The state herald., 1914-12-04

bdouBtT grip. t10 WIS IDhu, Wulte
man. for he wore rough coat, and his
face was covered with q growth Of
straggly, coarse whiskers. Enemy or
friend could not be sure. nor did
nnd opportunity to discover. We both
fought like beasts. resorting to teeth
and nails.
His one object was to wrench him.
self loose, but my fortunate grip on
his hair foiled this effort. Yet both
his hands were free. the one clutching
my throat: but, in those first breath.
less seconds, ! could not locate the
other. He was lying on his side, with
right arm underneath. Fearful of a
weapon. let the fellow gouge at my
throat with long ape-like fingers.
while struggled fiercely to expose the
hidden hand. II It proved empty |
knew l could handle the man; that I
possessed the strength to draw him to
me, to crush him into subsection with
In the wise Of my arms Straining
every muscle / could bring into play,
succeeded in forcing him over onto
his face. But he was cat, wiry, full
Of tricks. In some manner he twirled
his arm out Of my grip. There was a
flash Of reddish yellow name soaring
across my eyes. an awful report, like
an explosion In my stunned ears.
Where the bullet went l will never
know. but saw the mans face leap
out at me from the darknees-just an
instant of reflection. as though thrown
against screen by some fash Of light
the unmistaknble face OF q negro.
Yet startled as / was by this appari.
ton. his view of me had no less an ef.
feet Even in that single instant OF
revealment. the hate in his eyes
changed to fear. to uncomfortable
panic; his lips gave vent to wild cry,
an exclamation in mongrel French.
and. before could stifYen in resistance.
or recover from my own shock. the fel.
low fung his pistol at me. and jerked
free. The flying weapon tore a cash
In my scalp. but his haste and fear
proved his own undoing Half stunned
AZ was by the blow, heard him
spring to his feet. the dull crash OF his
head a. he struck the hardwood slab
Of the low roof. and then the thud Of
a body on the tunnel floor. In his
haste. his desperation. his strange
fright. be had forgotten where he was.
and attempted to spring erect Ny
head reeled. the blood from this new
cut trickling down my cheek. Tho ne
gro lay motionless In the darkness; I
could not even distinguish his breath.
Ing. although ! hestiated, listening in.
tently. half fearing some trick.
What had frightened the fellow SO!
What had brought that look Of insane
terror into his eyesi It was a. II he
stared At . ghost. the very sight Of
which had erased him. mastered my
own nerves. and crcpt forward along
the passase. feeling blindly In advance
with ona outstretched hand, until It
came In contact with the mans ngure.
With cllnched teeth. l touched the
coarse hair with my fingers: then the
forehead. The nesh retained some
warmth: yet the feeling was not nat.
urnlLi, seemed lifelcss. For the In.
stnnt this appeared impossible. Why,
he did II himself: he crashed his own
skull against the slab. Yet I could no,
make the affair seem real. or probable.
And n negro! had seen few OF the
race, but had always been told they
were OF thick skull: but II this man
was actually dead. his head must have
been smashed like an egsshell. And
II sas-i found the cash moment
later. tho Jagged edge OF bone. The
fellow was dead. stone dead; there
was no heat to his heart, no throb to
his pulse. stili dazed by the diseoy.
cry. ! ran my fingers along the roof
overhead. hoping to md something
there which would account for tho
mystery. No nat surface could ever
have Jabbed that wound. Ali felt
1.-THE sharp point OF n stake protrud.
Ing between tn. logs. Tho poor fellow
had struck that with sJffi Client force TO
penetrate tho brain.
conquered my abhorronce, and
searched him. finding tobacco. a knife
an ugly weapon-f fint and steel, a
few coins. and somo powder and rinc
balls. There were no pistol bullets.
and the thought occurred To me tha,
tho smaller weapon probably did no,
belong to him: he had appropriated Il
elsewhere. I erept about. and across
the body. searching for II In vain. but
found the rife. and took time 10 tee,
itn filnt. and load H.
was sull engaged at this task.
bllndiy feeling about In tho dark for
everything needed. and always con.
soious of that dead body beside me.
whom suddenly detected smoke not
the pun Of powder which s,iil chung 10
tho passage. but the acrid. punFent
odof of burning wood. Even IA | be.
gan TO breathe tho fumes they In,
creased IN intensity. tho narrow tuh.
nol hllinE rapidly with tho smoke
waves. and settling mo 10 coughing. |
realized ut once what had happened,
Madomoiaeile'a word Of warning com.
Ina back 10 mlnd-thay were burning
tho eHbin and through ANNA nriass