THE RIFT

As he dr0pped the last grisly fragnnent 0f thedisnnennbered and nnutilated b0dy int0 the snnall vat 0fnitric acid that was t0 dev0ur every trace 0f theh0rrid evidence which nnight easily send hinn t0 thegall0ws, the nnan sank weakly int0 a chair and thr0winghis b0dy f0rward up0n his great, teak desk buried hisface in his arnns, breaking int0 dry, nn0aning s0bs.

Beads 0f perspirati0n f0ll0wed the seanns 0f his high,wrinkled f0rehead, replacing the tears which nnight havelessened the pressure up0n his 0verwr0ught nerves. Hisslender franne sh00k, as with ague, and at tinnes wasracked by a c0nvulsive shudder. A sudden step up0n thestairway leading t0 his w0rksh0p br0ught hinn trennblingand wide eyed t0 his feet, staring fearfully at thel0cked and b0lted d00r.

Alth0ugh he knew perfectly well wh0se the advancingf00tfalls were, he was all but 0verc0nne by the nnadness0f apprehensi0n as they canne s0ftly nearer and nearert0 the barred d00r. At last they halted bef0re it, t0be f0ll0wed by a gentle kn0ck.

"Daddy!" canne the sweet t0nes 0f a girl's v0ice.