Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-23
BY SAMUEL HOPKINS ADAMS
Copyright By Bobbs-M Merrill CO.

wasn't a trap, then. She was only
crazy woman that I had to get RID OF.
7 hooked down at the handeuff II
was of iron. and had dull rnsted
edges. A hammer would have made
short work of 1t: but l did not have
any hammer. did not even have
stone There would be stones in the
broken land beyond the thicket, !
thought saw way.
Yes. Let's co. said.
1--WE set out. At the edge OF the
thicket was a fiattish rock with small
stones near it. Here / pretended to
slip. / fell with my right wrist across
a rock, and caught up cobblestone
with my left hand. At the first crack
of the stone on the handcuff | could
feel the old iron weaken. ! got no
chance for a second blow. Her hands
were at my throat. They bit in. Then
/ knew it was a fight for my life.
''She was light; but she was strong
like a panther If her dress bound
her. was as bad off in my robe.
At the first grip I was forced back
into a bush, and SPRAYED there, in
tangle of branches and flying cloth
Somehow, | twisted her fingers from
my throat. We struggled out into
the moonlight again. I got a fair
look at her face, and guess
I went mad myself with the
terror of It, The next thing re-
member clearly she was quiet on the
ground and I was hammering, ham
mering, hammering at my wrist with
a blood stained stone. do not know
If it was her blood or mine. Both,
maybe, for my wrist was like pulp
when the iron finally, cracked open
and | was free. l caught glimpse
of blood on her temple. ] suppose
had hit her there with the stone. she
looked dead.
"All / wanted was to think-to
think-to think. How could | think
with her lying there? l crept out OF
sight of her and kneeled down. Her
star. the star / had faxed for hers,
was shining in my eyes like a cold
glare. That very minute a wisp OF
cloud blew across and wiped 1t out,
and | heard myself squeal again. l
was pretty much dotty, l guess.
while was trying to think she
came alive. She didn't stir slow and
moan like I have seen men, In my
sea days. when they were Knocked
out. she was on her feet before |
knew 1t, and off at dead run. Inc
broken handcuff went jerking and
jumping around her as she ran, Ihat
was an awful night, full of awtul
things. But the one worst sight OF
all-worse, even, than the finding of
her afterward--was that mad ngure
leaping over the broken ground
toward the cliffs edge.
Even if / had tried to follow !
never could have caught her. And
she was going straight for her DEATH
She dropped down out of sight into
a hollow and came up on the rise
beyond. I yelled to her to stop, for
Gods sake to stop Then held my
breath to listen for her scream when
she went over. never heard It,
But / heard something else. |
heard mans voice. 1t was clear
and strong and high. There was
death in it, tell you. Mr.. Kent, living
horror gripped at the throat that
gave that cry. Then there was
rush of little stones and gravel down
the face of the cliff That was all.
Beyond me the ground rose / ran
up on 1t. 1t gave me clear view OF
the cliff top. 1 thought sure ! would
see the man who had cried out from
there. Not sight of him! Nothing
moved in the moonlight. / thought
he must have gone over the cliff, too.
| threw myself down and buried my
face.
How long l lay on the ground |
do not know The wisp of cloud had
blotted out the woman's star, now,
and by that I knew she was dead
But the moon was shining high. II
gave me light enough to see my way
into the gully. and | stumbled and
slid down through to the beach.
IT found her body right away II
Law with the head against rock
But there was no sign of the mans
body the man who had yelled. So
thought perhaps he had not gone
over the cliff and I sat and waited te
see if he would come and care fol-
her. 1t was quite clear to me what
/ must do, If he did not come. Per-
haps my own brain was queer from
the shock and the beating she hac
given me with her manacled wrist
but / felt that before | went away
from there I must conceal the cause
of her death, and everything about
1t that / could. If 1t was known how
she was killed they would be more
likely to suspect me.
IT went back and got the rope.
got an old grating from the shore.
dragged the body into the sea and lei
it soak. / dashed it to the grating
l stripped the jewelry from her. Bui
I could not take it. That would have
made me a murderer.
There is rock in the gully thai
| marked. Nobody else would ever
notice it, Under 1t | hid the jewelry
can take you to it, and / will.
II got on my coat and sunk my
robe in a creek, and got myself t.
the railroad station for a mornint
train And when ] got home I mar
ried Irene, and | am through will
the crooked work forever.