Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-10-16
CHAPTER xvI.-continued.

And so 1t came to pass that at an
hour when all the other Woodworking
people in the building were asleep
or at least striving to sleep, these two
men still sat at their work, one In the
light. the other In the darkness, fac.
Ing each other, consciously to the one,
unconsciously to the other, across the
hollow well Of the now silent court.
Eleven o'clock! Twelve! No change
on Brotherson's part or in Brother.
sons room; but decided one in the
place where Sweetwater sat. Objects
which had been totally indlstinguish.
able even to his penetrating eye
could now be seen in ever brighten
ing outline. The moon had reached
the open space above the court, and
he was getting the full benefit OF II.
But 1t was benefit he would have
been glad to dispense with. Darkness
was like a shield to him. He did not
feel quite sure that he wanted this
shield removed. With no curtain to
the window and no shade. and all this
brilliance pouring into the room, he
feared the disclosure of his presence
there, or, II not that. some effect on
his own mind of those memories he
was more anxious to see mirrored in
another's discontinue than in his
own.
Was 1t to escape any lack of con-
centration which these same memo
ries might bring, that he rose and
stepped to the window? Or was It
under one of those involuntary I'm
pulses which move us In spite of our
selves to do the very thing our judg.
ment disapproves7
No sooner had he approached the
sill than Mr.. Brotherson's shade few
way up and he. too, looked out. Their
glances met, and for an instant the
hardy detective experienced that in
voluntary stagnation Of the blood
which follows an inner shock. He
felt that he had been recognized. The
moonlight lay full upon his face, and
the other had seen and known him.
Else, why the constrained attitude
and sudden rightly observable in this
confronting figure, with its partially
lifted hand? A man like Brotherson
makes no pause in any action however
trivial. without reason. Either he
had been transflxed by this glimpse OF
his enemy on watch, or-daring
thought! had seen enough of sepul-
chral suggestion In the wan face
looking forth from this fatal window
to shake him from his composure and
let loose the grinning devil of remorse
from its iron prison-house? II so, the
movement was a memorable one, and
the hazard quite worth while. He had
gained-no! he had gained nothing.
He had been the fool OF his own
wishes. No one, let alone Brother
son, could have mistaken his face for
that of a woman. He had forgotten
his newly-grown beard. Some other
cause must be found for the others
attitude. It savored Of shock, II not
fear. II It were fear then had he
reused an emotion which might re-
bound upon himself in sharp reprisal.
Death had been known to strike
people standing where he stood; mys-
terious death Of species quite unrec-
ognizable. What warranty had he
that It would not strike him, and now?
None.
Yet It was Brotherson who moved
hrst. With a shrug Of the shoulder
plainly visible to the man opposite,
he turned away from the window and
without lowering the shade, began
EafherinG up his papers for the night.
and later banking up his stove with
ashes.
sveetwater, with a breath Of decid-
cd relief, stepped hack and threw him
self on the bed. II had really been q
trial for him to stand there under the
others eye, though his mind refused
70 formulate his fear, or to give him
any satisfaction when he asked him
ssR what there was in the situation
surEsStivs Of death to the woman or
naFn 10 himself.
Ilor ga morning HuAt hring eOun-