Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-22
CHAPTER VII
N WHICH A SILENT PASSENGER Is DRIVEN
INTO THE Darkness

N WHICH SILENT PASSENGER Is DRIVEN
INTO THE DARKNESS
Oddly enough, a 9:3J. jus a Mr. Joseph
Norbury waiki1g 40 - the door oil Mr.
Needoam's house, tae doot wa, o en-, and
the owner himssit was ia ;lny off mis- coat
IN tine hail.
"Ahi' he said, this is lucky. | lie t
word II YOU came in my absence that there
was c3ffee, ami cigars. and vine and sod,
an brandy, in the !ibra-y, AMI tat
hoped you would make yourself at homo
tel sure / should be back in TIM, there
or thereaoouta have been walking asf
as the Bath MOTEL with an old friend from
Dublin who is so eccentric thai as will
never trust himself in a cab or carriage in
Loniol, and had just let myself in with
my latch key-bachslor fashion. Como in;
| am very glad to ses you"
He shook Norbury's hand warmly and
then, speaking as if addressing servant
wnom he professad to hear approaching, he
sad, 1T Is only l, Rogers, AMI Mr.. Nor
bury; We can fini our way to the library,
and don let US be ds5urDsl"
The truth was he and Norbury were alone
in the hou'e.
live very simply" he said, leading ths
way to the library; IAN old bachelor, AMI I
dislike giving trouble"
Il hope your servants appreciate your
consid ration sal Nor bury.
'Oh, yes, think they do" he answer 3D.
"Now sit in this chair; pay believe l am
sorry not to have hal the pleasure Of your
company at dinner. Asyou could not come.
simply hal chop, and cleared up little
business with my secretary. hope you
VIII like these cigars
"Inank you" sail the guest, taxing a
Hoh n FRO, hi
toward him You are very kin /. The
disappointment is nine NV lawyer is an
old frienl, anl l could not well, on the eve
OF leaving the country, obs,ruct his ar
fragments seeiug that they were chiefly
In my interest"
viii you take coffeei I have it hers
you see. No trouble"
He pointed to silver coffe, urn, under
"hich was curling thin blue flame
My butler had just placed it ready as
We came in-a little cafe noir"
Thank you,' said Nor bury.
lne host assisted his guest and himself To
coffee. but Nsedham took no brandy.
'Ani hat is your hotsl in New York;
The New York. it is caleb"
"4ou nave written them advising them
OF your coming, of coursei'
Always so much pleasantsr to be ex.
2ectel, said Needuam. IL have written
he letters l mentioned; think they will
be OF service to you. You spole of your
sister last evening; is she likely to join
youf'
"On. no, | do not expect to stay long:
moreover, she is engaged to be married.
and | am rather selfish fellow, l fear
She has been my house Keeper ever since tho
death OF my wife, and l hate parting with
her"
Just as coniurer forces a card upon
you, so Naedh9m by example seemed to
force the cafe NOR on Norburv by himself
drinking in somewhat ostenta5ious way.
Then h. led his guest into talking OF his
Illness, and the reasons why his doctor ad-
vised change, profe sing TO sympathize
with him, and at the same time telling hi m
OF the sudden death OF friend who hal
developed simiiar symptoms. Norbury was
thus brought into a frame OF mind that
might possibly prepare him to experience
without surprise sudden symp, ON Of
illness
AS for DEATH he said there was a
time when hal a horror o; it. but all that
passed. away whel lost nv vie Lam no
longer afraid of death-l have often wished
far 1t. Don't you think our educatioa upon
this matter is att yether wrong!
In respect to the pr ,paration for deathf'
aslIe! Neeiham in reply. weighing his
words and pressing Lis feet upon the floor
as if to'stea ~ his nerves.
YES. Many OF the Oriental races havs
no fear of death. The Chinese regard it az
nothing: the japanese will commit the
happy dispatch smilingly. A Chinaman
doomed to the headsman finds a substitute
on pam ent OF sum of money 20 his fam
ilv. Death being the only certain thing in
life, the penalty of lie, we ought to accent
il as matter of course AMI rot make a
horror of it. Children should be brought
up with these views"
'Indeel l think you are right said
Neei ham: but / have never reflected
much upon death, and l can hardly realizs
the cond tioa OF a man who could voiun-
tarily take the place Of a condemned Grim.
inaL"
Some poor devil whose life was a fail
ure. and who really loved bis family and
saw in his death their release from poverty
and persecution, and particularly an Orien-
tai-coult You not realIzs the idea OF a
man counting death under such condi.
tionsiH
On, yes, think could said Neeiham.
OUT could Letter understand his fightiny
to the last and thsn committing suicide
Thee am not with you Suicide is a
towards act. We are here for veal or woe
to run our course-
But would not your Orienta, friend who
gives himself up as substitute for anothsr
be practically guilty # his own deathl"
All, to discuss that replied Norbury.
""ouli be 10 chop logic after the manner
OF the grave dig gers in Hamlet.s After all
Mr.. Needham, tue one great thing Is to be
prepared. As Hamlet himself said on his
way TO that fatal fencing bout, The reaIi-
iress is all
As he spoke Norbury sank slowly back in
his chair
Dear, dear!" exclaimed Neeiham:
lyon are lila little brandy. the room ia
close thers is thunder in the air"
Taxing from the mantelshelf silver cup
(Which con aimed carefully m easurel and
deadly dose of oil of almoni@ he poured a
Little brantg into it shook it together, and
pressing the cup to the bps OF bis stup,fiei
guest forced the contents down his throat
And then. one hani clutching the back of
chair for support, he watched his victim:
waite ed HIN vita staring ewes AMI half.
parted lips a1i with his guilty. heart
humping at his ribs. as if it would pound
its way through them; he pressed his left
hand over Ii as # to hol it back, while his
right hand drag ed the CHAIR as be fell
back pace Or Two contemplating the
dying man Then with sudden effort he
tore off his coat ami flung it over the terri
bly, upbraiding eyes or lis muir Tered guest
his done he stool again apars away
from the dread thing now half covered up
synf ha oh al md -