The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1917-03-20

hers we're almost those Of a maniac,
ond the nurse signed to the distracted
fotber to help her. Gloria was shrek
inc now as she found renewed
Strength
"There, there, look! Look down by
The steps of the monument! Dick is
Wing there. | tell you they've killed
him Oh, my God, why don't you &c
to him instead of holding me here?"
With one supreme effort she
,-ronched herself free from the two,
only to be mercifully seized with an.
other fainting spell. Swooning for.
ward, her face would have been
dashed against the footboard of her
he'd had not Richards recaptured her
in her arms. At last Doctor Royce
anneared in the doorway. His foot
struck the binoculars, which still lay
m the floor where they had fallen
from Glorias hand. He started back
from them, looked towards the pros
trato Gloria, and, stopping swiftly,
thrust the glasses into his pocket with
| what sounded TO Richards much like
an cath Then he came forward to
! Gloria. taking her from her fathers
arms.
Gloria opened her eyes again and
stared into the doctors own with an
other cutlery:
You will believe me and go to him,
won't you?
Reason seemed to return to her
now. and her eyes were overflowing
with tears. Her father had to turn
his own away, fer Gloria's made him
think of child torn from it's mother
and beaten and pleading. When Doc
tor Rovce spoke his voice was hoarse
with emotion:
Gloria, you know that l would give
MY life to spare you any pain or to
do ycu any service, but remember
that you are still very i'll, that any
further excitement might be fatal to
YOU. You have d high fever and are
not Yourself You are a very sick
child. Tell me what is troubling you
81 and what frightened you and 1 will do
Il anything l can to help you.'
Gloria seemed to be holding herself
under extreme control as if to con-
vince them Of her sanity.
ooh, Stephen, you must believe. I
tell you | saw it all-from the window
here. But there is no time to lose.
You must go to him. Dick ~Ereneau
is dead Murdered! His body is
down there at the base Of the monu-
ment.
Miss Richards was sleeping. I
couldn't. looked through my glasses
On the drive. 1 turned them towards
the monument. I saw a man in eve
ming dress lettering about. l couldn't
see his face. He seemed to be wait
ing for someone. A policeman went
by. The man stepped behind the mon
ument till the officer had gone. Then
he came out again. He took a revol-
yer from his pocket. Then he walked
away as tramp came along.
Il saw the tramp-a slouching crea-
ture with a hideous face-a face
shall never forget. 1 saw it plainly
under the light of the lamps as he
dropped on a bench. But l thought
nothing of him and turned my glasses
down the drive.
L saw man stop to light a cigar.
1t was Dick. l was surprised. I
thought he would have been on the
train. He seemed to look up at my
81 windows. Then he walked on. I
turned my glasses back to the tramp
saw a terrific lock come over his
race, under the lamp-post-as he saw
Dick approaching. l wanted to scream
warning, but he was too far away.
saw the tramp skulk behind tree
AS Dick passed him the tramp
leaped ON him from behind. There
was struggle in the shadows. [ tried
10 scream-Eot a sound came from
my throat. l could only hold the
glasses to my eyes and watch. The
tramp was like a mad gorilla Dick
naont chance with him. The fiend
elther checked him to death or stabbed
nln, l don't know which. But know
that | saw these things l know it's
true sid l saw his body thrown down
lifeless.
The man in evening dress came
pack again. l thought he was goine
~ save Dick. The tramp ran away
at sight Of him. The man knelt dowr
ny DICKS body. l couldn't see very
"ell' but he seemed to be listening
u MS heart. l thought surely he
would help Dick. Then 1 could hard
ly believe my eyes, for he began t.
search Dicks coat. He pulled ou