The diamond drill., 1915-08-28

The cycIonic summer storm had
blown itself out. and the clouds were
beginning to break away In the west.
when Griswold. obeying Margery's
urging 10 go home and change his
clothes. turned his back upon Mereside
and his face toward future or thick
ening doubts and unnerving possibili-
ties.
Griswold had not deceived himself.
nor had he allowed Margery's apparent
confinement to deceive him. The
old mans mind had not been wander
Ing In the eye-opening moment OF con-
sciousness resained. On the contrary.
nary and conventional conditions had
become instantly possible when the
plunge into the dark shadow had
brushed away all the artificial becloud-
ings OF the memory page. What action
he would take when he should recover
was a. easy to prengure as II was. for
the present at least, a matter negligi-
BILE. The dismaying thing was that the
broad earth seemed too narrow to hide
in; that invention itself became the
clumsiest OF blunderers when II was
given the simple task OF losing q sim
gle individual among the millions OF
unrelated human atoms.
Thus the threat OF the peril which
might be called the physical. But be-
yond this there was another, and, for
men OF compartment. 4 stflI More
cmin0us foreshadowing Of evil to
come. or some subtle. deep-seated
change in himself he had long been
conscious. Again and again II had
manifested itself In those moments OF
craven fear and ruthless. murderous
promptings, when kindness. graft
tude. love. all the hufaanIzlng motives.
had turned suddenly to frenzied
hatred. and the primitive savage had
leaped up. fiercely raging with the
blood-lust.
For long time after he had reached
his room. and had had his bath and
change. Griswold sat at his writing
table with his head in his hands, think
ing In monotonous circles. -F
The tiny Ginning clock in his dress
ing case in the adjoining bedroom had
tinkled forth It's 10 tapping hammer
strokes when he heard voices IN the
lower hall. and then a mans footsteps
on the stair. To a hard-pressed breaker
of the traditions at such q moment
an unannounced visitor, coming up In
the dark. could mean but one thing.
Griswold silently opened a drawer In
the writing table and groped for the
mate to the quick-firing pistol which
after tho change OF wet clothing, he
had put aside to dry.
The visitor came heavily upstairs,
and Griswold. swinging his chair TO
face, the open door. saw the shadowy
bulking OF the man as he came
through the upper hall. When the
bulk filled the doorway II was covered
by the pistol held low, and Griswold's
finger was pressing the trigger.
Asleep, old man." said the intruder
in Raymer's well-known voice.
There was a sound like a gaspIng
sob, and another IS OF drawer clos
ing softly. Then Grlswold said; NO;
I'm not asleep. Come In. Shall
light the gas?"
Not for me-" returned the bed
time visitor entering and cropping for
the chair at the desk-end. into which.
when he had placed II. he dropped
wearily Il want to smoke" he went
on. Have you got a cigar-no. not
the pipe; want something that can
chew on
A cigar was found, In the drawer
which had so lately furnished the wea
pom, and by the fare OF the match In
Raymer's fingers Griswold saw face
haggard with anxiety.
What is the matter. Edward?" he
asked.
"A mix-up with the labor unions. It's
been brewing for some little time. but
didn't want to worry you with Il
Unless we announce a fat increase OF
20 per cent In wages tomorrow morn
ing. and declare for the closed shop.
the men will go out on US at noon.
I've seen IL coming"
II the god OF mischance had chosen
the moment II could not have been
more opportune for the fre-Iighting OF
maleyolence. Griswold's swing chair
righted itself with click.
We'll see them In hell. first. Ray
mer! The ungrateful beggars are