Tombstone epitaph., 1915-08-22

Moonlight nights and pay days gieamed with almost equal luster to private watchman Hopkins, who had a round on Royal street which in- cluded the big New Orleans Antique exchange. the Louis XIV Furniture factory. . small shop for old-fashioned 1ewelry. . molasses warehouse. and the old Dubois home.
 There was certain relief for him in reaching out for a door-knob in plain sight; there was sure satisfac- ton in passing the trap corner be- tween the furniture factory and the teweiry store. where some one might be lurking with q gun to stick in his face unseen on moonless nights: but. best of all. he could see plainly the vicious great Dane which Armand Du, bois. cowardly miser that he was, kept to protect the hoardiugs in his house.
 There is. just before dawn, a breath less space. an awesome gap. in which the moon Is making ready to surrender her silver scepter to the sun; 1t was at this awesome hour that private
 
 front gate to the Dubois home. slipped softly up the front steps, and tried the door-knob for the twentieth time that night At his first step on the walk Alert. the vicious great Dane, had growled. and bounded toward him on the long wire to which he was chained so that be could run the length of the house and guard the rear door and windows. The great beast chafed on his chain while Hopkins passed within six feet of his snapping jaws. to try the side door. As he as- cended the steps. Alert ground out a series of gutturai growls and parked in low. vicious rumble, as was his invariable custom.
 When Hopkins mechanically tried the door and passed back along the walk. the dog raced beside him on his wire. straining, jerking to lessen that sixfoot gap. struggling to get at him: snspping. growing Armand Dubois had trained his dog to make friends with no one. and he himself stood ten yards away and threw meat at him through a window at meal-times.
 When Hopkins had gained the front gate. he took his customary deep breath of relief and continued on his round.
 Fifteen minutes later he was back, and Alert greeted him with his usual growl. and disputed every step he took toward the side door. Perhaps it was the influence of that uneasy period just before dawn, but Hopkins felt that Alert was the least bit dercer than usual
 But everything was all right, the doors had not been tempered with, though Hopkins laughed at the notion Of anybody getting as far as his first ing all Royal street.
 Just as he was approaching the front gate again and gasping for his usual deep breath of relief, a window on the second floor of the Dubois house flew up; Alert made an instan. taneous bound. flung himself in the air toward the nightcapped vision framed fin the sash. was jerked back to the ground by his chain and lay stunned n figure screamed:
 Help! Robbers! Thieves! Rob bersi"
 Windows in several nearby houses popped up. Night watchman Hopkins. dancing at the dog, dropped his cleo tric stick. pulled his gun. and dashed toward the front stairs. The dog scrambled to all fours. emitted lion like roar, hunched together, and with dripping jaws and wild glaring eyes sprang for Hopkins just as he grasped the porch-rail. The running wire drew ;aut, held. and then snapped with a loud report Alert. free from his chain. sprang for Hopkins. The nightcapped old man in the window threw up bis hands, screamed Mon Dieui" and dropped limp, half over the sill Hop kins threw himself back, ana pulled st the trigger of his gun with both hands.
 A crash of bone. an agonized groan, and Alert bumped over in a heap on the cement walk at Hopkins feet, his massive skull crushed in by big bull jet
 Hopkins flew up the steps and pounded on the door. fumbling his key cbain biankIy, and trying to force the door. for Dubois nature was so sus- picious that he would not even allow his watchman a key to his door, lock ing everything from the inside with bolts and padlocks.
 Keeping one eye on the quivering heap at the foot of the steps. Hopkins pounded until the soft clap of hustling steps in shiftless slippers came to his erpectant ears.
 That you. Hopkins?" came an anx- ,ous cry "a a cracked voice from with in.
 Yes. Mir. Dubois. for the love of heaven, open up! told you this would happen if you
 The door vas opened a crack before he finished, and the frightened face that had appeared beneath the night csp in the window started out
 For Gods sake. come in!" cried old Dubois queruiously. sraspins Hop kine' shoulder with palsied hand. and milling him within. There's a nasty
 rnwd collecting in front Bring iu