Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1915-07-22

What's fash more or less now!"
heard no answer only the slap OF
the cards as they were flung onto the
table: then the clatter OF key as II
turned In some distant lock.
The bottles were brought forward
and they sat down one on each side
of the dusty mahogany table. The
man facing me was Spencer. tho othor
sat with his back my way.
We'll play till the hands point 10
three" announced Spencer. taking out
his watch and laying It down where
both could see It. do you agree to
that?-unless win and your funds
so a.begging before that hour"
Il agree The tone was harsh: It
was almost smothered. The man was
staring at the watch; there was q
strange set look to his figure; a paus-
ing as OF thought--ot sinister thought
should now say; then l never
stopped to characterize It; It was fol.
lowed too quickly by loud laugh and
a sudden grab at the cards,
You'll win feel II IN my bones."
came in encouraging tones from the
rich man. II you do"-here the storm
lulled and his voice sank to an en-.
couragtng whisper-"you can buy the
old tavern up the road, It's going for
song; and then we'll be neighbors
| and can play-play-"
The bills had all gone one way.
They fell within Spencer's grasp, Sud.
denly hard upon a rafting peal which
seemed 10 unite heaven and earth. |
heard shouted out:
Halfpast two! The game stops at
three
Damn your greedy eyes!" came
back in a growl Then all was still.
fearfully still. both In the atmosphere
outside and in that within, during
which caught sight OF the strangers
hand moving slowly around to his
back and returning as slowly forward.
all under cover OF the tabletop and a
stack OF half-empty bottles.
Il can buy the Claymore tavern.
can r. Well. I'm going to-" rang out
into the air as the speaker leaped to
his feet. Take that, you cheat And
that! And that" And the shots rang
out--one, two. three
Spencer was dead In his Folly.
had seen him rise, throw up his hands
and then fall in a heap among the
cards and glasses.
Then the man who stood there
| alone turned slightly and ! saw bis
face. | have seen ii many times
since; ! have seen Il at Claymore tav.
ern. He put the weapon back In his
pocket and began gathering UP the
! money. When every bill was In his
pockets he reached out his hand for
the watch Then saw him smile. He
smiled as he shut the case. he smiled
as he plunged It In after the bills
Next moment woke to a reallra.
ton OF myself and all the danger OF
my own position. had the instinct
to make leap for the window over
my head and clutch at its narrow sill
In a wild attempt at escape.
But the effort ended precipitately
| He was coming toward me--a stra In.
/ ing. painting fgure-haif carrying. hal.
dragging. the dead man who fopred
aside from his arms. My senses
blurred and knew nothing TN or a
| sudden they cleared again. and vok q
to the blessed realization that the
| door had been pushed against my slen.
der figure. hiding II completely from
his sight, and that this door was now
closed again and this time tightly.
and Was sate-sate'
The relief sent the Precipitation IN
a reek from every pore: but the icy
revulsion came quickly. AS drew I'd
knees TO get a better purchase on tie
sill heavens torch was suddenly 1T
up. the closet became pit Of daFIl.ng
whIteness amid which | saw the blot
OF that dead body. with head proppcd
against the wall and eyes
Remember. was but fifteen. The
legs were hunched up and almost
touched mine. The door-the door
there was my way-the only way
which would rid me instantly OF any
proximity to this hideous object |
flung myself at it-found the knob
turned It and yelled aloud-my foot
had brushed against him. knew the
difference and 1t sent me palpitating
over the threshold; but no farther
Love Of life had returned with my es.
cape from that awful prison house,
and halted in the semidarkness into
which had plunged. thanking heaven
for the thunder peal which had
drowned my loud cry.
For | was not yet safe. He Was
still there. He had turned out all
Lights but one. He had not seen me
and WAS going ] could hear the
sound OF his feet as be went stun
bling In his zigzag course towards the
door. Then every sound both on his
part and on mine was lost in a swoop
OF down.falling rain and I remember
nothing more till out Of the blackness
before me. he started again into view.
| within tha oman dnorwav "a hera In thu