Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-05-14

doors being locked" / remarked
20 Raven. In case of accident It
would toe impossible to escape
from The carnage"
1T doesn't matter" he sail, aud
thea relapsed into silence.
For about twenty minutes he
remained opposite TO me, some
times with his eyes closed, some.
times with them fixed upon me in
the most unpleasant manner All
my endeavors TO draw him into
conversation failed, and after a
time | gave them up and also re-
lapsed into silence.
Suddenly he rose from his seat
and drew from the inside oil his
overcoat long and pointed knife,
which flashed omniously ia the
lamplight.
Jack Lawson, we must both Of
US die Tonight" said he calmly
and deliberately, without any ex-
element OF manner. II feel that
the time has come for both of US
TO quit this vale of tears"
Yes; l quite agree with you,
Tom Raven | replied-seeing
what had happened-in as calm a
voice as his own. II have long
thought that life was becoming
very undesirable; and. to leave it
in your company, with you, my
Oldest and warmest friend, would
be the most agreeable thing to me
that could happen. But-you are
not married, Tom @'
THANK Heaven, mol"
"Remembe,r ri am married; and
had you given me notice of this
wish of yours before starting, |
would have made arrangements
and have spoken to my wife to
prepare her. Have you made
yo~r will, Tom ?"
mo, | have not
GOOD Heaven, man, not made
your will! Tom, it is absolutely
necessary for both .of US to make
our wills before we die. [ have
not made mine, and should not
like to leave the world with the
chance of my wife and child hav-
ing to go to the workhouse or be
chargesble on the parish after my
death. You would wish to leave
your money to some one in par
ticular-is it not so?'
"Of course / should like to leave
my money properly-of- course
yes! | never thought of making
my WILL
"You must also remember, Tom,
that it would never do TO die de-
liberately, in the way we both de-
sire to die, without leaving to the
world oar reason for the act. You
would not wish your name to be
byword and the cause of derision
to any one, | am sure; and l am
certain l don't wish my own to be
SO. Therefore we must both draw
up our reasons for dying"
"Do you know, Jack, | never
thought of that ?'
"Well, then, first put your knife
down on the cushion there, and
then we will set to work. I've
plenty of paper in my bag and
plenty of lead in my pencel, and
we've he whole night before u.s."
A tremble of my hand, a culver
of my voice would have been ia
tai. / opened the bag and drew
forth the writing paper. The
knife was on the cushion at my
side.
"Now, Tom, let US first state our
reasons to the world for wishing
to die tonight by our own hands.
If you will dictate to me your
reasons, | will write them down,
and then we will revise and cor
rect them After that, | will die
tate my own to you and shall
write them. We shall be able to
do our work well and quickly"
"Quite right, Jack; we ought to
give them our reasons. How odd
that / never thought of that! Let
me see, if [ Kill you first, / might
write them out afterwards.
"Ah, but who will write out
mine? Don't be selfish, there's
good chap"
ITO be sure! Well are you
ready %
He began debating long and
flowery sentences. Now and again
| interrupted his flow of language
to gain time. This kept him
thoroughly occupied and interest
ed, while the train sped on al ex-
press rate. He had nearly finish
ed his 'ong, ramb e dicta;ion,
when 10 my inexpressible delight
l felt the speed of The train grad
ually slackening. l knew that
my chance of deliverance was
near.
Read over for yourself what l
have written l said to him
IlHhn "a rriann . VARY cInsn- q liifIn