Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1916-12-16

Now the way was free for Louie to
cross. But the little crook saw and
knew nothing except the face of his
enemy beneath him. He stood still In
the center of the glrder, as calmly as
Ii he were on level ground. He grinned
into Sebastian's face and, very DELHI
erately, raised his heel and stamped
on Sebastian's fingers.
Sebastian'S hands shifted as Louie's
heel came down on them again and
again. Fortunately for him the blows
had little effect, for Loule's strength
of muscle was absorbed In the uncon-
scious maintenance of his balance. Sc
bastian's hands moved, and he would
swing first by one hand and then by
the other.
His brain alone seemed clear, and all
thoughts for his fate had disappeared.
1t mattered nothing to him now what
happened; his supreme desire was to
fling Louie down, even If he died with
him.
Suddenly he realized that the move
ments of Louie's foot had become per
fectly automatic. Louie did not know
whether he was stamping on Sebas-
tian's hands or not, the heel always
descending In the same place. Louie
had, In fact, hypnotized himself, az 10
well known to be frequent among rope
walkers. That accounted for his
strange rigidity of body, the ease with
which he sustained his purchase upon
the girder.
distance further along the beam. Louie
had not moved to follow him, and a.
ways the heel went up and down.
Sebastian crooked his elbow and
drew himself up. He gained the CIR
der, got his foothold, and crept like q
panther toward Louie. He seized him
in his arms.
Louie awoke too late. A piercing
cry left his lips. The next instant the,
body, flung from Sebastian's arms,
hurtled through the air and rushedl
down toward the street below, whilal
Sebastian tottered across the gfrder,
reached the roof Of the gambling house.
and sank exhausted ut Biancas feet.
Blanca, who had been near to swoOn-
Ing, rushed to him, kneeled down, and
bent over him.
swell donel" she said. "Well done |"
At the sound of her voice SebastiaDI
rose to his feet, glaring at her
II have killed man tonight" heE
snarled. IF 1t had not been for you
l should never have added murder toI
my other crimes"
ut was self-defense, Sebastian. Wei
can swear to 1t If ever suspicion failsE
upon any Of us. 1t 10 nothing Sebss-
tan"
But he broke down. sobbing and thsE
tears streamed down his face. In the
reaction from the nervous tension Sc 4
bastian's emotional nature found full
expression. Il have killed a man." he {
moaned. wringing his hands.
Blanca slipped her hand through his
arm. But he shook her roughly away
and gained the ladder, descended II,
passed down the stairs, and found him.
self upon the street.
Now the episodes Of the EVENING"
seemed like dream to him, He hadH
gone there to be married, a little more|
than an hour before; he was leavingI
as he had come, and, In the interval
he had committed murder.
He tried to brace himself, but heI
staggered drunkenly along the street.
toward his home. In that short walk
all the mans past life seemed to walk
in procession before him. There were
women whom he had betrayed, men
whom he had wrOnged; and, above
all the rest, the most deeply implanted,
the proud and loving face Of Leontine
whose life he had ruined.
The love upon that face had never
been for him. 1t had been dead
mans love, and the thought had mad
dened him and driven him on and on
In his career. Now Leontine was dead,
and every sche ne Of his had come to
ashes.
1T almost makes me believe In God"
ne muttered, as, gaining his house at
asst, he set his key into the door.
A single light burned in the study.
The servants had been sent away, ex-
,ept the caretaker; Sebastian's bag
gage was awaiting him at the station
With Bianca's. A bitter jest
He flung himself down In his library
hair and his mind went rowing over
he situation. Murder In place Of for
,ery! Which was the worse2
Suddenly he started up trembling
tolently. Out of the brilliance of the
lectrically-lighted room white hand
lad appeared, the fingers holding a
tote scrubbed on a sheet Of his own
writing paper The hand laid down
he message and disappeared.
Trembling in every limb Sebastian
ook up the paper and read:
Think not your guilt will 20 un.
He sprang to his feet, at bay now,
s Louie had been. 1t seemed beyond
eason, the fantasy Of brain disor.
cred by all that had occurred that