Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-19
CHAPTER vi.
A DIABoLIcAL FATE PLAYS INTO DIABoLI-
CAL HANDS

CHAPTER vi.
A DIABoLIcAL FATE PLAYS INTO D1ABoL1-
CAL HANDS.
'tNo, he must not come to dinner SAID
Needham to himself on SATURDAY. morning:
mo, that might compromiss the situation.
Support If the house sat on Saturday
night, yes; tut hardly without; the SER
wants mus. not see him"
Needham was in his bedroom He had
had cup of tea and dry toast sent up-a
very unusual thing with him. He was
walking softly to and fro in his dressing
gown and slippers. There was something
tigerish in his walk, and some thing stealthy
catlike.
HE has no position to maintain" he
went on, sometimes uttering his thong hit,
IN whisper, sometimes pausing to bite
tnem, as it were, into his mind and DUR
pose, as the modern engraver bites his lines
into the zinc with a burning acid "a
wi1ower and unhappy, no FIGURE, no pub
lie ile no lost reputation to rehabiiitate,
no father or mother alive, sister who is
engaged to be married and he simply goes
to New York for change, the excuse being
pc sii lie wildfali OF property; fearless of
death, evidently, and possibly caring little
for life. Yesterday l cared for neither; to-
day, with this new possibility, long for it;
but let me be no hypocrite at this moment
The old people in lreland-can my life,
under the circumstances, be anything to
thems No. Whatever happens, shall to-
morrow be dead to them, dead to the
world; and if the devil at nv elbow. the
friend who has kept me awake all the
night have his will, l shall be murderer
alive, safe, with money, free from debt,
but with the blacklist Of all crimes to top
the rest of my iniquites."
He sat now, cross-legged, on a chair op-
posits the looking glass ON his toilet table:
sat and loolleI at his pale lace, his bloodsnot
eyes his compressed lips, with now and then
his left canine tooth showing.
There is no going back in crime" he
said, addressing himself you know there
is not When you think you have come to
the finish, a new road opens up to you, a
new way to hell You would confess and
hope, would youa When there was no hope
only then-when the gulf was at your
feet. when the pit were there AMI the devil
with his hand upon your throat to hurl on
in. But now he brings you a substitute
and you are ready to continue your wicked
march, even to wade in blood And there
are people who do not believe in the devilp'
The sun shone into the room, and darling
upon pair of razors that were lying before
him. made mocling reflection upon the
wall. He got up from the char and
watched it.
Better cut my throat and save my soul!
Is that the suggestionT he said No 1t
is murder, either way If kill myself it is
murder; If | .lIi him it is mur Ter One
sin is as black as the other But the hint is
worth taxing in another directio | will
carry you in my pocket friend in need"
He D aced one of the razors in Its case,
and takI"g up his frock coat (Which was
laid really brushed with his other clothes
near the taole) put it into his treaso pocket
''The poison might not work." he said 81
must max. no mista le The same initials,
too. \. Ii would De like fving in the
face of prov-lo, the devil-to reuse such
an opportunity j. N. is on my linen, J
n on his j. n. on ms trunks
He was interrupted by knock at the
door.
Yes"
"Mr Nolan, sir" said the servant
rs 1t SO lalep Needham remarked look
ing at his watch before ans wering MS ser
want
Ask him to wait"
Yes, sir; an letter by hand, SIR"
"Oh, leave 1t on the table"
"Yes, sir"
No bring it in"
Yes, ST."
The servant entered and gave him the
letter.
Mr. Nolan will breakfast"
Eyes, sir.
He opened the letter aud looked at the
signature.
Joseph Norburyr he exclaimed
Then he went in a stealthy way to the
door and locked it.
Dear Nj. Needham." he read, please &C
cept my best hanks for the two letters of
introduction. / very much appreciate your
kindness. This morning | have a letter
from my lawyer in Darby shire stating that
be will b. in town to-day at six He has
invited himself to dine with ma and talk
over business. 1his is unfortunate-"
Here Needham looked up from the letter.
and remarked 10 himself, Il don't know
perhaps it is-perhans not. A. all events I
am equal to either fortune
I Ell turning to the letter again hs read.
''bu NV visitor leaves for Richmond a.
nine O. ten. an If in begging your in
diligence to excuse me from withdrawing
my Acceptance OF YOUR KIN invitation Ia
dinner. may lie allowed to come raInd to
you and smoke a cigar after my friend has
left for Richmond, shall be very glad to
and advice in respect of my journey to
New YORK. Do not trouble to answer this
shall take my chances of fin ling you, and
as shall have nothing else to do it will not
inconvenience me at all If it should be in
convenient for you to remain at home
Yours very truly.
JOSEPH NoRBURY."
Providence or the devil has hand in
this" Needham exclaimed. 1T cannot be
+ providence Tor providence has written it
down hard and strong. and engraven it on
the moun ain stone Thou shalt do no muir
der. Satan thenl Or Fate. Or Destinya
Two lives hang in the balance. Fate, or
Destiny, or providence. or the devil know
it They claim the right to eject which is to
be the victim He is picked out from
millions and under marvellous circum-
stances, and brought to Lond on in the nick
OF time. The circumstances which will
attend his removal, mis- substitution for
another, are made to fit into the occasion.
Every detail of the affair is molied for
me. 1t is as if, like the patriarch OF old, 1
had found ram caught in the thickst,
ready to take the place OF this other sacri-
hce; or the dagger that pointed the way to
Duncan's chamber; or like the omen that
encouraged Tarquin. But what is to be the
endi Will not the unseen ministers claim
me and dam me at lasta There's the rub.
But sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.
will go on-Fate continuing propitious-
II Iswing for it"
X foSS. III