The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-21

! that of gentleman who had =
| through his lock few days #SR{83&3
| and had made uncalled- for
about the honesty OF his counteItEe&
and had. added the injurious opS ~
| that the lockkecpsr would live t
! hanged or transported. Mr. RoS m
| Ridcrhood--tne lockkeeper had b& =
christened Roger" but 1t had be&41
altered long ago by common oonsent&$E5
was still Illuminating. with slow plea SSSfS
! ure, when he became aware of a bargeV
! man slouching up. V
! He was weary and white-facedV
! barEeman, disordered N his 6rsss and
widely disordered In HIS face. He ask
| ed II he could buy food there ana lie &
down for rest. Mr.. Rogue Riderhood &
looked Mt him furtively and said Hoo
roarl under his breath. He had OBJ
served that the barSemun's sleeve was
torn, that his coat was torn, that there
were stains on him and that he had
| tried 10 wash them away so recently 4
| that tho wetness had not Quite dried on
| them.
| While the man sat eating, rayenous-
! ~, Ridcrhood became aware, with n &
slow and dawning wonder. that the
barScmnn was dressed remarkably like
himself--so much that their Gus.
tunes were alike even to red neckA
| erchief. 81
| He was considering this in his boz
Vino mind, when the eargeman, whu
J was extraordinarily aWR%ard with his
! knife, Sashed his hand. He was go
awkward that he shook 1t while he
was tying 1t up, and spattored blood
over Riderhood's clothing.
When tho bargeman started on;
isiderhood stared after him for few
miUutes; then, with sudden resolution.
nc followed behind.
The next day Bradley Hcadstone was
CARRIED again in his decent garments.
walking docently In his accustomed
decent places. Little MICS Peecher, the
schoolna am, who admired him. peer ed
from her window, and seeing him so
dignified, full OF scholastic propri-
nty, admired him moro than ever. And
Bradley Headstone grippinf the decent
hair watchguard around his neck, was
thinking how many better ways there
were to do 1t than the way he had done
it. Suppose the head had been held
down under the water for awhile Sup
pose the first blow had been truer, the
weapon heavier; Why Ind he not kill
ed him instantly? Why had he struok.
SO blunderlngly that the man could
turn? Why had he left him to drift
away? And why, why-and Bradley
Headstone felt himself burning UP
when he came to that thought to which
he always returned-hnd it SO turned
out that she. she of all people In the
living world. should save him!
Presently school opened; and tho
board did the decd always. and all
ways did IT better. He had half a.
} mind to draw u map OF the river on the
|, board. s.y
AS the days went by, ho noted that
&c there ever had been suspicion bf
himself. 1t had vanished. He watched
the papers and saw from Mortimer
LiEhtwood's published statements that
that gentleman was straying farther
and farther from the truth. And then,
one terrible day, 1t flashed on him
why this waR so. There came the news
that Eugene Wrayburn had married
GlzZie Iiexam. and that nc would live.
Then no saw that he had dipped his
hands in blood, only to unite them
Then he saw that Eugene Wrayburn,
Tor his wife's sake, was leaving him
to chawl along his blasted course. He
DIT ut his fingers in his rage. Sud-
denly ha knew, in the countenance or
mis- pupils, that he must have fright
ened them.
49, he turned again to the black
board, he saw ia slouShing pan with a
bundle undor his arm, in the-tfeor of
the classroom. 1t was Rogue Rider,
hood.
He saluted humbIy, with a chucklo
and leer. Still more humbly, and
showing not sign that he over Ind
seen the schooimaster Ia another Euise.
he asked such questions as an ignorant
man might ask about school. and pres
emily begged permission to ask the
boys some questions about geography.
lIeadstone dared not refuse.
"Wot sort OF waters is there on
earth?" asked Riderhood: and when
The class replied, Seas. rivers, lakes
and ponds" ho asked them what men
caught in rivers.
AYE. my lambs. ayem he responded
to the.v reply of "tish!" Good! But do
You know wot else they ketches in
Eivefs? III tell you. suits of clothes.,
Bradley's face changed
"Leastwisc.' continued Rtderhood.
that's wot l ketches sometimes.
Strike me. lambs. ii ] didn't ketch this
very bundle under lly arms It's a.
barGenians suit o clothes. 1t had been
sunk there by tho man as wore It."
Wishing TO SEQ you OF my lock next
saturday" whispered Riderhood as he
slouched out.
Saturday arrived. and Bradley Head,
stone arrived at the lock. Mr.. Rider-
hood wasted time. but informed
Mr.. Headstono that he intended to be
paid. And l don't caro- Il curse for the
man you tried to kill" said he. But
you laid your plots agin me-. Woti
You thinks they'll spot me az
wearin' the clothes rs was wore by
him wot aid 1t? You thinks as how,
they'll find blood on me! You takes-cars
as they should find blood on me! Oh.
be paid for IT'LL be paid for It'll
you sly devil! I'll be paid for It'll
I've drained you dry"
They were standing close to tho lock-,
Let co. screamed Ridcrhood. Brad
ley lIcadstono had caught him around
tho body. Lot go! Or I'll use my knife
and slash you! Lot so!'
Bradley was drawing to the lock-
edge liderhood was drawing away;
from it. 1t was a fierce grapple. arm
and leg.
let sol" Easped Ridorhood. trying
TO gel his knife. II como through
drownin' once, and e man as does that
can't be drowned"
II 81 can be!' snarled Bradley. through
clenrhed teeth. I'm going to be. I'll
mold YOU living. and III mold YOU dead