Show I THE CARBURY MURDERER 1 I D BY IO DESMOND D COOKE COOIE There Thore lights pc people music music- everything was cheerful In the largo large hall yet tho time man Irum shuddered Close by him a boy with the superior pity of or fourteen laugher laughed shrill shrilly at his mother who hUll had vainly sought to press pres I sixpence Into tho the hand of or a waxen xen program program But nut Gideon Gilleon shuddered As AI sightseers passed endlessly behind thu I groups of oC wax figures ur 8 which formed time the center of oC the time room room those these very effigies seem seemed ell to his excited nerves ner to shift shift- and arid turn With set stare as of or one ono bent bout upon some purpose ho hurried without a further glance gIant on either side Ide to the fur far end cud of or tho the room And nel then thon II lie hesitated The rime iron turnstiles turnstiles turn turn- stiles that pas passed eel one olle to the extra e I rooms s lg suggested prison gates As two i women 11 with copious giggles les made mado I wa way within the time tl double click of the tho I metal to him to be the snap of or handcuffs Mechanically l he lie moved his wrists ts lie felt feit th time the col cold enquiring eye of ot the Commissionaire upon him Should he lie go on or on-or or should ho lie turn back Some power seemed to dra draw w him hint on a 0 pow power r other oUmer than which ma made e him sight sigh for tor flight night At t least he lie was not a alone time lone tho giggl giggi- ing women would ho 10 there He lie slap clap pet ped lila Ills e down upon time ih- metal tuttle plate and determinedly toward a steep steel lII light ht of or steps nun flunked flanked cd by walls wallis of or alono on which h notices l pointed In- In toward The Thc Chamber of oC Horrors Hor Hor- rot ron lIe He knew the tho way well ell enough for more than a en dozen years he lie had novel never missed his visit on omi the seventh c of or October Every Evon year he ho hall had been down those steps lIS nut But today the a air It teemed scorned to lo wart waft up In iii chill the tho stone oJ e walls wails had a damp damn hu loes l look ol J ime IC Halted nervously and on once e again the thought of or prison crossed his mind I Somebody was coming from behind I lIe He must move mo and in Iii U tL timid kind of or panic he tic stepped downward testing testing- each slab lab with hiD bin foot foot almost as If in Iii four feat of ot treachery y Time The gay I music slipped aW away away awa away until no echo could coull bo ho caught Ho lie pushed passed the Lime HUla bunch of I gasping Jospin provincials pasted the time guide guido I luridly detailed tho the career of ot a criminal and laying a hand as us of or old friendship friend ship on Ills his shoulder had eyes for tor nothing until ho no rO reached hed the little sitting room with Its ilK table broken n window overturned chair all shut shul behind be be- hind glass s which bore the time legend Jeg Actual scene of or the time Carbury Cambury murder He lIe l know now tho way Wao How Flow could ho ito havo como comBo BO so often oCten l' l Yet ho lie felt ho he owed it it somehow to Mary l For or he lie had loved her Ye Yes loved her still even on though he lie had robbed her hel of oC life life-had life had murdered murder murder- ed her because hu him loved her Mummy I 1 dont don't see the horror here hore complained a rat haired horror gir girl staring dully at I If din dis ordered cot u Aim Ah but there nere is lo c lovcy lovey Just you wait came front from a a. florid elder cider as ISh site she contentedly turned the time pages of ot her catalo catalogue uc in euro Guru hope of or some something thing thins terrible even Cven in this ordinary room t I saw the horror in it The scene came conic before him as If It It all nil acted again on the theother theother theother other side sille o of that thin sheet of or glass Ia s. s Ho Ito could 8 seo e Mary Marl sitting sitting- by the ta ta- ta a- a ble that blo that very ery tub table with table with Ie-with with tho lamp shining shimming on her needlework lIe He could sea her startled look as ho Ito came in I Glde Gideon n S So late Yes y you ou know why I have havo ha haCo hana han had a Co letter a letter a warning lie had glanced searchingly ut at her thinking to tu find guilt u upon ulon on her Imer features Ho lie certainly thought that h aw fear antI and ho lie probed further It told mo mno that Dighton was com corn com Gideon Gillean you you dont don't think I 1 nm am oll engaged to you ou ho Ito said I I have u a right to know Sho She sank back Into lien her chair You muot must trust rust me mae Mho alto said fuld simply Whatever hate you hear or on sec see you ou ought ough t t to o trust Inc me I Suddenly his e eyes o foil 1011 upon a n stick t that hat lu lay across tho the table tallIe a thick quaintly carved the thc the sUe stick that t there here In tho the small room behind tho the s hee o of glass Ho ito took It up Io Ho 10 ii lio furiously i u Mary Mary lar Jotie rose ng again The Lh fell Just Jus Justs a nu ail s it hir lay lar now how Gideon alto sho cried l I li a H i i wear Innocence lJ beamed from her eyes But Rut Gideon wan blind with fury ur Someone s behind lh the tho window curtain lie Hc raised ralso the time stick and struck