Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-04-18

he needed me no more than II had
been myself q phantom of the tempest
instead of being of flesh and blood. j
felt that had no power to restrain him,
so shifted my hold and caught him
round the knees We fell together on
the ground at the very verge Of the
precipice.
Then began o terrible struggle. He
fought with the strength of mailman,
with the desperation of q man who
contends for his life. The storm howled
about US, and the whole air seemed full
OF mocking voices, shrioks and laugh
ter. Slowly but surely he was dragging
me to the edge. l would gladly have
Leased him now TO save myself, but h =
would not loose his hold. Soon | felt
that he had got himself half over the
cliff. and knew that was too ex-
hausted 10 hold on much longer. Near
er and nearer / came to the fatal spot.
| gave myself up for lost, and tried my
best to frame a prayer. At least,
thought, IL die, IL is in a good cause.
Suddenly strong hand caught me
by the collar and drew me violently
back. The wrctched man lost his clutch
OF me and fell. A long shrek came up
from below and mingled with the exult-
ing shrek of the wind.
was borne into the house and laid
on couch. / am not given to faint
ing, but it was some moments before
my nerves could recover the shock they
had received. At length looked about
me and saw my Sergeant, the landlord
and another well-dressed man whose
face did not know.
well. SIR" the Sergeant was saying
To the latter, ''yOur work seems TO have
been taken out of your hands tonight.
We were only just in timer'
"Only just in time. indeed!" was the
answer. ''NOw. sir, see you are YOUR
self again; and / must ask you TO tell
me how the scene came about that we
were fortunate enough to interfere in.
/ am a police officer from Bow street."
AS well rs could, told him all that
had occurred. He heard me to the end
quietly, and the Sergeant, meanwhile,
at the earnest request of the landlord,
translated the story into Welsh as 1
went on. When / had finished the de-
tective shook his head.
see / must make up the best tale
j can for my superiors," he said. mo
oflense TO you. sir; but they wouldn't
believe n word of what you have just
been telling me. 1 can't say Just what
think about it myself; l never heard
of such n case before. Why, he must
have gone quite mad! 1 knew he was
very fond of the woman, and | thought
something of the kind was likely; but
what you told me YOU heard is beyond
me, confess. Had you known any
thing of the murder sir?"
mo-" said 1; "surely you don't
mean To tel me that that man was q
murderer"
He was, indeed. sir, and came
here tonight to arrest him. He had
evaded US all for the last week; but
yesterday got a clew rs TO where he
had gone. aud followed him down. I
got your Sergeant here 10 act inter-
prefer for me with the landlord. when
i met them both in the village, and
from what he said / knew that his
quiet gentlemen who collected bits of
rock was the man / was after; so
came on here at once, and you know
the rest. 1t was lucky for you that we
did not enter the house by the back
way. Five minutes more would have
done for you, sir!'
They would. indeed" / answered,
shuddering little at the recollection.
"But who, then, did he murder?'
Ellis own wife, sir; a woman from
all accounts as fond of him rs she
could b.. Some one have yet to find.
forged letter that made him
think she had ceased TO care for him.
l fancy ne was always subject to fits of
madness; anyhow, no one knows eX-
actly how it happened. but she was
found dead in her bed, with the marks
of fingers on her throat, ard he had
disappeared. taking with him all the
loose money he had in the house. He
had a good sum lying in the bank.
which he could have withdrawn at any
time by writing a check. and his not
having done so is n proof to me that he
had not premeditated the murder. !
daresay the temptation came to him all
on n sudden-it usually does, have OBJ
served. Anyhow, he is dead now, poor
gentleman, and may God have mercy
on his soulr'
amen" ! answered
That is the story o. my night of ad.
venture. | have often thought over
what appears the supernatural part of
it since, but without much effect. The
only theory l can frame to account for
it IS the somewhat lame one that the
Authorizations OF my mad companion
were so powerful that his mind had
succeeded in impressing them upon my
own, rs the mesmerizer can force an
idea upon his Tatient. / confess l am
not myself satisfied with such an ex-
plantations; but If any of my readers
have not better one ready they must
take it for the true one.-LOndon So
cicty.