The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-26

Through it he seemed to apprehend
something awesome behind him, az
astronomers study star in n mirror
And 1 at once. thought Of Wrinkles
officers of the law and feetingly Won
dered what folly could be bringing
them on the scene at such time.
Then I no longer thought of even this.
for had noticed Gas House Aggie Go
remarkable thing. It was a move
ment that would have been ludicrous
had the stark fear on that face of hers
been less tragic. She melted down ont
of sight. like a disappearing gun sink
ing behind its redoubt. She disap-
| peared noiselessly and spinelessly be-
meath the level of the tabletop with
the charred edge. subsiding snakily
into huddled mass on the floor.
| understood even before 1 saw the
flash of metal in .Pareto's hand held
close in to his side. II was the paroled
'lifer" returning to balance up his
ledger OF hate. 1t was Duke Callahan
come back, as he had promised to come
back, to wipe out a blot of betrayal.
I saw lank man advancing through
| the smoke-blue air of Tiernan's ink
pot" a man as tall and lank as Curatc
Sam himself. He seemed to see nobody
in that crowded room but the, enemy
who had robbed him Of his woman.
1
linen become drunk with gin and
whisky. Then for the first time ]
clearly saw the revolver poised in Duke
| Callahan's right hand. Wrinkle, too.
must have seen it, for his startled
gaze wavered back to me with a sort
Of child-like wonder shot through with
protest.
"ouickp gasped. get that Captain
Of yours"
He was cut short by double clap OF
sound. as sharp and clear a the double
| stroke of a mallet on.a deck board. fol-
! lowed by the scream of a terrified
woman. Then came a clatter of sud-
denly moving furniture and stamping
| feet, clatter so quick and explosive
that 1t almost swallowed up the re-
peated double clap Of sound as the
two revolvers barked out for the second
| time
| I noticed neither the tumultuous duck
ing for cover nor the magic-like clear
ing of the room. All saw was Duke
Callahan's inexplicable movement as
he threw his right hand high above his
face and turned halfway around.
Then, with a great intake of breath.
he drew himself up to his full height.
| 1t seemed SO Enthusiastically an attitude
! Of defiance that was thinly startled,
the next moment, to-see him pitch for
ward on his face and lie full-length
between two Of the iron-pedestaled
tables, where for a second or two his
limbs threshed in the sawdust, and
then were quite still.
1t wasn't until then that became
| aware of the fact that Pareto was
standing close beside me, with one hand
on the charred table-edge. His other
hand, I noticed. he lifted hesitatingly
l toward his watch-pocket, as thought
abstractedly in search of a time piece
But instead of lifting out a watch. no
pressed this hand to his body and then
withdrew it, lifting it to the light as
he did so. There was a vague and
plaintive wonder in his eyes as he
stared at it, for it Was red with blood.
Then he looked at me with an, odd
little grimace Of the features. Before
l. could get out of my chair he sank
nciselessly to the floor, seeming to go
down in sections.
Pareto was surely dying. I realized
that as I got his head up on my lap
and wiped the blood and froth away
from his lips. He seemed to be want
ing to say something.
Wrinkle" called. get me whisky,
from the bar. through that door!"
Hes trying to say something
Wrinkle informed me. with his own face
twisted up in an Involuntary frown OF
sympathy.
What is itr' I prompted. studyins
the agony for communication in the
inarticulate eyes.
You no keela or man Grosset," he
said in thick whisper that at times
was almost a gurgle.
who did," I sharply demanded.
But he seemed unable to answer.
/ cal
, almost shaking the inert shoulders Z
Yes" was the whispered response.
Cant you do something besides
I gaping there? Can't you try to help a
! little? Can't you even
, What shall do?" asked poor
Winkie, staring at the red-colored saw
dust that stuck to his knees.
, Get somebody Get an officer here
as quick as you can!"
, Wrinkle rose obediently and started
for the door. He had reached that door
5 before a quick tumuIt of voices sounded
outside It He tried to push through
: it. But he was stopped
. "oh, no. you don't!" cried a calm
, and resolute baritone. You stay right
in there!"
{ The next moment I saw Wrinkle
thrust unceremoniously back and a
$ blue-clad figure take possession of the
doorway. At the other door, a moment
later. a second blue-clad figure APP
I peared. Then came another sharp
clash OF voices. and Sloan himself.
8 He stopped halfway between the
D two men. now lying full length out on
n the unclean flooring. His interest In
9 Pareto seemed only y momentary one.
II was Callahan he knelt beside. ]
E could hear him breathe deep as he
! slipped a hand in under the vest of the
b dead "iifer."
7 Were you talking to this man7" he
D asked. without looking at me. 'But his
7 face. In profile, seemed heavy with dis
: appointment. the disappointment Of an
ofncious n1zn who has missed a mo-
: r.entous event
!. There wasn't time" retorted,
c thinking Of other things