The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-29

as ever heard anything in my life, woman
voice outside the window crying in a wallng
tone: 80, Jack, jack"
''She will be blown over the clfl7 cried.
''What can she be doing thereF and l rose to
open the door
My companion did not answer word
glanced at him and saw that his face, lips and
all had paled to a CHASTITY wilderness. His eyes
were fixed upon the window with an expression
of such deadly fear as hope may never see
again.
1t was useless to expect help from him, so
mentally setting him down as an arrant coward,
l ran to the house door and opened it, intending
to let in the wayfarer whose voice | had heard.
AS l raised the latch the wind rushed in with
impetous violence and nearly tore the door from
my hand. A cold dash of mingled spray and
rain met me full in the face.
Come in, whoever you are | cried, impa-
tiently, II can't hold the door open all night.
There was no answer l stepped outside and
looked round. 1t was full moon that night and
though the clouds were thick, there was gllm-
mer of light sufficient to see any object within
few yards distance There was phosphorescent
lustre on the sea that cleaned brightly now and
then as the waves broke on the rocks, and a
frightened sea bird almost brushed my face as it
flew past. But of the woman expected to see
there was no trace whatever
Puzzled and irritated, / walked round the
house to see where she could have gone At the
back of the building there was a broad, open
field, without any trees or shrubs that could
serve as a hiding-place. 1t seemed impossible
that any one could have crossed it and got out of
sight during the few moments that had elapsed
since / heard the cry nevertheless, such had
evidently been the case, for there was no one
there.
went in again and closed the door, deter
mined to think twice before went to the trouble
of opening it again, whoever might demand ad-
mittance. My companion was sitting just as L
left him. with the same look on his face. | spoke
to him twice, but received no answer Fearing
he might be in a fit l went over to HIM and
raised his arm. 1t felt stiff and unnatural.
went to the table for some water, intending to
dash it in his face and rouse him if possible.
Hardly had l made a step forward when the
same voice l had heard before sounded once
more from without This time there was no mis-
taking the intense agony of the tone had
never heard ANYTHING in the least like it, and it
rooted me to the spot where stood. The words
it spoke were: Come, come, GOMEZ three times
repeated.
TO my great surprise, the man I had believed
in dangerous fit rose and moved toward the
door. l can scarcely describe the way in which
he walked. 1t was as though his whole nature
was striving to prevent the action and yet some
stronger power compelled him to advance 1
saw him raise the latch of the outer door and
then | followed him to see what would ensue
I never even thought of speaking to him.
could feel that were L to do so he would not
hear.
The storm had reached its height as we left
the house. The spray was driving in clouds
across the little patch of grass and now and
then piece of white foam, blown up from the
seething cauldron below, would fly past us into
the darkness beyond. The man made but one
step. from the doorway and stood still, with his
eyes fixed on the sea- He seemed entirely insen-
sible to the war of the elements and to the dash
of the rain in his face. Something beyond out
ward sensations had absorbed all his faculties
for the time being. We stood thus moment
and then coming now from the ocean itself or
the air above it, sounded those words again,
Come come, GOMEZ My companion made an
other step or two straight EDWARDS.
Are you mad" l cried, as sprang forward
and caught him in my arms. Zone pace more
and you will be over the cliff! Where are you
going}T
He needed me no more than if had been my
self a phantom of the tempest instead of being
of flesh and blood l felt that | had no power to
restrain him, so l shifted my hold and caught
him round the knees We fell together on the
ground at the very verge of the precipice.
Then began terrible struggle. He fought
with the strength of mailman; /, with the des
peration of man who contends for his life. The
storm howled about Us, and the whole air seemed
full of hooking voices, shreks and laughter
Slowly but surely he was dragging me TO the
edge | would gladly have released him now to
save myself, but he would not loose his hold
Soon felt that he had got himself half over the
cliff, and / knew that l was too exhausted to
hold on much longer. Nearer and nearer l came
]
to the fatal spot gave myseif up Tor l0st' ana
tIled my pest 10 frame PRAYER AV Ieas''
thought' II uie' IL Is IN goou cause
Suddenly a strong hand caught me by the col
lar and drew me violently back. The wretched
man lost his clutch of me and fell A long
snrlh scream came up from oeIoW anu nllnsleu
WIN the eAulting snflek Oh tne VIM it!; -,
was ootne lilo sne mousse an! ialo oil d cotlcn
am hoI given 10 IallltlnS, p9t II was some mo
IentS oeiore my nerves eo1.I rec3ver VIC shoch
they hau reserved AZ Iellstn iooAeu aoouC me
ana saw my sergea1t, inc lahq9 or anu announcer
lIT 9rTsse9 man. whose lace ulu not SHOW
w en- me sergeant was S%ayins W CLie latVeI
your wosK seems 70 haTe peen Vah is out vi
your hahuS Tonight we were "niy J"S' III
tll n .,, - A.. ..-
Ohly JUST III Vllhe' lnoeeu was the answer r
Now SIR l see YOU are yourse en- again ana and,
must asA you 70 lell me now INC 9cene cI.lle
aoouI tilC we were 95iousii W
ILL., am Polioo olncer lioin no" eVte9"
AS well as l could, told him all that had oc-
Cured He heard me to the end quietly and