The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1912-08-31

was, and, approaching his couch, laiu
my hand on his shoulder. he had been
lying there with his eyes closed. and
the mere touch OF my hand so jolted
his shattered nerves that his whole
body bounded TO the limit OF his
bonds. His frightened lips showed how
difficult II was for him 20 suppress a
scream.
Look here. Young" said |. I've
come to you as a friend TO tell you
just how the land lies. Rouser is dead
and the inspector has possession OF
all his papers. He knows everything
about the yellow letters"
An evil smile was Young's only an
swer--the cunning leer OF the man
who scents a trick.
There are stacks and stacks OF
evidence against you. We have the
list OF people 70 whom Rouser sent
letters"
Damn your evidenced" he sneered.
"You may have evidence against thai
fool Rouser, but you've nothing on
me. II the inspector, as you call him,
had evidence enough TO convict me,
do you suppose he'd have me tied UP
here He hasn't bit of evidence
against me. He never Will have
Reach me that medicine"
He jerked his head I'm the direction
OF the morphine that lay so tantaliz-
ing near There was something In
his voice. some indefinable power OF
persuasiyeness that almost influenced
me TO do what he asked lnvolun-
tarily my hand went out to the bottle
containing the solution, but / caught
myself I'm time.
GO on, hand II to me-" he begged.
Cant you see how / need IL? Give
1t to me and I'll tell you anything you
want to know"
Tell me first" said |. "and you
can have it."
81 can't talk, can't think" he
cried. It'll get It. You can see for
yourself how shaky | am"
| could see for myself that he was
suffering the torture OF the damned.
Every muscle in his body seemed TO
be Jerking involuntarily, doubling t.
self into little hungry knots that
Joined his aching nerves In the shrill
clamor for morphine-morphine.
Give me just one Dose" he plead
ed, and I'll tell you anything. every
thing you want to know. III die II
don't get t." ~f-~''------
So pitiable was his condition that
/ found myself sympathizing with
him in spite of myself My eyes fol-
lowed his glance TO the chair near the
couch. where, beside the hypodermic
syringe and the morphine, Davis, as
II TO accentuate the torture of his
letters, had placed the key that un-
locked them. would not have known
how 10 administer the morphine, even
If had wished to do so, and besides,
| had strong aversion TO drugging
a fellow-man, but as saw the key
there, thought of a solution.
If unlock the letters on your
arms" said /. so that you can reach
the morphine, will you promise me to
answer my question:"
'Ill promise on my word OF honor
TO answer every question you ask"
he replied, an eager light coming In
TO his eyes
81 swear ton my mothers honor"
Thinking how amazed Davis would
be when he awoke to learn that had
the prisoners full confession, / reach
ed for the key. Young turned over as
far as he could to permit me to I'M
lock the letters
Then, quick as lightning, as the
steel fell away from his wrists. his
hands shot out and clutched my neck
with maniac strength. felt my eyes
bulge. my lungs fiji 20 bursting.
put forth my hands TO try TO shake
off his grip, but felt my strength fast
failing.
Athletically inclined though have
always been, and matched though
was against drug weakened wretch
with fettered feet, | found myself no
equal for his maniacal desperation.
Back and forth over the couch we
swayed In silent death-struggle my
cutoff breath all the while pounding
unpurihed through my bursting lungs,
my brain turning weak, and my sight
growing dim. | was beaten. | knew
could hold out but few seconds
longer. | saw nothing ahead OF me
but -strangled to death by a
drug fiend
There passed through my mind In
my struggles a vivid picture of what
was about TO happen. Young would
silently choke me 10 death. Silently
he would hobble with his fettered feet
10 where Davis lay In the lean.to
sound asleep and brain him with a
blow He would cast off his letters and
long before the constable would re
turn 10 find our bodies would make
his escape on Rouser's bicycle. The
mystery OF the yellow letters never
would be explained. Poor Louise
Young's hands fell from my throat
and / staggered back gasping for