Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-02-16
frontinued from first page

sternness oil manner, ana though never
abusive or violent. had affected a rough.
ness of speech. She would take refuge
in silence rather than keep up contention.
Perhaps, just glancing at the future, he
counted on her sense of q wife 5 duty as
shield when it might be needed. mus
he had explained to himself their man
ner OF living for the three or four years
past, and his own object in keeping IL
up.
The blow. then. which was given him
by her death, following SO suddenly on
their last interview, was received by him
mainly in his conscience. Though utterly
without religious principle, he had relig-
ious ideas that were as unquestioned by
him as The sunlight. If he had wanted to
do anything the sun must not shine on,
he would not attempt to deny the sunshine,
but would simply wait for the night: 80
in matters of conscience. God had an
other world and day of judgment were
undisputed facts. But he acted as 1t there
were moral nighttime; not for him TO
hide in-that would have implied activity
in getting out of the way OF objects Keen
" discerned and felt-but to wait for and
be passively enveloped by it. Then he
would do what he pleased, unseen-a
state of mind by no means singular, for
il explains many mans conduct.
At the point where he now stood, how
ever, ray of light darted through the
gloom of William Dempton's mind.
If all that while his wife had believed
that his plans were tending toward the
commission of deadly crime. what held
her back from speaking out as she had
done that last day There had been many
an opportunity as good. He had encour-
aged her idea that he might mediate per-
sonal violence against herself; it helped
him to govern her more easily. But when
he saw that she had not been trembling
merely at this Imagination OF her own, but
was overpowered by her apprehension of
the very truth that never till now had
seemed so vast an object in his own mind,
he sought her for an explanation That
he did not shrink from doing so was char
acteristic of the man. There was certain
objects that were troublesome to look at.
II darkness covered them from his sight,
he was satisfied But he was no coward
and if he must see, would look with all
his eyes.
She, then, that shrewd, discerning wo-
man, whe he knew was his friend as well
as his wife, had judged him to be one who
could neither be persuaded nor driven
from his set purpose. Intense as her de-
sire was to arrest it, she thought the AT
tempt would be hopeless, except through
the workings of his own mind. He could
supply the very phrase with which she
would support her own spirit under that
long trial. She would pray God to work
in his heart through the few words which
only she could wisely utter. Perhaps he
had overheard some such prayer, or some
thing that had fallen from her lips in con-
versation had suggested the idea. She
had done all that she could without less
ening her chance Of success, and left him
10 his own conscience and to God. What
an idea OF him she must have had, if, be-
ing the woman she was, she would not
attempt more than this
Then, for the first time in bis life, Will
liam Dempton understood what it was to
be left TO his own conscience. Daring
the first hours of his bordering over it,
conscience was not an idea only, but
reality. He felt that his wife had more in
fluence over him in her death than in all
her life before.
Had this occurred at a time when there
was pause in the course of events which
he had started-when some fresh impulse
was required to continue tit is probable
that no such effort would have been made.
But when such affairs as his are in prog
ress, they gather momentum which rem
ders ii hourly more difficult to stop. lie
would have to be tenfold more in earnest
TO do IT now than year ago. Yet at this
very moment there was IA special motive
for him to be active in the way.
Happy for herself in the time Of her
death, his wife was ignorant that he had
received information only the day before
of the success of his long-laid plan. The
post. that arrived in that remote region
only once a week, had brought him word
OF his brother-in-law's final resolve to Join
him, and that he was on the very eve of
carrying it out. All the communications
between the two families passed through
Dempton's hands. His wife knew only
what he thought fit TO impart. Her own
letters he faithfully delivered but they
were few and brief, and the correspond
ence was mainly his. He neutralized the
effect OF her presentations, partly by
admitting their truth, partly by toning
down her strong language; but mainly
by his own plausible statements as to the
prospects which that region opened to a
newcomer. Let James Elsey come and
see FOR himself Let him bring the money
to pay down, which, in the unbusincss-
like ways of the people, would make the
sum seem twice as large as if he only
promised to pay, and he might suit him
self as to land on bis own terms In that
case Jane and ne would be together again
They would both have better chance in
that climate to live long, and they would
all have an opportunity to rise in the
world such as Dempt0n by himself could
never hope for.
Such were the ideas suggested, with va
riations, from time to time, that prevailed
with lonely man, somewhat feeble in
health, and shrinking from society, TO con-
vert his property into ready money, and
join the sister who was his only intimate.
and her husband, who, besides showing a
generous and friendly spirit had some
claims on the score OF his disappointment
As often happens, the resolve that had so
long been pondered was taken suddenly
At the last, and acted upon promptly.
The letter Dempton had received an
nounced the writer's immediate depart
ure. He would be some days on the road :;
nor, had Dempton been so inclined, was
there any way OF arresting his Journey by