inflamed by
the lust of the battle, engorged, blood
red with hate and fury, but there was
a look of exultation on one and the
shadow of approaching disaster on the
other But the consciousness that he
was being mastered ever so little only
increased Armstrong; determination
| and he fought back with the frenzy
: the strength Of a maddened gorilla
and again for space the issue was fl
doubt But not for long.
The table, a heavy cumbersome
four-legged affair, solid almost as ;
rock, stood in the way. Newbold a
last backed Armstrong up against i
: and by superhuman effort bent hin
/, over 1t, held him with one arm ant
using the table as support, wrenchet
his left hand free, and sunk his fin
: gers around the others throat. 1t wa
all up with Armstrong. 1t was onl.
= a question Of time now.
Now" Newbold guttered GU
: hoarsely, you slandered the dead VIC
f man | married, and you insulted tn
| living one l love. Take back wha
you said before you die
Il forgive him." cried Enid Matt
land. "Oh, for Gods sake don't xii
him before my eyes"
Armstrong was past speech. TIL