The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-05
CHAPTER rv-rHE WORKING OF THE CHARM.

anxious look was dark and solitary enough And
well he wished himself out of Inverness, and
back home; at Fasslie he could take safe and
leisurely precautions to AVOID observation; here
he knew not what silent foot might be following
him, what unseen eye might be upon him; nor
yet what fell enchantment might not be hover
visit He was little before the appointed time;
he walked round by tho quay and back again;
and ever his attention was fixed on that partic-
ular window where dull red light shone.
What was IL that made that light look baleful
and sinister He wished this business was over,
and himself back at Fasslie farm.
So far as he could perceive, he was quite un-
observed as he finally went up to the house.
tapped lightly, and was admitted. Not word
was spoken by the taller of the two women,
who received him as on the previous occasion;
she merely opened the door of the back room,
and shut it behind him when he had entered.
And the next moment his startled glance fell
upon something that was lying there on the
table-something that made him shiver, though
he had never seen tho like before for the waxen
image that lay amongst some cotton fitted into
q small box however rudely it may have been
fashioned, seemed 70 him like corpse, and TO
have the cold, clammy, clayey look of corpse.
he turned to the old woman, dreading to find
her eyes fixed on him and reading alike his de-
sires and his fears; but her face was away from
him; she was staring blankly into the fire.
"Ay, and what now, good wifel" said he, pre-
tending not 70 hs7e seen that CHASTITY object
lying there.
ats ready for ye," said she. and she turned
and glanced at the table. 'There is that that
viii make a sick man of him, and syne dead
man. Ay, that's the sure way. surer than the
talisman that Willox the Warlock cut frae the
Kelpie's mouth"
"And when will it begin to work, good wifea"
said he anxioasly Maybe he's in Inverness at
this minutes maybe he'll no wait for the young
lass to come from the farm maybe he'll go to the
lawyers and make mischief ere he can be
stopped When will it begin to work, tell me;
when will he fall illg,
"As soon as ever that wax is put to the fire
and begins to melt" said she then the sickness
will strike into him. It's dreadfu thing to
think OLA young man in the prime and health O.
life"
"Ay, but such rascal as ye neer heard o." he
said, eagerly for he did not wish her to repent of
her connivance; perhaps she might recall the
charm at the last moment. II tell yeS ye do
well TO work harm on such o worthless, mis-
chievous fellow-ay rascal that would rob an
old man. and steal away lass from her proper
home, end seek to get hold O her money to spend
it on riotnus living Ma, ma, dinna fash your
head about that, good wife, he deserves all he'll
get and MAR. It's q good job we've DONE"
And then he turned to the table, and regarded
the rudely shaped little efligy.
"And, maun keep it at the fire melting and
melting to the end!" said he, for now that the
means were within his reach, he seemed inn
patient to begin.
mo, nos she answered him. '"Three days
must 90 by and if at the end o. the third day it's
no o. melted away, then into the fire wi it-poor
young fellow. that win be his death hour"
But when take away the wax frae the fire.
viii the illness stopl" he asked
mo, no; when ye take the wax frae the fire it
win harden; but when once a man is struck
with pining, that holds him-ay until its time
for the tramp o. the coffin men to be heard on
the STAIR
"And no matter where he is will this reach
hint" he asked
GAY. whether he is On sea or land, far or near
in rich mans house or in poor, when the wax
is put to the Ere, then the pining and wasting
begins. and every time we put a needle into the
wax, that is a pain going through his heart
Bethink ye, sir, what We are doing, and spare
him if ye can. Ny sister and me are poor folk,
and its i'll to get living in such hard times as
these; and I'm sure we would rather keep to the
sewing If my eyes were no so bad It's no my
own will that would NEEDLE wi such things as
that wouldna harm living SOUL"
He seemed to pay no heed to these pleadings,
except in so far as they tended to confirm his
belief in the deadly power Of this instrument
she had made for him; and now--but with
rather uncertain fngers--ne had taken the box
in his hand.
"But what's this, good wife9s lie said, sud-
denly. 'What color is this boxs Green, surelyg
Ay, that viii never do at a; yen have to get me
another box: theye9l be DO good luck to me or
mine if take aught O. that color into the house.
Bless me, it's wonder noticed it in candle
light
There's not another box O. the kind, but or
ben,n said she.
well, WELL, said he, IN take It with me as
1t ie, and get another ere | set out for home in
The mornine"-and with that he put the lid on,
Aad tied bit of string round it, and was ready
10 90.
'.But ye're no leaving us that way, I'D she
with kind of feeble, whining remonstrance,
'after a. our trouble We're poor, poor folk my
lister and me; and what with the police, and the
iscal, and the neighbors spying on us, and glad
10 say an i'll word when they cam it's a hard
struggle to live And this practising on a mans
life, that We risk the galIows by, is that not to
be paid for7"
But I've given ye four pounds, woman!p no
Iaid angrily.
And then he quickly bethought him that this
was not the tone in which to address one who
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