The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-24
A eHOSTlY TRAILER
BY JOHN ROBBINS.

Bloomfield had planned the robbery
In every detail for weeks before, but
he had never contemplated murder.
That had been grim accident Hav.
Ing got the safe open. he had raised
his head to find old Barrett standing
in the doorway, holding a leveled re-
volver at him
Hands up!" said the old man. smil.
Ing grimly.
Bloomfield flung up his hands. and.
as the old mans revolver wavered In
the tired hand, leaped. He had timed
himself to a nicely. for the bullet
whizzed past his ear. and IN an in
| slant he had seized the weapon and
brought 1t down on old Barrett's head
with stunning force.
He knew Barrett was dead. He
knelt over the body and felt the heart
cease to beat, raised the wrist and
felt the pulse throb into silence. He
stood up. and In q moment the full
realization Of his fate flashed through
his brain. He saw the electric chair,
the bonds, the switches.
With shudder of revulsion Bloom
field stepped back, closed the safe,
and. with his plumber in his pocket.
planned his new movements in the
light Of this development He had In.
tended to lie low In the city-now he
saw that he must make for distant
town. In the metropolis the hunt
would not let up for couple of years,
In Atlanta, Baltimore. Cleveland. i.
his courage began to return. He would
not look at the body upon the floor. a
dog was bowling in room near at
hand. # must be old Barrett's dog.
the miser's. The eeIie sQYnd made
Bloomflelds blood run cold.
He made his way out by the window
to the street Nobody was stirring.
With his fifty thousand in his pocket
book he strobe on gayly His spirits
were high. Nobody had seen him
come or 60 The dog was still howl.
ing. though. ~s@w~y-,--s
The bowling sounded nearer.
Bloomfield glanced round. to see the
creature at his heels. It was a white
and yellow bloodhound. and 1t smiled
at his trail. whining. not very loud.
but dismally and mournfully.
Bloomfield stopped and called to It.
He snapped his fingers, but the crea-
ture leaped away with terrified
moan. When Bloomfield resumed his
pacing the dog followed him. no near
er. no further away. always whining
softly. It was q terrific indictment.
the dumb creature following, follow.
ing.
Bloomfield tried to shake 1t on. He
turned up side street. He took q
short cut among some houses. hastily.
before the dog rounded the corner. To
his relief the bowling sounded further
away. But when he emerged into the
parallel road he saw the dog follow
ing him, Just as before. It was it,
tie nearer, now, and It howled louder
and barred its fangs.
In a fury, he picked up stones and
began throwing them at the creature
1t leaped agilely away and howled
more loudly. Bloomfield saw one Or
two passers.by look at him curiously
He cursed the dog
It was nearly morning. Bloomfield
abandoned his plan Of taking the
train. He resolved to carry out his
original idea Of lying low. He had
rented a nat and stored 1t with four
months supply Of food. Nobody
would know him. except the tanitor.
and he was not likely to suspect any
thing.
He was within a block Of It when
the dog. as II divining his purpose,
leaped in front Of him and began
snarling and barking furiously. Bloom
field was in despair. Clearly the crea.
ture meant to spring at his throat II
he persisted. He turned. and now a
madness came over him, an insane
desire to give himself up. to suffer
anything rather than endure that ter.
rible persecution. It seemed to him
like a heaven-sent punishment. He
did not know where to 90.
Half an hour later he found that his
feet had taken him to the outside Of
Barrett's house again. He had gone
there unconsciously, but now there
came upon him that obsession OF
which he had heard, to see the body
of the man he had killed. II was not
quite light yet. CHANGING hastily up
and down the street, Bloomfield hoist
ed himself up to the second-story win.
dow and re-entered the room.
Out Of the shadows leaped a form
that clutched him in a wise. pair
of handouts were snapped upon his
wrists.
You'll tell me, suppose. you didn't
beat up old man Barrett this night?
Tell that to the Judge"
SIS he-living?"
"He Is, and he's likely to live, II
that's any consolation to you"
Bloomfield was laughing hysterical-
ly.
81 thought I'd killed the old guy
he sobbed. 81 won't make any trou-
BILE never meant to touch him, any.
way, only he drew on me. But It
wasn't you that got me, It was that
hound Of his"
"What dyer mean" demanded the
policeman. looking at him curiously.
THAT old white and yellow blood
hound that's been following me all
night"
81 didn't know old Barrett had Q
hound" commented the policeman.
Amt batty, are you? He had one
answering that description once, years
ago. but he was killed by the last