The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1916-02-04

was surprised at his own resolution.
Fremsntle let the muxzle Of his weap-
on drop irresolutely. but Munson held
his " covering the other.
Il shall switch OH the light" he CON-
tinued. w will wait until the clock
begins to chime the hour. Then We
will fire together"
You may as we'll 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
II his pistol still covered his enemy.
There was a 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 YOU 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 l 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 ave in his hand.
Il suggested the scheme, Munson.
/ told her that you were not a bad sort
of man, that If you realized what you
might lose you would feel differently.
designed to make o 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 the clock as it prepared to
chime, and pressed the trigger.
There came no echo to the muf1ed
thud of the discharge. For a fearful
instant he hesitated. Had he killed
F~remantle? He strained his ears. but
could hear nothing save the clock
striking.
Have you fired?" he demanded as
the chimes subsidized.
There was no response. Nervously
IN ooI LIE AA0AN olu S"1 lSACu
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 Gown and
burst into tears from the reaction.
you've had your triumph, curse
you!" he whimpered. MY life's yoIrs.
Why didn't o 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, m life meant more to
him under the circumstances than it
would if he were a murderer and a
fugitive. .
At the edge of the lawn Munson hes
itated and looked back. Fremantle
was still in h library. He stood be-
meath the light of the electric bulb.
He had wrapped a 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 a 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 a tall cypress
outside. AS he did so he saw the pis-
toll that Fremantle had laid down. It
lay hidden from his wife's view, but
plain in Munson's sight, behind a pile
Of books upon the library table. And
Munson remembered that it had no
been discharged.
His hand went out toward it, but
was arrested by his wife's words.
"Where's JIM" she asked.
II think he has stepped outside,~
said Fremantle, un]concernedly.
Edith Munson hesitated, looked at
Fremantle. Then she put her hands
to her face and began to sob softly.
Il can't bear it n longer" she
said. Harry, it has failed. He doesn't
care for ne. You can't win love by
ally SuCu Il1Ch. dS Ildt. I1C Is urea
of me, Harry"
NO." said Fremantle, bravely. cit
was a misunderstanding on both
Sides"
She looked up quickly. "You have
been talking with him. she cried.
How do you know that? How dc you
know"
Fremantle stood before her. Edith"
he said, tell me n thing: Do you
love your husbands"
With all my heart and SOUL" she
answered.
The fingers Of the man outside,
which were cropping for the pistol, fell
as If palsied to his side. He shrank
back from the window as Fremantie
came out. Fremantle turned, and
their eyes met.
Harry" Jim Munson began.
Go to her." said Fremantle, seeing
that he had overheard.
Harry, I wronged you. Will you
forgive? A man doesn't often have
such a friend, and to wrong him"