The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1918-11-14
CHATTER Observation-Disclosures

He picked up something from
the ground. 1t was a stick shaped
like a crutch. He put it under
his left arm and, still bent in two
began to walk like a man who
has not the strength to stanc
erect. Then suddenly and with
no apparent cause to explain his
change of attitude, he drew him.
self up and used his crutch as he
would a cane. He then walked
round the outside Of the grotto.
making a careful inspection, the
meaning Of which escaped Dor
Luis for the time.
He was of a good height in
this position and Don Luis easily
understood why the driver of the
yellow taxi, who had seen him
under two such different aspects,
was unable to say whether he was
tall or very short.
But his legs, slack and un-
steady, gave way beneath him, as
ii any prolonged exertion were
beyond his power. He relapsed
into his first attitude.
The man was a cripple, smitten
with some disease that affected
his powers of locomotion. He was
excessively thin. Don Luis. also
saw his pallid face, his cavernous
checks: the face of a sufferer
from consumption, a bloodless
face.
When he had finished his in
spection, he came up to Florence
and said:
Though you've been very
good, baby, and haven't screamed
so far, we'd better take II pre-
cautions and remove any POSSIBLE
ity of a surprise by giving you
q nice little gag to wear, don't
you thinks"
He stopped over her and wound
a large handkerchief round the
lower part of her face. Then,
bending still farther down, he be-
gan to speak to her ina very low
voice, talking almost into her ear.
But wild bursts of laughter, hor-
rible to hear interrupted this
whispering.
Feeling the imminence of the
danger, dreading some movement.
on the wretch part, a sudden
attack, the prompt
prick OF a poisoned needle, Don
Luis had leyeled his revolver and,
confident of his skill, waited
events.
What was happening over
What were the words
spokeng What Infamous bargain
the villain proposing to Flor
ence9 At what shameful price
could she obtain her released
The cripple stepped back
angrily, shouting in furious ac-
but don't you understand
that you are done FORT Now that
| have nothing more to fear, now
that you have been silly enough
TO come with me and place your
self in my power, what hope have
you leftf To move me, perhaps
IS that it? Because I'm burning
with passion, you imagine?
oh, You never made a greater mis-
take, my pet! | don't care a fig
it you do die. Once dead, you
cease to count.
What else? Perhaps you csn-
that, being crippled, / shall
not have the strength to kill you?
But there's no question Of my
killing you, Florence. Have you
ever known me kill people?
Never! I'm much too big a cow
ard, should be frightened, L
shake all over. No, no
Florence, cant touch you, and
yeti
Here, look what's going to
happen, g for yourself. I tell
you the things managed IN my
own style, And, what
you do, don be afraid. 1t IS
only g preliminary warning,
He had moved away and, help
ing himself with his hands, hold
Ing on to the branches of a tree,
he climbed up the first layers of
rock that formed the grotto on
the right. Here he knelt down.
There raj q small pickaxe lying
him, He took IL and gave
three blows to the 1searesf heap
Of stones: They came tumbHng
down n front Of the grotto.
Don Luis sprung from his hid
ing place with q roar Of terror.
HtMA H[A AnA m go 10