Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-09-25
. NH1zIaGOM5W N,RazNey

If the underbrush, peering into the
darkness, straining our eyes to see
and our ear to hear. From the n
window in the side of the one-story
log hut a dim light shone, proving that
the place was either occupied or had
been very recently. AS we became
more and more accustomed to the
darkness l could see that there were
apparently two paths, the one on
which we were standing and another
leading off at about right angle.
AS We looked and listened l heard a
sharp crack, like the breaking of a
twig that had been stepped on.
The sound, SO far as | could Judge,
came from the other path, apparently
a hundred feet away from the cottage.
1 turned toward Davis and saw that
he, too, had heard it. He was stand
ing with his whole body tense, his
head bent forward a little as if ready
to spring at any instant. Almost un-
consciously my hand went into my
pocket and brought out my revolver. l
felt that affairs were rapidly approach
ing a crisis.
NO VIC AASCCACu1 duOIuSI SOuuQ Cdu0
to our ears. At first indistinct, it
quickly took the rhythm of footsteps
hurrying along the path, a man walk
ing rapidly, I decided. The hurrying
Footsteps came nearer and nearer. Da-
Wis now was crouching like a runner
about to. make a hundred-yard dash.
1t was only a minute of suspense
and yet the effect on my nerves was
indescribable. 1 wanted to scream
like a hysterical girl; I wanted to run
forward or back; it made no differ
ence; l wanted to do something, any
thing-anything but stand there and
wait in the darkness.
All Of a sudden the form of a man
hurrying along the other path became
visible. He seemed to be carrying
something. Davis took two or three
noiseless steps forward and stopped
abruptly. From the shadows, from
nowhere it seemed, the figure of an
other man appeared directly in the
path of the oncomer.
Hold on here!" it said, or some
thing like that.
With a curse the first man dropped
whatever he was carrying and start
ed to run. The second man started
after him. With not more than ten
PAGES between them the pursued man
suddenly wheeled. A revolver flashed
and the pursuer with a muttered curse
fell %headlong in the path. The hunted
man turned and, with headlong speed.
plunged down the path.
At the revolver shot Davis had
leaped forward, and, needless to say.
Dodds and | were not far behind him.
Fast as the fugitive was vanishing Da-
Wis was even faster. With the move
ment of a trained runner he, the wiry
inspector, quickly outdistanced Dodds
and myself and was close on the heels
of his man.
AS | ran GREATNESS behind him.
hoping to arrive in time to help him
in his capture, / saw the man ahead
halt n turn. InstinctSvely | knew he
was about to shoot again, and, raising
the revolver | had been carrying all
the while, without even trying to aim.
l fired in his direction just as | saw
the flash from his revolver.
There was hardly a second between
the two reports and then
A shrieked.
I turned sick with horror. There
could be 10 mistaking it.
1t was the voice of Louise Parrish.
With overwhelming dismay it came
to me that l had shot the woman I
loved. Too stunned to move 1 stood
there. My whole body seemed turned
to stone. My arms hung helpless at
my sides. My legs refused to move.
My mouth was fever-dry and my
tongue lay l~ifeless. Yet my vision, l
recall, seemed clear and strong, pene-
trating the darkness as if it had been
broad day. | seemed to see, as if the
sight belonged to some one else, some
one outside myself. I saw the inspec-
tor and constable, both apparently I'M
hurt by the shots, dash on in pursuit.
I saw a mans figure rise up from the
path. I seemed to hear him call out:
Louise, Louise, where are you? Are
you hurt?'
There was no answer. Almost I had
persuaded myself that the strain on
my nerves, the horror of the night
and the shock Of the shooting had CIV
en- me a Authorization, that the wom-
ans shrek l had heard was but a
phantasm of a fevered brain, when
the figure I had seer rise from the
path, dashed into the thicket, repeat
ing it's agonized cry of Louise, Louise,
where are you?"
At the sound, life came again into
me l dashed my revolver to the
ground and sprang after him. I found
him bending over an unconscious form
on the ground. Just as l reached the
spot he had lighted a match. He lift
ed it to see my face, and as he did so
| saw that the woman lying there ap-
parently lifeless was indeed my Lou
fse.
Overwhelmed with anguish and re-
morse, l flung myself beside her, en-