The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-03-31

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Alicia recoiIsds frightened. d
What are y6n going to do?" she
cried. c's
Underwood smiled bitterly.
"Oh. don't Sc afraid. Iwouldn't DO
1t while you are here. In spite OF all
you've said to me, still think too
much Of you for that" Replacing the
pistol in the drawer, headed: 'Alicia.
II you desert ME now, you'll be sorry
tothe dGy Of your DEATH =
His visitor lookedFat him in silence.
Then. eohtempt6 ouslS she said:
II don't believe you intend to carry
out your threat. should have known
from the first that your object was to
frighten me. The pistol display was
highly theatrical, But It was only a
bluff. You've no more idek of taking
your lIteIthan haze Of taking mine.
I was foolish to come here. sIimigHt
have spared myself The humiliation Of
this clandestfne Interview. Good.
night" ~ : - . a''& ',.a ~
She went toward the door. Under
wood made no attempt to follow her
In a hard, strange voice. which he
scarcely recognized as his own, he
merely said: =
rs that all you have to say?"" 'S
Yes" replied Alicia. as she turned
at the door. Get It be thoroughly un'
yderstood that your presence at my
house Is not desired If you force
yourself upon me in any way, you
must take the consequences.
Underwood bowed. and was silent.
She did not see the .deathly pallor Of
his face Opening the door Of the
apartment which led to the hall, she
again turned.
Tell me. before Il so-you didn't
mean what you said in your letter, did
you?"
I'll tell you nothing" replied I'm
derwood doggedly.
She tossed her head ScornfuIly.
II don't believe that man who Is
coward enough to write a letter like
this has the courage to carry out his
threat" Stunning the letter back into
her bag, she added: ~ should have
thrown It in the waste.paper basket,
but on second thoughts, l think I'll
keep 1t. Goodnight"
Goodnight" echoed Underwood
mechanically.
He watched her go down the long
hallway'and disappear in the elevator
Then. shutting the door. he came
slowly back into the room and sat
down al his desk. For ten minutes he
sat there motionless, his head bent
forward, every limb relaxed. There
was deep silence, broken only by How
ards regular breathing and the loud
ticking Of the clock.
Its all up" he muttered to himself
Its no use battling against the tide
The strongest swimmer must go under
some time. I've played my last card
and I've lost. Death is better than
going 10 jail. What good is life any
way without money? Just a moments
nerve and 1t will all be over"
Opening the drawer in the desk, he
cook out the revolver again. He turned
it over in his hand and regarded fear
fully the polished surface of the In
strument that bridged lie and death
He had completely forgotten Howard's
presence In the room. On the threSh
old Of terrible deed, his thoughts
we're leagues away. Like a man who
Is drowning, and close to- death, he
saw with surprising distinctness a
Kaleidoscope view Of his past life. lie
saw himself an innocent, impulslye
school boy, the pride OF a devoted
mother. the happy home where he
spent his childhood. Then came the
association with bad companions. the
: fivst step in wrongdoing, stealing owt
of a comrades pocket in school, the
death Of his mother. leaving home
with downward progress until he grad
ually drlfted into his present dishon
est way Of living. What was the good
OF regrets? He could not recall bis
mother 10 life. He could never rehab
ilitate himself among decent men and
women. The world had suddenly be
come too small for'him. He must so
and quickly.
lingering the pistol nervously. he
sat before the mirror and placed Il
against his temple. The cold stee
gave him a sudden shock. lie won
dered II Il would hurt, and Il there
would be instant oblivion The glare
of the electric Light in the room dis
concerted him. It occurred to hin
that It would. he easier in the dark
Reaching out his arm, he turned the
electric button, and the room was i'm
mediateIy plunged into darkness. ex
cept for the moonlight which entered
through the windows, imbarting a
ghostly aspect to the scene. On the
other side OF the room, behind the
screen, a red glow from the open fire
fell on the sleeping form of Howard
Jeffries.
Slowly, deliberately, Underwood
raised the pistol to his temple and