The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1915-10-21

v see With; and again 1T was a ShadoV
(; of himself; and yet again behold tn
e image Of the dead dealer, reinspire
e with cunning and hatred.
He glanced over his shoulder at tn
open door, where the shadow was still
: lingering and shivering; and with n
conscious repugnance of the mind, We
. with tremor of the belly, he drew
near the body of his victim. The hu
man character had quite departed
Like suit half stuffed with bran, tn.
limbs lay scattered, the trunk doubled
on the floor; and yet the thing repell
ed him. Although so dingy and in,
considerable to the eye, he feared il
might have more significance to the
touch. He took the body by the Shout
ders, and turned it on its back. 1t
was strangely light and supple, and
the limbs, as if they had been broken,
fell into the oldest pastures. The
face was robbed of all expression; but
1T was as pale as wax, and shocking
ly smeared with blood about one ten
pie.
He judged it more prudent to con-
front than to flee from these consid-
erations; looking the more hardly in
the dead face, bending his mind to re-
alize the nature and greatness of his
crime.
With that, shaking himself clear of
these considerations, he found the
keys and advanced toward the open
door or the shop, he seemed to hear,
In answer to his own cautious tread,
the steps of another foot withdrawing
up the stair. The shadow still palpi-
tated loosely on the threshold. He
threw toms weight of resolve upon
his muscles and drew back the door.
When he had got safe into the draw
ing room and shut the door behind
him he was aware of respite from
alarms.
And as he sat thus, at once busy
and absent, he was startled to his feet.
A flash Of ice, a flash Of fire, burst
ing gush of blood, went over him and
then ne stood transfixed and thrilling.
A step mounted the stairs slowly and
steadily and presently hand was laid
upon the knob and the lock clicked
and the door opened.
Fear held Markheim in a vice. What
to expect he knew not, whether the
dead man walking, or the official
ministers of human justice, or some
chance witness blindly stumbling in
to consign him to the gallows. But
when face was thrust into the aper-
ture, glanced round the room, looked
at him, nodded and smiled, as if in
friendly recognition, and then with
drew again, and the door closed be-
hind it, his fear broke loose from his
control in hoarse cry. At the sound
of this the visitant returned.
did you call me?" he asked pleas
antly, and with that he entered the
room and closed the door behind him.
Markheim stood and gazed at him
With all his eyes. Perhaps there was
A film upon his sight, but the outlines
If the newcomer seemed to change
md waver like those of the idols in
he wavering candle light of the shop:
Ind at times he thought he knew him;
md at times he thought he bore
LIKENESS to himself; and always, like
| lump of living terror, there lay in
lis bosom the conviction that this
hing was not of the earth and not Of
Tod.
(Markheim has a long discourse
nth his visitor, presumably the Evil
me, who warns the slayer that the
ervant is about to return. He prom
'es Markheim escape and safety in
eturn for pledge of lifelong service,
ffering to let Markheim .retract his
ledge before death. Markheim re-
uses, saying the crime is to be his
lst. The visitor tells him there is no
sform for him, that it is too late.)
At this moment, the sharp note of
he doorbell rang through the house;
nd the visitant, as though this were
,me concerted signal for which he
as waiting, changed at once his de-
eanor.
"The maid!" he cried "She has re-
lrned, as forewarned you, and there
now before you one more difficult
assage. Her master, you must say
i'll; you must let her in, with an as :
lred but rather serious countenance o.
mo smiles-no overacting, and r,
'omise you success! Once the girl et
thin, and the door closed, the same b,
,xterity that has already rid you of a,
e dealer will relieve you of this last n,
niger in your path. Thenceforward d,
~ have the whole evening-the
hole night, if needful-to ransack -
e treasures of the house and to -
L -