Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-02-15
NO. 40.
Tales aud Sketehes.
THE SHADOW OF THE DOOR.

a river, eighty or hundred yards in
width, flowing with strong current
rounded point projecting we'll out on its
eastern bank, and changing just there the
general direction of the stream-the re-
gion. in the western part of North Caro-
lima, before the hills rise into mountains
these are the only features Of the gener-
al landscape which the reader of the fol-
lowing narrative will have to bear in
mind
On the point mentioned, elevated some
twenty feet above the water, stood, at the
time when | saw it, many years ago,
PLAIN house of wood in the ordinary car
penter's style. Unlike most houses of its
class, which are usually placed as near
the public road as possible, this was but a
few yards from the river, while the road
that followed the main course of the
stream cut across the base of the proiec-
ton on which the house stood, and which
included the fifty acres and more of the
small farm attached to it. With the road
at distance in front. and broad stream,
irlnged with trees, in its rear, the house
and its occupants were very nearly shut
out from the observation of all but persons
who directly approached it. ., sf-
1t had been built and occupied for few
years by William Dempton, who, with the
wife he brought with him, made his ap-
pearance as an entire stranger to the
neighborhood. He said nothing of his at
fairs, except that he wanted to purchase
small property. He invited no ques-
tons, and, ii not surly, was unsocial. His
wife was one of the subdued sort-in the
cut and color of her dress, the tone OF her
voice, the meekness of her manner, and
even the washed-out hue of her complex
ion. People felt. somehow, that they
learned more of him by looking at her
than in any other way.
There was little learned, however, in
any way. Dempton bought the land lying
between the road and the river; paid for It
in cash seemed to have money enough to
do what he wanted, but evidently wanted
to do as little as possible--except in build
ing house much larger than he had need
OF. When year or two went by, the
problem which his coming had presented.
took new form: not why he came and
who he was but what was the use of a
house and a farm to a man who was not
using either for the purpose that other men
would?
William. will you let me speak t.
you p
Speak why not haven't stopped
you"
eyes you have, again and again; for
you know what ! mean, and can't keep
still about it,
Il guess you can, for you've got TO. It's
you that have shut us both up; for if | let
you begin on anything, you get round
right off to the same cursed old subject
again"
That's not true now William, and
hasn't been for long while, as you know
for 1t was something harder to bear than
blows that shut my mouth, except when /
had to speak, as | must speak now"
You can't say ever struck you," re-
turned the man, with the manner of one
who was willing TO get up an alteration,
if he could change the subject in that way.
"Nor have said you did-with your
hand nor, for that matter, though you are
speaking so harshly now, with hard words
either. But you've laid weight on me
by your looks and manner that's Just
crushing the very soul in me. Don't go
away, and as the man rose to his feet
she rose also,-"Ill 90 with you if you
do. I'll wait till you come back, if it's all
night. Speak will, and of nothing else,
even though the worst happens I've been
afraid Of"
She had Just acquitted him of using
hard words, and one look into his face
showed that he had no need of them. Som.
bre-visaged as he always was. and with
strongly marked features, he was not i'll
looking, with some smoothness of skin and
freshness OF complexion. But while his
wife was speaking the skin seemed more
tightly drawn across the forehead, sharp
lines cut the smooth cheek. the deep-set
eyes halt closed, as if to hide the express
sion that glowed within, and the paleness
Of repressed passion spread over his face.
"What are you afraid OFF" He uttered
the words quietly; but there was change
in his tone like that in his countenance.
The woman evidently observed and felt
that gathering up and preparation of the
spirit to do i'll which is more fearfullv sug-
gestve even than its outbreak. Her
hands, pressed against her bosom, trem-
bledi her voice sank lower in a COM
pressed tone that seemed to exhaust the
lungs with the one word Murder"
For brief pause they stood-he w h
his eye fixed upon her. she shrinking FIR IN
it, yet as one resolved to go through W a
sNe had begun. Then, suddenly, with an
impatient movement of his head, he ex-
claimed. Pho what put that into your
head ?'
Slowly drawing long breath, as if
something had not happened she expect
cd, the woman answered.
You put it there. William. I've seen
it in your eye; I've read it in your man
ner. | can't be mistaken. I'm sure the
thought OF getting me out of the way has
come to you more than once 1t HASN'T
frightened me for myself What good is
life to me? Id be glad to leave it-but
not by your hand. Yet it's not that's
breaking me down and has closed my lips
till the words come in spite of me. lis
not of myself and you together that I've
been thinking, but of you and murder to-
gelher. You say that always came back
to the same subject. That is why l did,
because there is murder in it,
"Are you crazy ?" here Dempton broke
in. In what was there murder? DO
you know what you say ?"
Perhaps it had not surprised him that