Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-06-05

dred miles that you might give it to
ime. I take no welcome but the old
one, Elsie"
And he stopped As il to kiss me, but
/ drew back, ahnddering.
WHAT no GreetinGY he exclaim-
ed; and slowly there crept into his eyes
= look had never seen there before
look of cunning and of mortal dread.
He glanced round the room.
II have waited 90 long-waited to
find you alone. We are going on a
journey tonight, you and l, Elsie. But
you will not fear il you are with me,
even if Death be the boatman to row us
across. Listen. Elsie. l am tired of
life. But one thing only has made me
cling to it 80 long, and that IL, the gates
of heaven would not open to receive
me unless you were by my side, 30 !
have come for YOU"
In that moment / knew the truth
knew that this man by my side, quiet
as he was, was indeed mad, and ready
at any moment to throw off this mask
of sanity. and seize me in his powerful
grasp.
Once more l glanced around my
pretty room.
My husbands eye looked into mine
from his portrait on the wall, as if to
say, For my sake, darling, keep calm.
All rests with you. Do not let me re-
turn to find desolate home, with your
blood staining its threshhold,"
Victor" said, suddenly, before
we 60 on this journey. tell me of your
seif-of all you have been doing"
"Of myself? What is there to tell?"
he questioned, with rising passion in his
voice.
"Of what I have been doing I shall
indeed tell you! Working for this hour.
shaving for it, enduring for it, with but
one ambitio n 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 n little hand, white and fair =
clasping it within his own" even to
lift so monstrous a weight, yet you
placed it we'll, not missing single
nerve-slender, pretty fingers, but oh,
so cruel Elsie, have you no remorse?"
"Victor. you are the cruel one; you
do me an injustice unworthy of your
self"
Gay, injustice What do you know
Of the word? You who sit here in your
beautiful home and let the world 20 by
unheeded and uncared for, what mem
DRY had you for the man you had DOOM
ed, whose struggles, whose agonies you
could watch as the cat playing with a
mouse? / saw him kiss you last night,
the man you call your husband, forget
ting, in the sight of heaven, that you
are my wife. You rested in his arms,
you laid your head upon his shoulder,
looking with adoring eyes into his face!
You whispered words of love
in his ear, but for the last
time l would have killed him, but
that | wanted you alone in that other
world to which we are going. Elsie.
darling, you do not fear me ?" his voice
suddenly sinking from frenzied anger to
its old tenderness.
At any moment he might draw the
concealed weapon from his pocket-at
any moment plunge the dagger, into
my heart.
A scream, struggle, would but make
sure my fate.
| What was to be done?
"Vict,r," said, with cunning match
ing his own, let us not die but live. In
death all is uncertainty; in life we have
each other and love -
He glanced with keen suspicion into
my face.
"And you love me?' he questioned.
How dare you, then. give your
kisses to that other-the kisses which
belonged to me? Listen We have no
time to spare. Already they are or my
track. Tonight [ saw them, but their
eyes failed to find me. They call me
mad, yet l outwit them. Nor do find
it such y difficult task. Yet, if once
they seize me they will bear me back
to the place from which l have fed
but not alive-oh, not alive See, Ell
sic +" throwing back his coat, and dis.
closing the long, narrow, cleaning blade
heart, then mine! You grow pale you
tremble. 1t will soon be over, A mo-
ments pang; eternal happiness"
His arm is thrown tight around me.
am powerless even to struggle in
his iron clasp. His words fall kissing,
one by one, on the still air. Darkness
is gathering around me-the darkness
of despair.
The little clock upon the mantel
chimes eleven, and l remember, with a
thrill of horror, it is the last time shall
ever hear it strike, when outside sounds
a CHEEKY whistle, and step l recog.
nize as my husbands upon the pave
ment.
It's firm, manly tread is unmistakable.