Middletown transcript., 1878-09-21

n
your wOrk-yOu need not fear"
Then / realized the truth; ana
glancing up. saw Victor Struthel
standing before me.
My first sensation was of relic
His eyes, peering into mine, were i
by the old softness around his mout
was the old smile; and, though hi
words were bitter, his handsome fac
was only kind.
Could he be mad Or had recov
cry come to him, spite of the physi
clans hopeless decree?
l laughed nervous laugh as | an
swered: "How could you SO startl'
me, Victor? What strange way t.
pay me visit? Surely you could no
doubt your welcome
II have not yet received it," he re
piled, though 1 have walked one hun
dred miles that you might give it tC
me. take no welcome but the old
one, Elsie"
And he stopped as if to kiss me, but
l drew back shuddering.
"What +? no greeting ? he exclaimed
and slowly there crept into his eyes a
look l had never seen there before-a
look of cunning and of mortal dread.
He glanced round the room.
II have waited SO long-waited to
find you alone. We are going on a
journey tonight, you and I, Elsie.
But you will not fear if you are with
me, even if Death be the boatman to
row us across. Listen, Elsie. | am
tired of life But one thing only has
made me cling to it so long, and that
is, the gates of Heaven would not open
to receive me unless you were by my
side, so l have come for you.
In that moment l knew the truth
knew that this man by my side, quiet
as he was, was indeed mad, ready at
any moment to throw off even this
mask of sanity, and seize me in his
powerful grasp.
Once more 1 glanced around my
pretty room.
Ny husbands eyes looked into mine
from his portrait on the wall, as if to
say, "For my sake, darling, keep
calm. ALI rests with you. Do not
let me return to find desolate home,
with your blood staining the thresh-
hold"
Victor" said suddenly, "before
We go on this journey, tell me Of your
self-Of all you have been doing"
''Of myself? What is there to tellf"
he questioned, with rising passion in
his voice. "Of what / have been do
ing l shall indeed tell you'll Working
for this hour, shaving for it, enduring
for it, with but one ambition in the
wretched struggle they call life-to
meet you face to face, to look into
your eyes as they rested on your work,
to tell you Of the burning brain which
could find no relief in tears, the |
weight of iron breaking the heart on
which your hand has placed it. All!
it is a little hand, white and fair
clasping it within his Own-"even to
lift so monstrous a weight yet you |
placed it well. not missing a single |
nerve-slender, pretty fingers, but oh, |
70 cruel! Elsie, have you no remorse?"
''VictOr, you are the cruel one you
10 me injustice unworthy Of yourself"
GAY, injustice! What do you know
IF the word? You, who sit here in
your beautiful home and let the world
20 by unheeded and uncared for.
What memory had you for the man
you had doomed, whose struggles,
whose agonies you could watch as the
,at plays with the mouse? l saw him
Kiss you last night, the man you call
your husband, forgetting my right to
he title-forgetting, in the sight of
leaven that you are my wife; you
'ested on his arms, you laid your head
lpOn his shoulder, looking with ador-
ng eyes into his face. You whispered
words of love in his ear, but for the
ast time! would have killed Him,
'ut that / wanted you alone in that
ther world to which we are going.
elsie, darling, you do not fear meY'
lis voice suddenly sinking from fren-
led anger to its old tenderness.
At any moment he might draw the
oncealed weapon from his pocket-at
ny moment plunge the dagger into
ly heart. {
A scream, struggle, would but !
lake sure my fate. t
What was to be done?
Victor" I said, with cunning ]
latching his own, "let us not die, but i
We. In death all is uncertainty; in t
fe we have each other and love-" t
He glanced with keen suspicion in f
} my face. o
"And yOu love met" hsquestiOned. !
How dare you, then, give your kisses ]
that other-the kisses which be- t
'nged to me? Listenl We have.no t
me to spare. Already they are on a
y track. Tonight l saw them, but a
leir eyes failed to find me. They