The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-05
'PHE WISE WOMEN Of INVERNESS.
Aorof Of
kaat etc.


| in his solitary little room, wondering at what
hour of the following evening he would begin to
| melt the wax figure, and wondering where Alec
Jameson would be when first he should find
himself smitten with that strange sickness.
Compunction, remorse, hesitation he had none
II was all too anxious to strike Not only re-
venge for the past, but regard for his safety
| in the future goaded him on. And how
could anyone call it murder, when he but melted
| doll at fire, as any child might do; if there
were malefcent beings who would make that
the occasion for working mans bane, he
| knew them not But if these invisible pow
| ers befriended him now, as they had befriended
him in times past, surely he would be grateful
| to them though he might never know how to
call them by their name! The old woman, too,
he would establish friendly relations with her;
| it was better to be safe with every one all
round
| He reached home the following afternoon;
and he was unusually civil to his niece-but in a
| suspicious, watchful way--when that he CHANGED
| to meet her about the house Again, they
| sat down to supper in the evening he said, with
an appearance of good humour-
''Well, now if you have any sense, lass, yell
change your mind about leaving Fasslie.'
And indeed, uncle" she sad ''its wish
of mine that l should leave Fasslie-at least not
| the now; and if have to 60 it will be with no
great gladness."
s'But who can make ye 60 il we dinna want to
| got! he said eagerly. "Think OF, lass. Think
o. the chances o. life. and you going out to face
them by yourself, yes, by yourself for what
better is a sailors wife than left widow woman
when he's away at seat Ay, and the chances o
storms and shipwrecks think O that; and you
living by yourself and waiting and waiting
| That's a terrible life for a young lass to
lead. Here we've comfortable home, where
| your fathers name is weel kenned in the
| countryside; and there's friends for ye in time
| o trouble; and We can see that everything
| that's done to better the house or the build
| lngs or the farm, that's a being done for what
| is your own-or for what will be your own
when / am taken. It's sad thing to see q
| young lass beguilcd and led away from her own
| folk; where she has everything and no trouble;
and to see her going out to face the world by
| her or hers, and will swindle her, or msca her.
or cheat her whenever they get the chance. It's
a sad sad thing to see; and L never thought it
| would be you, Allie, lass"
| He bad never spoken like this to her before.
| Ordinarily he was querulous, dissatisfied, COM
/ planning in his manner towards her; and often
| times downright ill-tempered, dictatorial and
| brutal And for second or two this plausible
reasoning and this apparent friendliness of his
/ tone rather bewldered her, but presently she
| said:
ats too late TO think O that, uncle. have
| given my word to Alec Jameson, and l am not
| going to take it back"
tits never to late to mend an error" said he
and he was watching her with eager
ness. is if he expected to see some sign of yield
| ing in her face.
land as for being sailors wife, she continued,
| II suppose everyone has some trouble. Besides,
| it will not be so bad when Alec is made captain,
and then can go a voyage with him from time
| to time"
"And who is going to make him captain he
| said, scornfully.
'"fhey would make him that now,n she ans
wered, simply, 'if only he had money to bny q
| fifth share in the Princess Mary"
Instsntly his face changed, and there was q
savage CLEAN from under the bushy eyebrows.
-'Ay ay, there again-its money he's after,
as we'll l kenned." he said, between his teeth.
.'Money to buy fifth share in the Princess Mary
| Well, well, what's going to be will bel"
Apparently he was trying to conceal his anger.
| He remained silent for some little while, busyng
himself with his supper. Then he said in quite
| Allie, lass, do you think they could light q
| fire for me in the sateroomg'-for so he had
| chosen to designate the room in which he had
| placed the iron chest.
oh yes, said she, cts many day since there
was fire in that room, but dare say the chin
| ney will draw we'll enough
LAS soon as we've finished then, just bid the
lasses light fire there said he ''ay, and good
blazing FIRE. for l have papers and things to
burn"
Very well, uncle" she said, and, as she had
just then finished supper. she went away to do
| as she was bid
1t did not occur to him unnecessarily and
wantonly cruel to ask young girl to go and get
| ready fire for the slow burning of her lovers
ef6gy; his thoughts were elsewhere; he was try
! ing to guess where Alec Jameson might be at
| this moment, now that this fell disease was
about TO strike at his vitals In public house,
making merryi Or on board the Princess Mary
| wondering when he was to become captain9 Or
! perhaps deciding as TO which of the lawyers he
! would go to on the following daya Anyhow, for
! him, ana his mischief making, and his insOent
designs there had come an end
| Ii was Alison herself who came to announce
that the fire was lit and burning we'll He went
away and got pair of iron pincers; then he
sought out the little chamber and shut himself
in, locking the door behind him. Outside the
world was growing white with the moonlight
4 the sea was distinctly visible, and the far and
dusky line of coast under the clear, still heavens
and SO, for some reason or another, he went to
] the window. and closed the shutters, and barred
them. Then he lit the solitary candle that was
standing on the mantel- shelf: after hard strug
gle, he managed to open the big iron chest: he
took therefrom the little box he had deposited
there for safety III the afternoon; and presently
the wax effigy was in the firm grip of the pincers.
He went to tho fire. The flames were burning
merrily now. And then, after moments hest
/ tation, he thrust the in front of the hot red
| glow.
| All this he had done as one in dream II
was not OF these mechanical appliances he was
thinking; it was of the effect of this incarnation
as it would now be happening many mile
away. HAD the pain begunl Or was it only a
feverish heat he Felt as yet, and ascknessl And
were the malefcent spirits at woodworking
over the house where jameson was, and chuck
| ling, maybe and laughing their devilish
/ tradei Did the old woman know what was GO
ing ONT Perhaps she could belpl He had left
her in a friendly mood she had everything to
hope for; thwarting him would not serve her
| turn; aiding him would be to her own advantage.
! And Alison would still remain at Fasslie; and
! the money. and bonds, and railway shares would
| be untouched and his own: and no longer would