tho time woman I two deadening blows upon union the head Sue She fell tell across the table Tho rime stick slick felt fell from his rasp grasp he ho l realized In agony agon that he lie hall hail killed his hove lovo A figure dashed from behind the curtains cur cur- and as if Ie with no other othel thought bent Lent over Mary lar Gideon csc escaped The Tho whole scene lived Sign in as ho Ito stood like hike one dead through tho lie glass Sm So o Still did ho stand that thata a suspicious sightseer one one of or the giggling gig gig- lIng gling women made women made sure that ho was waX waxen and resolved not to bo ho deceived again prodded him with a contemptuous contempt contempt- jest Jest to her companion Gideon Gilleon awoke with a Q shock lIe He felt that ho had bad been detected Clammy panic loosened loon loos ened enell lila his limbs he lie started and amid turned upon uvon tho woman who with unfeigned shrieks forged h hurriedly toward the tine exl Another r scene came back bael to him He tie saw Edward Edwar pale pall and confident ent at al first standing In tim court a guard u on either side He lie saw Maw the Lime village e lilu constable lf swollen with pride v stating s how drawn to the tIme by on one cite loud shriek he lie found Mary Gardner limp upon the time blood blood- blood stained carpet an and mu Edward dward O Dighton pale distraught J lean an ing InS over o her with great red spots upon n his hits ragged shirt and how this wit with h still more moro pride he took him In char charge e Ye eM the time prisoner had hud protected H Ii H. ham had accused ed Gideon of oC murder ing lug the time woman Arid And at tin tin-mt a n stir sLim a hum burn had gone round the tho crowd i 11 It Wa was known that hint the two were wre rivals rival s for Cor time the hand of Mary lan Witness after sr witness proved that lint her heart lay wit with witt h ti Gideon Gilleon lie He could have o no motive c But Bul tit ht time the on T. T his love lovo rejected rejected- by hy th the the- e murdered girl Friends gazed with pit ey y on his hits tine hue honest features the they COU coul could d scarcely credit U Jt In spite of all But nul when the constable now p peril verIl roseate with the Lime flush Clush ut ol dut dot done produced a thick shapeless s blackthorn to which clotted hair hall still stil l clung there them wa wall mas no loom room for lor doubt It was stick marked with wit h i. i the than monogram UI Ii 13 Gideon could hear heal tho the foreman E s v whisper guilty could 8 see C U tin thi oner down steep steps steps oaths oaths protestations truth rolling from fromn dis toned features Suddenly 11 he lie gave SL a start A 4 strange strang e sound had struck upon his ears cars earsa a wall vail piteous thin a na as of oC ulie III in pain lie stood hum and anel unnerved by y an all un reasoning terror tenor a Again aln I The rime c. c cry swelled plaintively through the cold stone c And l thou then 11 he he- realized realized-it realized it was time the hand Gideon Gideon Gid Gitl eon tried to force Coree a u smile smile his j hl-j f features at n would betra betray him hint He Ue looked nor ncr to see sell see If IC anyone were e starin staring at him Ho lie could feel u of Inquiring mocking eyes ut Jt it l was a relief at ut first to tu tImid find that tha t there laid hall been no Ito of iti hi self bolf- accusing t terror Tim flut u t slowly t tue h ln t II camo Caine In on tim 11 him ho ho WU-S WU was imas alone t was ivac wit wh why time the dim elim Wail tail of or the lime band baud wa borne to him He lie knew tho the tune tunc Who ho did not nol I It t was vas time tea and aud the band was la I play ing IlIg the time sad end voluptuous val valet that after altAI r maddening the continent had conic come t to o ro madden London n. n To the thu st sightseers ht i it t was ivan probably a great groat attraction Curse Curs e them lb Ho JIo cursed them for or being pro Iro- ho cursed them m for rOI liking that tha t tune he cur cursed ed them t l 1116 him hum alone Alone That was what ho d. hated From imI his earliest days ho he had loathed solitude but bUL now loathed it more than ever cr He Its could not under understand and tand her ui- ui mils and amid anchorites Such h awful l thoughts came camo to him one lone Ana now how there was th tho addda lJ terror o of ot f thoo leering waxen figures f What Wha t ft a awful faces aces The rho artist had exaggerated thieve was no need for tor a murderer r to look a a. brute blute Surel Surely one Omie of them had moved mo Again g galna a su sudden d n heat surged over o him hire ill HI Ills s limbs felt bit loo loosely ely knit Int together hl him his to toes s seemed to press against his boots boot I an anguish almost pl pleasant held helel ulm for a n moment he was left leCt trembling I I Ial miserable Nerves lie He tried te to smile but h be he al ale als could not hat What need when there thero was wa s I nobody y to see him him His His' nerves net were e on Ott edge d e Ho lie hat hail started sLatted paled and amid 11 flushed In iii the roa ay ou outside Th The e I I Iman man with sunken eyes ces In Iii time tile lon long g black mackintosh h. h had been boen so terribly y I like Nerves er cs I All 11 hl too week Tie lie had started ut at a u I It sound sound ever ever