Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-10-02
check !; strange sparkle came Into his

that he involuntarily started. More
GIVE got another flask, but"
"Wnl you leave it behind !? I'll pay
you good price for it. !"
"What for p
Israel's eyes fell guilty "in-in
case of sickness, you know. We Can |
buy such liquor here-and it isa lonely
spot.
you're right enough there" said the
man, laughing, as he drew out another
flask, the mate to the first. Here, take
it. Pshaw, friend, put up your purse.
You're welcome to it as a gift.
And he was gone, plunging through
the high grass and bushes, all fringed
with scarlet cardinal flowers and nod
ding marigolds, before Israel could stay
him.
Israel Esmayne crept back to his
house. or, rather. the rude log-cabln
which was a sort of hostage that one day
a real home should rise on its founda-
tions. holding the fiat bottle close to him
and glancing around with furtive, wan
dering eyes.
81 needed it, he said to himself 'syes
| needed it. | didn't know how much
until | tasted it. just one more taste.
1t slips over ones palate like glass. SO
smooth, so rich, so full of strength. One
more taste, and then"
When the clock struck nine the whis-
| tie of the way train sounded faint and
| far off, and Israel Esmayne rose uncer-
| tainly to his feet. The subtle, burning
/ fumes of the liquid fame had entered
/ into his brain, the walls seemed to reel
about him, the stars to swim in the great
| blue armament overhead. Nothing was
real-all was faint and far off and Wis
! ionary. But the chains of habit are hard
to shake off and Israel had gone out
at nine o'clock every night for year.
Cropping his way, and walking with slow,
unsteady steps, he went, still clasping
the partially emptied flask to his breast
in the inner pocket of his coat.
He could hear the rush of the river
below he could see the rails of the
track glistening in the faint starlight &;
and mechanically feeling under a clus.
ter of spice-bushes for the switch-key,
he knelt down and stupidity fumblec
there an instant.
''The way train" he murmured tC
himself, ''Its all right. And then the
freight train-half- past nine-a quarter
to ten and-"a
He stopped down by the river-house
and wet his burning forehead with the
cool drops he could scoop up in the hol
low of his hand. He sat down on {
fallen tree, and let his head fall on hi
palms. .......
cam drunk ?" he muttered, hal
aloud. go God! have | come to this il
spite of everything ?"
And the memory of Dorothy Beer
and his sacred promise to her rose up il
his mind, as one sometimes remember
promises made to the dead. In all thu
wild, wide, reeling, rocking world of hi
brain there was but one certainty. HI
had lost Dorothy, his soft-stepping
sweet-eyed, redeeming angel-the one il
all the world who loved and trusted hin
most implicitly.
81 don't deserve her." he thought
scarce able to shape definite thought il
his chaotic mind ''but-if | had fallel
down dead before-before | touched tina
accused stuff! She would have believ
cd in me then"
The fresh, cool night air on his brow
was SOLDERING him little; the touch o
the cold river water cleared the mists o
his clouded brain in some degree. FL
rose up, steadying himself by the slende
stem of young white birch tree tina
grew close beside him, and looket
around
Hank! clear whistle, half mill
away, cleaving the silence like the call o
some sweet-throated bird.
1t was the express, whose plume o
lurid smoke spanned half continent
the long, serpent-like train, glitterin;
with lights, and carrying great eye o
fire in front, which nightly thunderet
over the line of rails, and shot like
meteor out of sight into the hush ant
silence of the woods, westward bound
The way train passed at nine, MAXIM
brief stoppage at Hurstleys station be
yond, a mere wooden shed with plat
form on either side. Half an hour after
ward slow and heavy freight train fol
lowed it, running off on side track tC
} ward the river shore until the expires
: should have safely passed. And it wa
the special business of Israel Esmayn
to set the switch for the freight, an
r subsequently replace it for the hurryin
express.
2 Had he done this?
With an awful doubt poisoning h
heart, he pressed his hands to his ten
t Piles and tried to think. He had bee
there-he could recall just how til
: dewy rails looked, wet and glistening
t the starlight. He had had the switc
e key in his hand--that he could also r
e member. But was that before or aftC
!, the freight had switched off F.? He cOul
: not remembr whether the freight ha
g passed or not. He did not know wheth'
) he had locked the switch twice or one
k or, good Heavens not at all. The pa
a was a swaying vacuum, the futu
co.. Il Ill I,
eyes, he pressed his temples as if eth,
e hand had beer wise of iron, in the wi
e agonizing effort to recall the last ha
Y hour.
It go Godi" he groaned aloud as l
j threw himself on his face in the w
. grass, cam going mad? ?"
Something hard struck against h
k breast-bone as he flung himself down;
!, was the fatal flask. lie tore it out. ha
I full of dark red poison, and dashed
y passionately into the bushes. 1t w;
g that-that that had done all the mi
s chief.
S go Heavenly Father!" he cried alou
l. in his great anguish, eff it pleases Thu
to avert from me this awful crime
0 murder done thousandfold-and naug1
If but one of thy miracles can avert it no
k i swear before Thy pavement of sta
If to touch the devils broth no more!
God, hear me 0 Christ, save me :"
d The earth beneath his groveling brea
2 thrilled and quivered as the EXPIRE
train flew over the rails. And Isra
Esmayne held his breath, momentari
/ expecting the awful crash which shou
stain his soul with the eternal brand
?, Cain.
Hush! An owl hooting afar off
:, the woods, the cry of some sad-voict
night-bird overhead, and then-a noth
e whistle, clear and CHEEKY The EXPIRE
r, had passed through Hurstley-pass
e through safe and sound! And Isra
lie Esmayne, staggered to his feet, gaz
around him an instant, clutching vagu
lie ly at the air, and then fell unconscior
Z" Uncle, he is coming to- Oh, uncl
4 | knew b1aeao that he was not dead
2, And the soft eyes of Dorothy Bee
A. | q 1.aE ,.o4 1, =