The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-12-21


NJ. DIS name-were on hand at six
O'clock in the evening, the time APP
pointed, and found everything ready
The supper was spread in the second
story back, looking out on the Dead
Swamp, with its splatter docks and
weeds waving like gibbering ghosts, and
the red moon rising, making the muddy
pools look like blood. 1t was wild
kind of night, with the wind making a
hum about the old ramshackle place,
until it seemed as if the grimy black
bottle in the sign would come down and
smash all to bits.
"Old Xeke was very pleasant during
supper, and got off a good many jokes, if
you call his croakings Jokes. He took
them both to the window and showed
them the red and black mud directly I'M
derneath, for the second story was built
ont several feet over the first, and told
them of the quicksilver, and how it
drags one down, down by inches until
all is over. Bessie's face turned pale as
he went on in this way, while the wind
continued to rise until it blew gale and
shrieked like a mailman. Zeke kept
opening bottles of rare stuff that he had
in his cellar for ever so many years, and
always saw to it that the doctors glass
was full, although poor frightened Bes
sic, knowing that it was getting late, and
that the gale was becoming hurricane,
implored Mr.. Crawford to come home.
"'The Black Bottle was half mile
away from tho nearest house, nearly a
mile from the little cottage to which
the doctor had driven her the night be-
fore after the merrymakiDg. But when
were young bridegrooms, flushed with
generous wine, their handsome wife at
their side, ever wise? This one wasn't
at any rate.
90 Yes, SIR said Zeke, going on with
a yarn about tin-peddler that had
been caught in a swamp and suftocated,
there's the place-over there
WhereY hiccoughed the doctor,
steadying himself by his chair, and
lurching toward the window.
GO Why, there--don't you see itY
shouted Zeke, for he had to below to
beat the wind
"The doctor leaned way out to
see. As he did so Bessie uttered
shrek of alarm and started toward him.
Zeke thrust her back, and, stopping
down, seized her husband about the legs
and hurled him out into the night and
the storm. There was a sickening
plunge, and then all was quiet, except
the roar and whistle Of the wind
"' What have you doneY shrieked
Bessie, springing at the old fiend like q
tiger-cat, and clutching him by the
throat
90 Gently, gently he said, disengag-
ing himself and Selling her in turn,
we shall see.'
He picked up lantern with one hand
and dragged Bessie to the window with
the other. The light streamed down
and rested on the pale face and agoniz-
ing eyes of the poor wretch, who had
turned in his descent and struck with
his feet instead of his head, as Zeke had
intended The Shiny water was swirl
ing about his throat, and his arms all
dripping with ooze, were beating about
IN the sand and the mud for some sup
port. And onl Y eight or ten feet from
the abutment on Which the rear of the
tavern stood.
My husbandP shrieked Bessie.
Piled, and then turning to Zeke he ex-
claimed.
"'S Save me! save me! you would not
kill us bothF'
cold Philpin made no reply to this
save to taunt his victim by lifting Bees
sizes ripe lips to his and kissing them
with n brutal passion, the light from the
table in the rear making it ali visible.
The agony OF the doctor was something
terrible. He screamed for help, but the
wind made a plaything of his voice.
No one was abroad-there was no one to
miss them. The Brambles thought
their daughter safe in her husbands
arms in the pretty cottage they had
taken. Old Zeke knew all this and had
calculated for non-interruption when he
limited the supper party to three. The
negro cook either did not hear or was in
the plot. In the plot or not, she would
not have dared to cross her devilish
master.
" When he had finished lavishing his
hideous caresses upon the half fainting
girl, Zeke dragged her back again TO the
window and bound her securely in
chair, which was also fastened to
heavy chest of drawers. Then the Ian
tern was fixed to have its full glare upon
the ghost-like face, the white lips, the
bloodshot staring eyes below.
DO you see him, little one? whis-
pered Zeke. Isn't he handsome? Such
a nice husband? Throw kiss to him.
The girl recoiled in horror from
his touch, and implored the fiend to
saw the man she loved, dying by inches
in the noisome bog below.
He laughed, poured himself out an
other glass of liquor, and going to the
wiud1w drank Grayford's health and
his married happiness.
Then he kissed Bessie again, and
went out of the room, leaving her bound
Ill the chair, watching the marsh swal-
low up the one being she loved above all
Others on top of the earth. Little by
little he sank from sight, his last words
blessing her, the last glimpse of his eyes
blazing with affection.
"She tainted in the chair, and when
they found her it was dull-gra in the
morning, with the rain beating down on
the swamps and coming in at the win
dow. She was male and wet, and almost
dead. Her body had fallen over, and
the cord cut like knives into her pretty
arms. For months she was sick with
fever, and then for months again she
was out of her head; and it was then,
while she was raving and acting
the murder, that we got to know ali
about it--how it was done, how they
happened to be there, and all the rest"
Z" And ZekeP'
He never turned up. It's my belief,