Middletown transcript., 1912-06-08

"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. GA 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
If 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 a 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 su-
premacy and the ownership Of a 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 IN
doubt. But not for long.
The table, a heavy cumbersome, |
four-legged affair, solid almost as a
rock, stood in the way. Newbold at |
last backed Armstrong up against it |
and by superhuman effort bent him !
over it, held him with one arm and /
using the table as a support, wrenched |
his left hand free, and sunk his fin
gers around the others throat 1t was
all up with Armstrong. 1t was only
a question Of time now.
Now" Newbold guttered out
hoarsely, you slandered the dead wo-
man 1 married, and you insulted the
living one I love. Take back what
you said before you die"
Il forgive him." cried Enid Matt {
land. "Oh, for Gods sake don't kill
him before my eyes"
Armstrong was past speech. The
inveteracy Of his hatred could be seen
even in his fast glazing eyes, the indo-
mitableness of his purpose yet spoke
in the negative shake of his head. He
could die, but he would die in his hate
and in his purpose
Enid ran to the two, she grappled
Newbold's arm with both her own and
strove with all her might to tear it
away from the others throat. Her
lover paid no more attention to her
than If summer breeze had touched |
him. Armstrong grew black in the
face, his limbs relaxed, another second
or two it would have been over with
him.
Once more the door was thrown |
open; through it two snow-covered men
entered. One swift glance told them
all. One of them at least had expect
ed it. On the one side Kirkby, on the
other Maitland, tore Newbold away
from his prey just in time to save
Armstrong; life. Indeed the latter
was so far gone that he fell from the
table to the floor unconscious, choking,
almost dying. 1t was Enid Maitland |
who received his head in her arms and
helped bring him back to life while
the painting Newbold stood staring
DULY at the woman he loved and the
man he hated on the floor at his feet.
(To BE CONTNUED.)