Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-04-07

advance of him when they stepped
out on the bridge. Never once did he
glance in handy-man's direction.
Had he done so, Montgomery must
have been aware that his face showed
bloodless in the moonlight, while his
sunken eyes blazed with an unaecus-
TONED fire.
Il can't walk these ties, Joe-give
me your hand" he managed to say.
Joe did as he desired, and as the
lawyers slim fingers closed about his
great fist he was conscious that cold
moisture covered them. He could
only think of a dead mans hand,
whats wrong with the baby, Joe?''
Langham asked.
Seems like it's a Group" said Joe
| promptly.
That's too bad"
Yes. it's hell of pity" agreed
Montgomery.
He was furtiyely watching Lang
ham out of the corners Of his beady
blue eyes; his inner sense of things
told him it was well to do this They
took half a dozen steps and Langham
released Joe's hand.
Il wonder if | can manage this
alone!" he said But apparently the
attempt was failure, for he quickly
rested his hand on his companions
massive shoulder
They had reached the second of the
bridges three spans. Below them In
the darkness the yellow flood poured
in noisy volume. AS Langham knew,
here the stream was at its deepest
and its current the swiftest. He knew
also that his chance had come; but
he dared not make use of it. the
breath whistled from his lips and the
moisture came from every pore. lie
sought frantically to nerve himself
for the supreme moment; ibut suppose
Joe became aware of his purpose one
second too soonl
Keep over bit, boss" said the
handy-man suddenly. You are
crowding me off the bridget"
''Oh, all right; is that BETTER
And Langham moved step aside.
"A whole lot" responded Joe
grufIly. But his little blue eyes, alert
with cunning. were never withdrawn
from the lawyer for an instant.
They walked forward in silence for
a moment or two, and were approach
ing the end of the centre span, when
the lawyer glanced about him wildly;
he realized that he was letting slip his
one great opportunity. Again Joe
spoke
Keep over, boss" And then all in
the same breath, What the hell are
You up to, anyhow"
1t must be now or it would be
Never; and Langham, turning swiftly.
hurled himself on his companion, and
his slim fingers, with their death like
chill, gripped Joe's hairy throat. In
the suddenness of the attack he was
forced toward the edge of the bridge.
The rush of the noisy waters sounded
with fearful distinctness in his ears.
Here. damn you. let GOT painted
Montgomery.
He felt Langhams hot breath on
his cheek, he read murder by the
wolflsh light in his eyes lie wrencled
himself free of the others desperate
clutch, but as he did so his foot
caught against one of the rails and
the intervals of his own labored
breathing he heard the flow of the
river, dull ceaseless roar, and saw
the flashing silver of the moons rays
as they touched the waters turgid
surface. Langham no longer sought
to force him from the bridge. but
bent every effort TO thrust him down
between the ties to a swift and Ger
tain death.
You want to kill me, too" painted
Montgomery, as by mighty effort
that brought the veins on neck and
forehead to the point of bursting, he
regained his footing on the ties.
But his antagonist was grimly si-
lent, and Joe, reused to action by
fear, and by sullen rage at what
he deemed the lawyers perfidy.
turned and grappled with him. Once
ne smashed his great fist full into
Langhams face, and though the blow
sent the lawyer staggering across the
bridge, he recovered himself quickly
and rushed back to renew the fight
Montgomery greeted him with an
oath, and they grappled again.
Langham had known in his calmer
moments when he planned Joe $
death, that his only hope of success
lay in the suddenness of his attack.
Now as they swayed on the very edge
of the bridge the handy imam put
forth all his strength and lifted the,
Ia wyer clear of the ties, then with a
mighty heave of his great shoulders
he tossed him out into space.
There was scarcely audible splash
and Joe, looking fearfully down, saw
the muddy drops turn limpid in the
soft white light. A moment later
some dark object came to the surface
and a white face seemed to look up
into his, but only for second, and
then the restless food bore 1t swiftly
away.