The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-04-08

| was too provoked with him to argue,
but walked on, then sat down in the
gloom on an overturned wheelbarrow
and waited.
Some one passed me few minutes
later. lie was in the full light of the
moon, and | recognized the same shabby
figure l had seen twice before-a Young
broad-shouldered, slouching rough. He
seemed to disappear suddenly behind
one OF the trees as a footStep approached
and MacLeish's voice was heard singing
a waltz tune. | caught a glimpse of his
Glengarry and plaid as he crossed a
streak of moonlight, and the next mo-
ment heard sudden exclamation. There
came scuffle-blows- before
could reach them a heavy fall-a groan.
MacLeish was on his knees struggling
to rise, held down in the grasp of fallen
man. He shook him off as | got up, and
staggered to tree, against which he
leant painting and breathless.
g He tried to garotte me, and when
managed to twist out of his hands, dealt
me a heavy blow on the head. only
struck him once, in self-defence. Is he
damaged?"
l turned the fallen man over on his
back. He lay still. L dragged him to
moonlight.
"MacLeish! He's dead"
But MacLeish had dropped on his
knees beside him and was gazing into
the dead face with as face as CHASTITY.
Fergus! Fergus MacLeish! Have we
met? AT lastr'
He rose, perfectly panic-stricken. 1t
was his cousin, he was assured, and in
deed the likeness would have convinced
me of the fact, without the additional
evidence of the marked eyelid.
MacLeish was distraught with terror.
1t was murder he had done; he should
die felon's death. Nothing could say
would reassure him.
Leave him here. Who's to know
anything about him?'' | said at last
Society is well rid of him. What on
earth are you going to do now?"
He had seized one of the pickaxes left
by the laborers, and was digging in
fierce haste under the Last elm tree.
"His grave was to be here" he said.
HE came to show me the spot"
| suppose it was a mad thing to do,
but seeing him resolved, l turned to with
the spade and helped him. The earth
being newly laid, was light and easily
moved, and we soon made trench deep
enough for grave. Then we laid the
body gently down, and shoveled the
earth in with feverish haste. The broad
staring moon showed every pebble on
the pathway, every stray leaf on the
earth. We removed all traces of the
struggle, replaced the tools. and hurried
home in utter silence.
MacLeish held out his hand without
speaking, as he stopped at his own door.
| took it without hesitation. l am glad
to remember that. He fixed his wild
woeful eyes on me for moment and
then hurried away. | was too excited
and horror-stricken to think, and l lay
down, dreading the hours that had to
pass before the morning. Strange to
say, l slept quietly and dreamlessly far
into the next day, and when | awoke |
could not realize the tragedy in which 1
had taken part.
'Ive dreamed it ALL" kept saying
to myself; and dream is soon forgotten.
I'll 90 and have swim and then see if
the Pryse-Davies girls are out on the
Parade. 1t must be all a nightmare.
Still, persuade myself as | might there
were two things L could not do; pass
down the avenue, or face MacLeish.
Where was he, / asked his servant.
Gone to the ranges. Iwould go and meet
the party returning. 1t would be best
to get the first meeting over in public.
| walked quietly along the pretty coun-
try lane, listening for the well-known
crack of the rifles. All was silent Then
at turn of the road, came suddenly
upon dozen figures or so walking slowly
and silently. Four of them bore hur-
die, on which lay something with an Off
GERS cloak thrown over it,
"What is it?'' l asked; though l knew
beforehand what the very words of the
reply were going to be somehow.
poor MacLeish! He was in the butts,
and came out to look at the target; they
had ceased firing at it. We were shoot
ing at long range, and some one-I don't
know who-fred at the wrong target.
Shot through the heart-he dropped
without cry-stone dead"
l left Cinqhaven that night, and will
never set foot there again as long as l
live The Argosy.