ell you he's dead!" cried Mr. Shrimplin, lost to everything but that
one dreadful fact.
"Who's dead?" demanded the colonel. "Stand up, man, don't fall about
like that or you may do yourself some injury!" for Mr. Shrimplin seemed
about to collapse once more.
"Old man McBride, Colonel--if he ain't dead I wish I may never see
death!"
"Dead!" cried the colonel. "Archibald McBride dead!" He released his
hold on Mr. Shrimplin and took a step toward the door; Shrimplin,
however, detained him with a shaking hand, though he was calmer now.
"Colonel, you'd better be careful, he's lying there in a pool of blood;
some one's killed him for his money! How do we know the murderer ain't
there!" This conjecture was made to the empty street, for Colonel
Harbison had entered the store.
"Why does he want to leave me like that!" wailed Shrimplin, and his
panic threatened a return.
He dragged himself to the door. Here he paused, since he could not bring
himself to enter, for before his eyes was the ghastly vision of that old
man huddled on the blood-stained floor. He heard the colonel's steps
echo down the long room, and when their sound ceased he knew he was
standing beside the dead man. After what seemed an age of waiting the
steps sounded again, and a moment later the colonel's tall form filled
the doorway.
"Andy!" said the colonel.
Mr. Shrimplin turned with a start. At his back within reach of his hand
stood Andy Gilmore. He had been utterly unaware of the gambler's
approach, but now conscious of it he dropped in a miserable heap on the
door-sill, while the white and unfamiliar world reeled before his
bleached blue eyes; it was the very drunkenness of fear.
"Howdy, Colonel," said the gambler, as he gave Harbison a half-military
salute.
He admired the colonel, who had once threatened to horsewhip him if he
ever permitted his nephew, Watt, to enter his rooms.
"Come here, Andy!" ordered the colonel briefly.
"God's sake, Colonel!" gasped the wretched little lamplighter,
strugg
Notka biograficzna
smutek mroczne smutne Podstawowe projekty domów dostepne od zaraz. sake windykacja Franciszek Zmurko
budowa domu - Leasing - ksiazki ebiznes - Calivita - gry logiczne