The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-06-03
4 GHosTLY TRAILER
BY JOHN ROBBINS.


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 leveled re-
volver at him.
Hands upi" said the old man. smil-
ing grinly.
Bloomfield flung up his hands, and,
as the old mans revolver wavered in
the tired hand, leaped. He had timed
himself to nicely. for the bullet
whizzed past his ear, and in an in
stant he had seized the weapon and
brought it 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 moment the full
realization Of his fate flashed through
his brain. He saw the electric chair.
the bonds, the switches. >.
With a shudder OF revulsion Bloom.
field stepped back, closed the safe,
and, with his plunder 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 a couple of years
In Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland :.
his courage began to return. He would
not look at the body upon the floor A
dog was bowling in room near at
hand. It must be old Barrett's dog,
the miser's. The eerie sound made
Bloomfleld's 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 go. The dog was still howl.
ing, though.
The bowling sounded nearer.
Bloomfield glanced round, to see the
creature at his heels. It was a white
and yellow bloodhound, and 1t shifted
at his trail, whining, not very loud,
but dismally and mournfully.
Bloomfield stopped and called to 1t,
He snapped his fingers, but the crea'
ture leaped away with a terrified
moan. When Bloomfield resumed his
pacing the dog followed him, no near
er, no further away, always whining
softly. 1t was a terrific indictment,
the dumb creature following, follow
ing.
Bloomfield tried to shake 1t on. He
turned up a side street. He took a
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. 1t was lit
tie nearer, now, and 1t howled louder
and barred Its fangs.
In fury, he picked up stones and
began throwing them at the creature
1t leaped agilely away and howled
more loudly. Bloomfield saw one Of
two passers-by look at him curiously
He cursed the dog.
1t 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 fiat and stored 1t with four
months supply of food. Nobody
would know him, except the ianitor
and he was not likely to suspect any
thing.
He was within 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. Fe turned. and now .
madness came over him, an insane |
desire to give himself up, to suffer
anything rather than endure that ter
rible persecution. 1t seemed to him
like heaven-sent punishment. He
did not know where to go.
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. 1t was not
quite light yet. Glancing 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 wise. A 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.n
Bloomfield was laughing hysterical-
y
i thought I'd killed the old guy
lie sobbed. "I won't make any trou-
lie. ! never meant to touch him, any
way, only he drew on me- But it
wasn't you that got me, it was that
Iound OF his"
What dyer mean?" demanded the
n