since ho he had read lead that tha t I I sordid paragraph aph Edward Edvard the Carbury mur mur- derer having obtained the maximum number of ot good marks was released release d from rom this morning Pah luh Ner Nerves Ners s DI would nc eJ i find him now non ho Ito had covered his track tracks is s up UT too well lle He was known knowlI to nobody body as IlS Gideon nn and his very vory face taco was different With a mad mael sudden I laugh he be fingered his lon long heard beard Am Ant yet that yet that figure in the time mackintosh Thus was WUK utah fatal anyone set Ing him him would woul be suspicious Ho Tie I ir get Jet away and amid never come conic again He had hud n boe-n u a fool tool to come Collie at t all alt thit year ear It waa mas vo tcO different with Dl luon free flee Ho must get ct right away awny Into time the country At all 11 COM costs o IB ho must escape from I r the Cue e place LC of i-f terrors r lie He moved oll ti a stop or 0 two t thou thun luKI- luKI tinted That lod mat hitti pa past p L J timo tho son on of or raised rained ono rula r- r a a. L dins ula dias at the which of h stood Digit ton lone o f oDara C. C Dare Dara he lie pass pas that model Why not Il had seen on It HO KO many times time Ills oyo eyes used to tt it H out omit did hj his Jiin ov oS science grow more a no loa That hul was the time nuisance of It all his all his conscience lie He cur cursed d cd his imis parents cur cursed cd his early larh training Why SImy a n. conscience con con- conscience science Dighton not had not boon been hanged hange He lie would wouW not have allowed l an Innocent man maim to die tIle for tor tho them sin Unit that he ho had commUted committed he ho would have confessed But Bul the evidence e hall hail been merely circumstantial hind had been Leen re mc- mc Tub The sentence was only penal servitude for life lito Certainly he ho would pass the tho figure of or the time Carbury murderer would rather ruthel pass It than titan ace soo again tho the little room beh behind Iud its Ht iL sheets of or glass itt so 80 full rull of or hideous memories and the slimy stones that t lined those thoe cheerless stairs stair This rids a way led to limo tho bright lit tea roomy rooms lie would soon toon be bo free of his depres sion slon He moved mo forward startled by tho the echo of ot his hits stops in tho time empty I of or the time pillared room The rho moaning music faded out again He lie scarcely glanced at tho the hard faces that his W way way they they seemed to mock at him But nut of or a sudden his eyes were drawn to ono uric of ot them them them- drawn rawn as If It b by power poyer of will lie He turn turned tinned ll to look hook then started ner nervouslY Tin TIll figure figuro had been en moved It It was vall l DI face th that ilium t already stared at his Time The hock of or Gl Gideon eon was terrible he could have ha borne the figure in Its ux- ux place at the fur far end but hercHe here herc He lie reeled limpl a against the tho wood wooden n dock behind and stared in fascinated terror at III the time model It wan like too like too Panic seized him limit lIe He could ha have o o sworn that the time cold eye eyo hud had blinked Ono One minute moro more of or the time accursed place ho he would be mud It Il was waa Dighton himself und and no wa wax vax tl figure uro Ho lie tel fult 11 of or It of It It lila Vila n uw avy r. r hi rl with figuro-with ur wolf wull Ilke like to teeth th L between tt th the back buck 1 lips t mcd to him less lens real roi than what had bad gono ono before ii lie HI felt that lint h ho would wo wake wuk soon anti laugh ut at It I Ito He To tried to wake At first tho the fool foisT of ot tho time fingers tHai that I pressed upon his throat was not uri uri- but but he lie did ld not hot like Jlko the time distorted din dis taco face that seemed tf tp tc hot threats on his imis I Further off ott other cr cruel I white faces leered upon him Ho lie tried to hi mo move Perhaps ho was lying on his back back that always brought such uch hideous dreams as ns this Suddenly the tho hot breath bore boro a a. sound of or Mary Iary Semitic came cam back to hurt him Ho realized ills his vony ne was being throttled lie was vas not nut asleep I love I loved her lie ho gasped out Probably Probably abl ably the time other uthol could not hear bear Digit Digit- ton tOil tOil-I'm Im I'm sorry l IP W only those lIngers would relax ho lie could speak loudly would not kill him Ilie I Ho lie heard naught but words that poured forth orth without t an any orders orders- taunts rather and antl t tn reals leat The awful face began to fade falle as us If It receding lie could hear the tho muttering no longer only OttlY a LI aswell LIswell swell swoll of ot the thO distant music plaintive Ins Ills his breath came camo moro more rrt C ly 11 Ho lie felt that ho lie could shriek Yes Yea ho lie could hear it hurried stir oath the Time Then a a. an scorching breath the tho torturing fingers fing ers ems again He lie thought ho could hear heat steps far tar art aft above on the Ute stone stono stairs Something seemed to snap mal somewhere He Tie surely must be waking Edward started buck back Now Cow ow that tho the man mart was dead his vengeance seemed rather contemptible ill at any uny rate less noble Tho taco face |