Williams news., 1915-09-02
CHAPTER xvlIEcontinued.


 ' T S*
 He was in no better mood than my self to encounter insult. and what had been a simple difference between us famed into a quarrel which reached It's continuation when he mentioned Divers name with a taunt, which, the boy. for all his obstinate clinging to his journalistic idea, did not deserve.
 Knowing my own temper. I drew back into the Hollow.
 He followed me.
 tried to speak.
 He took the word out of my mouth. This may have been with the intent of quelling my anger, but the tone was rasping, and, noting this and not his words, my hand frightened insen- sibly about the stick which the devil Cor John Scoville) had put in my hand Did he see this, or was he prompted rels that he should give utterance to that quick, sharp laugh of scorn! 1 shall never know, but ere the sound had ceased the stick was whirling over my head-there came a crash and he fell. My friend! My friend!
 Next moment the earth seemed too narrow, the heavens too contracted for my misery. That he was dead that my blow had killed him, never doubted for an instant. I knew 1t, as we know the face of Doom when once 1t has risen upon us. Never, never again would this lump of clay, which a few minutes before had filled the Hollow with shrillest whistling, breathe or think or speak He was dead, dead. dead!-AndI? What was I?
 The name which no man hears un- moved, no amount of repetition makes easy to the tongue or welcome to the ear! the name which I had heard launched in full forensic elo- quence so many times in accusation against the wretches had hardly re- garded as being in the same human class as myself rang. in my ears as though intoned from the very mouth of hell. I could not escape it. should never be able to escape it again. Though 1 was standing in familiar scene-a scene I had known 4and ire Quented from childhood, I felt myself as isolated from my past and as com pletely set apart from my fellows as the shipwrecked mariner tossed to precarious footbold on his wave dashed rock. [ forgot that other criminals existed, I ~S
 In that one awful momen was in my own eyes the only blot upon the universe sole inhabitant of the new world into which had plunged the world of crime --the world upon which had sat in: Judgment before I knew S''''f r What broke the spell? God knows; all I can say is that, drawn by some other will than my own, found my glance travelling up the opposing hluff till at it's top, ; framed between the ragged wall and towering chimney of Spencer's Folly. I saw the presence I had dreaded. the witness who was 10 undo me. F~ss s~~r y r Y
 It was wonan--a woman with a little child in'hand. I did not see her face, for she was Just on the point of turning away from the dizzy verge, but nothing could have been palmer than the silhouette which these two made against the flush of that early evening sky.
 As long as I could catch a glimpse l, of this woman's f1uttering skirt as she 1. retreated through the ruins, stood , there, self-convicted, above the man had slain, staring up at that blotch oi [ shining sky which was as the gate of he'll to me. Not till their two figures ] had disappeared and it was quite clear ] again did the instinct Of self-preserva [ tion return, and with 1t the thought ; of flight.
 : But where could I fly? No spot in ' the whole world was secret enough to /. conceal me now. Twas asmarked man $ Better to stand my ground. and take the consequences than to act the COW ! ards part and slink away like those other men of blood had soeoften sal in judgment upon. {. -43 S ' Had I but followed this impulse 7 Had but gone among my fellows : shown them the mark of Cain upo1 my forehead and> prayed, not for in QulSGuCc, Uut puuiSuuSuI, WudL udyl of gnawing misery I should have beer : spared! 7 The horror of what lay at my, fee drove me from the Hollow AS m, steps fell mechanically into the trai down which I had come in innocenc and kindly purpose only few minute before. startling thought sho through my benumbed mind. Tn woman had shown no haste in he .. turning! There had been a natura ness in her movement. a dignity and
 grace which spoke of ease, not shocl What if she had not seen! What my deed was as yet unknown! Nigh I not have time for-for, what? I di
 not stop to think; just pressed ol
 saying to myself. Let Providence d. eide. If I meet any one before reac my own door my doom Is settled.