St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-09-20

lnsnpportablc, and the thought of his fu-
ture with her maddened he so horribly.
that the perspiration broke out On my
forehead in cold drops.
1 At last the time came | had TO 90
up stairs and face the man who hsd
darkened my life and won the love |
would willingly have died to gain. AL
though the subject had never been named
between us, Osborne must have been
perfectly well aware of my hopes, for
lad made no secret of them in Ilmclitf.
and the gossips of the place would never
let anybody remain long in ignorance of
any ones matrimonial projects, He had
known of my passion itselt:-so said to
myselt-and had purposely won her heart
from me.
l rose, and went up to the watch
room; it was difficult ascent. up va
rlous ladders, but | was hardly conscious
that | was moving at all till | found nv
self in the room. At the approach of
some momentous crisis in Il mans life.
have often remarked that the senses seem
suspended for a time, as if, when the
crisis came, they would fan only he pas
Slve spectators of the event.
Osborne was pacing up and down
the watch-r0om as entered In mo-
ment we were face TO face with each
other. He must have known bv INV 81
lence, and my remaining down stairs
during the whole OF the early part of the
evening, that something was wrong: and
he must have guessed what it was. We
stood opposite each other, and at last
said -
i congratulate vou.'
'What about ;! said he nervOuslv.
On winning the love of the prettiest
girl in lIuncliff.' | said You have done
well. William: but ifs curious thing.
| don't think You'll ever marry her
could not help saving this The
fearful thought which had come to me
down stairs flashed across me again.
What il he should never marry Lucy ,
| looked AT him a. he stood before me.
and thought how little would end all hi>
hopes.
He seemed to mark the hesitation In
my manner. and To get bolder from it.
'Ot course shall marry her. he sail,
Who's TO prevent me ? Don't stand
there, | want to 80 down. What does
ii matter TO you about Lucy Wilson? .
You know it does matter, SAID. an
grily. you knew | loved her, ami then
You come with your uGiv face and u-iicr
heart, and win her love. Yes. and i3or =
'ki~-es,' he said. tauntingIy. at the
same time irving 10 push pa>t me. and
90 out at the door. fling him back.
and the next moment we were "rasping
each other in fierce struggle.
1t was difficult to say what We We're
fighting for the struggle was simply the
result OF the deadly amtagoni-m 70 which
the discovery ot our common love had
given rise We rolled backwards and
forwards in the narrow chamber. and bit
and tore at each other ike wild hnaSlS
We were fairly matched, hut that only
served Ia make the slru9glc tercrr and
more prolonged.
At last cot Gishornc beneath me.
and press ,d him madlv down AGAINST the
boards. He seemed To he fumbing. nj
least. 50 | tancic'l, 10 get 4 knife from
his pocket, and pinning one of his arms
down with my knee. | @ra>prd him hy
the throat with both hands He Strug-
gled tcarully, and soon his face crew
purple. and then swollen; 4 second or
two more and a horrible change came
over it. | took my hands from his neck.
tor the struggle WAS NJ an end, lie
seemed to shuddcr: his hand fell from
my coat. lie was dead, and sank down
bv his side i'll n swOCn.
When awokc 10 consciousness it was
broad daylight, though the lantern was
still blazing above. and hastcned 10
put out the lamps and trim them for the
next night hardly realized the deed ]
had done. and the awtulncSS of my posi-
ton. till the necessary work was over
and went down into the watch-room.
There. with its arms extended and face
turned up to heaven, lay what once was
my friend and companion. The clothes
had been torn in the STRUGGLE. and thy
brow still wore the look OF mockimg de-
iiance with which it had met my gazc
while | was pressing the life out of him.
| tried to tell myself it was in fair fight.
to persuade myself it was not murder
but the awful witness lay there So horri-
bly still before me. that | felt the curse
OF Cain. | had murdered him. and
knew that the dead face would haunt me.
sleeping and waking, till the day OF INV
death
| hurried down stairs, and paced uT
and down the room below. vainlv trvinn
to collect my thoughts and plan som,
means of escape. The next time an,
one came to the lighthouse my Grim,
would inevitably be discovered, and
must get away from the place. if possible
1t could only be done at night, for il ] dC
not stay and light the lamps, the failrr,
of the light would tell the people on >hor,
something was wrong, and | should bC
speedily captured.
| could hardly think Of all this then
One thought occupied my mind to tn,
f exclusion of everything else: one SIGH
was always before my eyes; | presse,
e my hands against them to shut it out
=: but in vain. Clearly pictured before III,
t lay the dead man, the white, angry face
5 now so very still, and the extended arms
| had rushed down stairs TO get out O
1 SIGHT of my fearful work, but it was still
t with me in minutenesS of detail, 100, tha
f even the real body lying on the floor be
| fore me could scarcely have afforded.
e l went outside and looked upon th
0 sea. 1t was a glorious morning, a brigh
ocean overhung by a cloudles. sky, an,
t the waves FLASHED up musically agains
: the rock, weaving the long green and rer
@ seavoads into fantastic slanes R,t ha