The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1916-02-10
what purpose these contrivances
serve? To catch the bullets"

"Silencers," said Munson briefly. he
threw open the French windows. The
winner steps out upon the lawn and
gets away. You will have no difficulty
have arranged my affairs. There is
a train in twenty minutes. One shot
apiece, at yards distance, in dark
ened ROOM
you seem to have thought it all
! out" said Fremantle, sneering still.
"But before you begin, you may as
well know"
Are you ready?" demanded Munson.
He saw his enemy's face whiten. He
was surprised at his own resolution.
Fremantle let the muzzle of his Weap'
on drop irresolutely, but Munson held
his own covering the other.
II shall switch off the light" he con-
tinued. 1--WE will wait until the clock
begins to chime the hour. Then we
will fire together"
"You may as well listen to reason
suggested Fremantle.
Munson's hand went out and
snapped the switch. The room was in
complete darkness. The two men
faced each other, but each could see
nothing. Neither could hear the
other breathe. Munson wondered
if his pistol still covered his enemy
There was minute still. and out OF
the darkness came the voice of Ere
mantle.
"You may as we'll listen, Munson,"
he said. 1T won't prevent your shoot
ing. Mrs. Munson knew that you had
ceased to care for her. She did all
in her power to win your love. AT
last discovered what the trouble was.
You know we were like brother and
sister in the old days.
Munson set his teeth and strained
his ears for the chime. His pistol did
not waver in his hand.
II suggested the scheme, Munson.
told her that you were not bad sort
of man, that if you realized what you
might lose you would feel differently
I designed to make you jealous; but
did not mean anyone else to see.
That's ALL"
"You lying hound!" snarled Munson.
And at that instant he heard the qua
yer of tho clock as it prepared to
chime, and pressed the trigger.
There came no echo to the muffled
thud of the discharge. For fearful
instant he hesitated. Had he killed
Fremantle? He strained his ears, but
could hear nothing save the clocl'
striking.
Have you fired?" he demanded az
the chimes subsidized.
There was no response. Nervously
he stretched out his hand and switched
| on the light Fremantle stood quite
still, watching him, his pistol dropping
in his hand.
IF that's all, Munson-" he began
Munson dashed his pistol down and
burst into tears from the reaction.
i. you've had your triumph, curse
you'll" he whimpered. my life's yours
Why didn't you shoot? Why didn't
you? I'm going"
He stepped out through the win.
dows He was going away. Fremantle
had won; he had refused to shoot
when he could have killed him. Doubt
less he meant to make the most OF
his triumph, and life meant more to
him under the circumstances than 1t
would if he were murderer and q
fugitive.
At the edge of the lawn Munson hes
| itated and looked back. Fremantle
was still in the library. He stood be-
meath the light of the electric bulb.
He had wrapped handkerchief about
his hand and laid the pistol away. AS
Munson watched him he saw the door
open and his wife appear upon the
threshold.
| Munson had never spied upon his
wife, but at the sight of her madness
/ rose in his brain. Fremantle would
! tell her Of his triumph. A love scene
was imminent. Why should he not
kill them both?
He acted upon the thought. He
crept toward the window again, halt
ing in the shadow Of tall cypress
outside. AS he did so he saw the pis
tol that Fremantle had laid down. 1t
lay hidden from his wife's view, but
plain in Munson's sight, behind pile
of books upon the library table. And
Munson remembered that it had not
been discharged.
| His hand went out toward it, but
was arrested by his wife's words.
| 1,o oclyo
II think he has stepped outside
said Fremantle, unconcerredly.
Edith Munson hesitated, looked al
F,remantle. Then she put her hands
to her face and began to sob softly.
Il can't bear it any longer" she
said Harry, it has failed. I1e doesn't
care for me- You can't win love by
any such trick as that. lie ~ tired
of me. Harry"
"No," said F'remantle, bravery. "1t
was misunderstanding on both
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