Ralph Henry Barbour

“ With a sob of terror, I broke from Larry's grasp and flew to the front of the house, to the porch and through the partly-opened door. Every instant I expected to hear the awful sound of a shot. I had never been in the house before, but I had no doubt as to which door was the right one. It was drawn close, but unlatched. Thrusting it open, I ran into the room and straight across to the bed.
He had heard and was looking toward me with startled, questioning gaze, the revolver still held suspended in his hand.
“Reed! Reed!” I cried. “Don't! Please, please don't!” ”

“ The sill came even with my shoulders and yet so near was the bed that I could have reached forth my arm and touched it. On the bed, the clothes flung away from the upper part of his body, he lay, arms at his sides and one hand clutching, loosely, the handle of the revolver. His face was turned away, but so much of it as I saw in that first frantic glance, looked in the dim light pale and lifeless. I reeled against Larry, sickening fear at my heart.
“It's all right,” he whispered hoarsely. “He's asleep.”
“He's dead,” I moaned, hiding my face against him.
“Nonsense! He's asleep, I say; look!” ”

“ XVIII WE LOOK THROUGH THE WINDOW Never shall I forget that terror-stricken race down the moonlit drive, out into the road under the black shadows of tree and hedge and through the gate. Larry came close behind me, but I neither heard nor thought of him until he clutched me as I would have sped up the steps. ”