Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1912-05-08

~ VAN NS
| en- him into revealing whichever Of
his comrades had stolen the great
ruby-if he knew.
"Ye have, then, the leather bag?" he
demanded. exultation in his voice.
"Aye, sahib; or, If not that, 1 have
that which was therein"
"The stoRe?"
sAye. sahib."
"Then give II me-"
'I am the sahib's slave" The Sc
rang flashed q strange smile at the
revolver In ORourxe's hand. His at
titude puzzled O'Rourke; he would
hardly have believed this Of the man;
rather he could have conceived Of him
as DENYING the theft to the last and
fighting like an unclaimed f1end to re-
tain his booty. His present pose was
out of character, or the lrishman mis-
Judged him.
Out Of character or no, it was com.
Portable. The serang, with head bent,
was fumbhng in the folds Of his. sash;
O'Rourke thought him over long about
IT, yet was inclined to give him time
in view of his abject surrender.
At length, still smiling oddly, the
man lifted his eyes and stretched
forth hand tight closed "The sa-
hib,' he said gently, shall see that
his servant spoke truth. Let this
weigh with the sahib for mercy. Be-
hOldl"
The brown fingers unclosed and in
the hollow Of hts palm Tembled that
which seemed q ball Of crystalized
rose fire, the stone that man has
named the Pool of Flame. ORourke
uttered low cry of satisfaction, step
ping forward to snatch up the jewel.
simultaneously he was aware Of a
quick gasp fpom the direction of the
woman. followed. ere he could account
fos them. by two pistol shots.
The adventurer groaned, pitching
forward blindlV, one side Of his head,
from tho eap to the temple, a-quiver
with an agony "a IL white-hot iron
had scared him. there. He stretched
forth an arm atulessly and gripped an
iron ,sstsnch;on. stopping his fall, and
hung there for what seemed an con,
sea and skSss swimming b,ood-red be-
Tore his eyes, b his eszs thunder
Dus rushing 40 OF mighty waters.
By Supreme effort Of willshe kept
himself haMersu, clingiag to the rail.
and opened his eyes 30 briefly had
pain hlinAeA hin thai 1t was patent
barely a seGAaAad elapsed since the
firing OF the sSota 10 his Left a
stricken lascay U0s stiH a the act of
falling: before him Mrs. Prynne stood
modonlessn her hsoe mask Of horror,
revolver 81 ussed: to the right the
sepang. droHmg htA was smiling
sardouGally, hA eyes fined upon the
wnman who had aed a naught his
plans.
O<Roarke 1az6 to can q warning to
hac. for It was gsaia that she was ap-
palled BY what she had done. needless
of all but the man she had killed; but
1t was as II tie bullet that creased his
temple had temporarily paralyzed
him, his tongue Gave TO the roof of
his mouth and ns could neither move
nor speak
RUsertas caebaie~ed), he watched
the serans gso6G himself together,
like some gsans cat, and spring; in
two strides be would have been upon
the woman and the night had been
crowned with Dc most pitiful crime.
Yet In midatE, orRourke saw the man
faltar and fall back. dropping the
kris and clutd&AEs franttcally at noth-
ing.
| StuHdly tina a2parSurT saw the
sn6ke rscNug Hom the muzzle of
his oEn.LeaosGsp as Sneg that some
iuzg. hs had mapaesd 50 puu the trig-
g1. HIS hEaSss slaaDt. t1 tts breast, SO
keen was bis gSRtituda- Trembling
In esaEy drnA fA asaRssa second
time. tp' fbe ann nj q BEal period to
the sEsng9 GE9@. But his shot
V61N WIG SJU L1S Gyttuo0t |duuSu
SD tsn tas par1 Godh not rise
C sax1at nua Ecn 40 oath he let
go the sEit aaa ,sennluts0 To bridge
the d,ptazRe bzPRsD hAuaeaf and the
Iasuaer p6o 1AAziaNa. 81 a. considers.
hae daaCa ssas ss aasd Che
EaA =,
/ etfe.aaa dpauaT9 anauSrh sapped
hs has qG n&1u& &Bad H}ms aid' mall
ics hnnsa6 saH Er TITO &as seraug.
new power 20 a1Mnan his final
Heu6a a&
Grirnog ss& aM> fS1s man
1sRyae aRas kca6 d PeA. staggered
add azanin haae gg1a, flung the
5poa. a sAn sasth al, bis
mSshA,
+ oHnE&a Rss ntted with de-
uan The Gs&4 etdnA Ginting q IN
the-mopnlsgh GA ss1FsSfy baaz4 of
ara eeeaaa s ee sR& eaniug szn