Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-02-15
n~nniinned rI.nrn first naee.I

pressed voice, was prompt and distinct.
~ ought to know, for I've been saying
it over To myself for years, as much of 1t
to You as dared-ior your sake, William,
more than for my own"
"Say it out then now, once for all. and
have done with il. The last time you
broke out in this way, told you that once
more would end it, and now we've got
there. As sure as we are living now. one
or both of us will be dead before there :
another chance
Il knew it, said the woman; 81 knew
il wasn't only because | wanted you to
give up living here. and kept telling you
that your plans about it would never end
we'll that YOU looked SO black aud spoke
as you did,"
ANY man would look black, returned
her husband, "who had such dead drag
on him as you have been since we first set
foot on this place"
al would have dragged you back if l
could when you took the first step to come
here. ! knew before we started we were
coming for no good
'sWhy did you come thenP | told you
to stay behind till sent for you but you
would come
80 you did; and your sister wanted
me to stay. But you knew couldn't live
with her and you wanted all the money.
And as God hears me, | would come be-
cause was your wife, for worse as well
as for better; and believed the worst
was at hsnd meant it should not be
the very worst, if | could help it"
This was all for my sake. was it p
said Dempton, with a sneer, yet in tone
of inquiry that seemed designed to lead
his wife on.
ut was for your sake, William, and
my own. too; for when | married you |
meant to keep my promise, God helping
me, to the end. He knows ! did not look
for this; but lie knew that this was to be,
and that this was my part. and mean TO
be faithful to Him as well as to YOU"
No." she said, repeating his words
with long-drawn breath, "there's no
stopping now. Better get 10 the end as
quick as can. The end is, William Demp-
ton, that made up my mind you were
coming here, not because you could get
more land and make your money goiarther
there were less out-of-the-way places
for that than here-but because you had
talked james into the idea of one day fol-
lowing you, pretending the climate would
~
down here would be good investment
You meant TO get his money somehow, |
was sure. How, | could not think, but
way to such an end | got a glimpse of
it a. last, Just before we left. Do you re-
men Der that evening when the lawyer
care who managed the purchase of our
house and lot, and you told him about
70 nd coll nd
were coming down here | wondered at
your being so free TO talk with him. 1t
was not natural in you and when you
raised your voice SO that every word
could be heard as you went with him to
the gate, / knew you meant that those
people passing by might hear how good
humoredly you made light of his asking
why you did not break the will. ] had
followed you out on the stoop, and had
stepped down on the path behind you. AS
you came back with a slow and heavy
tread-l couldn't but notice it-you said
to yourself, bringing each word out in the
same slow, firm manner: "Ihere's surer
way" 1t was ptch-dark, and you
went by without seeing me. There was
no light In the entry, except what came
through the door of the room where we
had been sitting. 1t fell on YOU as you
turned TO 60 in, and then | saw for the
first time that dreadful look that struck my
heart as you struck my face just now.
Had 1t been my way to scream as some
women do, | should have cried out "mur-
der then. But the idea of it and
the fear of it sank deeper into my
mind. It's the word that has been ringing
in nv brain ever since. ! went quickly
round TO the back door, and perhaps you
thought that | had been up stairs. for when
came into the room you said nothing.
The black look had nearly passed away,
but my eyes met yours, and | was will
ing they should 81 eak for me. You new
er asked, and | didn't say anything. But
| tell you now, William, that from that
hour ! have had but one purpose in living
Ito be what you called me, but not as
you meant ii a drag upon you. | have
meant to hold you back from doing what
It was you had planned or thought OF do
ing, and from going any way toward it.
IL was not to make you unhappy. | be-
lieve that you know well why it was, and
that you believe me when say it wassfor
your sake. Not for anything that might
happen to me or to James, but to keep
you from -murder-murder."
Her voice sank with each repetition of
the word, and her lips moved once when
no sound issued; as if, now the dreadful
thought and fear were uttered that had so
long been broeded over, there was dis
NAL necessity to repeat it. Her brave
spirit had struggled on so far. She had
borne up under the two fold horror-that
while trying to impede her husbands adj
vance toward the crime he meditated in
the distance, she might possibly provoke
its commission sooner and in a still more
fearful way. She had reached the end
She could say, and do, and bear, no more.
The one word in the utterance oil which
her WORKOUT spirit exhausted itself, was
simply the token of the strife within The
pale lace grew more pallid the qnivering
lips became rigid and bloodess the keen
expression of an anguished soul died out
OF her eyes, and she fell to the floor in "A
swoon.
No further words passed between her
husband and herself on the subject that
had so powerfully agitated her. lie raised
and not urgently laid her on the bed by
the side OF which they had been sitting
Such simple means of restoring her as
were at hand he promptlv used Not