The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-01-07

ton, Godfrey sat down on the bot
tom step and removed his shoes, mo
tioning US to do the same. Simmonds
obeyed phlegmatically. but my hands
were trembling SO with excitement that
l was in mortal terror lest drop one
CT my shoes; but managed to get them
both off without mishap. and to set
them softly on the floor at the stair
foot.
When at last 1 looked up with sigh
of relief, Godfrey and Simmonds We're
stealing slowly up the stair, revolver In
hand. followed them, but / confess
there was something weird and chilling
in that voice going on and on. III
sounded like the voice OF a mailman;
there was something about it at once
ferocious and triumphant
Godfrey paused an instant at the
stairhead. listening intently; then ne
moved cautiously forward toward an
seemed to come, motoining us at the
same time to stay where we were. And
as / knelt, bathed in preparation, l
caught one word, repeated over ard
over:
"Revanche! Revanche! Revanche!
Then the voice fell to a sort Of low
growing. as OF a dog which worries
prey, anu i - SOuhu aS Va
ripping cloth.
Godfrey, on hands and knees, was
peering into the room. Then he drew
back and motoined us forward.
i shall never forget the sight which
met my eyes as 1 peeped cautiously
around the corner Of the door.
The room into which l was looking
was lighted only by the rays which
filtered between the Stats OF a closed
dhUftAr tho n1i6nla Of the IIOOT
stod the Boule cabinet, and before 1t,
with his back to the door, stood man
ripping savagely away the strips OF
burlap in which It had been wrapped.
talking to himself the while In sort
of savage sing song. and pausing from
moment to moment to glance at hud-
died bundle lying on the floor against
the opposite wall. For a time, l
could not make out what this bundle
was. then, straining my eyes, saw
that it was the body OF a man,
wrapped round and round in some web
like fabric.
And as 1 stared at him. caught the
glitter Of his eyes as he watched the
man working at the cabinet-a glitter
not to be mistaken-the same glitter
which had 80 frightened me once be-
fore
Godfrey drew me back with a firm
hand and took my place. AS for me,
l retreated to the stair and sat there,
feverishly hopping my face and trying
to understand. Who was this man?
What was he doing there against the
wall? What was the meaning of this
ferocious scene
Then my heart leaped into my throat,
for Godfrey, with a sharp cry of
"Halte-la!" sprang to his feet and
dashed into the room. Simmonds at his
heels.
l suppose two seconds elapsed before
reached the threshold, and I stopped
there, staring. clutching at the wall to
steady myself.
That scene is so photographed upon
my brain that l have only to close my
eyes to see Ii again in every detail.
There was the cabinet with its wrap
pings torn away; but the figure on the
floor had disappeared, and before an
open doorway into another room stood
o. man, a giant Of a man, his hands
above his head, his face working with
fear and rage. while Godfrey, his lips
curling into hooking smile, pressed
a pistol against his breast.
Then. as / stood there staring, 1t
seemed to me that there was a sort OF
flicker in the air above the mans head
and he screamed shrilly.
La mort!' he shrieked. La mortn'
For one dreadful instant longer he
stood there motionless. his hands still
held aloft, his eyes staring horribly:
then. with a strangle cry, he pitched
forward heavily at Godfrey's feet