The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-09-03
sternly, when the struggle ceased At length
the latter spoke again.

"HOse DTetu lle HIS eSteH loT So Hany years
and the fellow. clerk who was once his best o.
friendss For shame Luke! Give up this in
sane attempt; release Inc, and depart, and take
leisure to repent of this foul crime"
81 cannot, even if you promised secrecy
which know you too well to hope for. Ihave
gone too far-too far p repeated Fame, striking
his forehead, and adding, merrily, "no more
preaching, if you please, but deliver the key al
once or you are dead man."
"Never, while have life"
81 would not willingly have your blood upon
my head--I would spare you for the sake OF
old times. Resign thekey!
"Neverw
"Think of your wife and child"
Margaret Lwife!--des " ife why do you
not bring me aida" shrieked thesmiserable man
as he twisted and struggled in his bonds like
one impaled.
dispatch him said. the man who held the
light. or we shall be discovered
"Once, more thekey! said Fame, US he sum.
moned up his worst resolution.
The cashier saw the polished barrel of the
head. The veins swelled ont upon his temples
like knotted whip-cord, headed with thecold
sweat. Of his agony, but he grasped the key
tighter than ever.
"The keyl' gasped Fame, in a voice hoarse
and broken with the devlish rage of the muir
derer.
"Never! never! but with lifer
Fame advanced the pistol until it pressed a.
gainst the bare forehead of his victim. He
drew the trigger-a dull report resounded
through the apartment, and nothing but the
corpse ofHenry Macready remained sitting in
his office chair.
On that same evening, as it was growing dark,
the wife of Mac:eadv was sitting in her draw.
ing playing with her infant, wten dinner
was announced. On descending to tie dining
room, and not finding her husband il lis usual
place, sic d asi:td ii ,arvaHt t. tl3#t t.2 ~
flee door. whic!. Was ii; usual signal. Tie SER
want did 50, and rac2iring no answer broGght
back word THAT his master was from home, and
Margaret at once concluded that he had gone
out to dine with friend. When her solitary
meal was over she returned to the drawing
room, to amuse her until her husband should re-.
turn. An hour had passed thus. when person,
who said he had message from Mr. Macready,
called. This person said that MIR. Macready
was dining witha family Of his acquaintance at
the south side of the city, and had sent him to
conduct Mrs NJ. and the child to the place.
Margaret at once arose, and after some slight
alteration in her dress, went out with the mes:
senger, accompanied by u female servant and
her infant, leaving the house in charge of the
man servant, not without some reluctance, as
he had been but short time in the service of
the bank,
the party had been walking more than half
an hour through crowded streets, when all at
once the messenger disappeared. Having
waited considerable time for his return, Mar.
grct concluded that he had accidentally miss
ed them, aud not knowing the exact locality Of
the house to which she was going she bent her
steps homewards Tired ard disappointed. the
little party arrived at their own door soon after
nine o'clock, and admitted themselves by means
of latch key.
On entering the sitting-room, Mrs NJ. rang
for the man servant, but no one answered.
Putting her infant to sleep ia the cradle, and
and desiring the maid to 60 to bed, she deter
mined to sit up for her husband. Eleven o clock
struck-twelve-on an neither master nor
servant returned. Poor Margaret could no
longer bear up against the WEAKNESS and want
of sleep which weighed her eyelids down, and
retiring to her chamber, she sought her couch
and soon was fast asleep. Troubled dreams,
however, disturbed her repose, and she awoke,
just as the clock was striking four. The night
light had just gone out, but a clear frosty moon
was shining through the windows at the front
of the house. Throwing cloak over he might
dress, she descended 10 the drawing-roon,. All
was cold and silent there. She grew terrified
with the loneliness of her condition, and strange
and fearful pictures of danger and calamity
swan before her mental vision. In this state,
she went down to the Office, She felt some.
thing compelling her to try the handle of the
door. The room was pitch dark. Dragging
herself to one of the shutters, she opened it,
and beam of moonshine, Glove the darkess Of
the apartment. Margaret, to her surprise, now
discovered the figure of her hpsban'', whom she
imagined to be asleep. With cry of delight,
she ran forward and laying her arm upon the
shoulder of the corpse, exclaimed
"Wake, Henry and come to bed--you are
frozen with the cold"
She wandered at the doepness ofhis slumher,
as she heard no sound of breathing, and feltno
motion. Passing her hands over the body she
felt the chords, and touched The icy hand which
had been partly freed from the ligatures, Her
flesh crept with horror.
n l. l.