The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-06-03
FAILURE
By JOSEPH HATTON.
As;thor of "The Queer, Of Bohemia" "lhd
Three Recruits" Etc.
CHAPTER vi.
A DIABoLICAL FATE PLAYS INTO DIABoLr-
CAL HANDS.

4 DIABoL1CAL FATE PLAYS INTO DIABoL1-
CAL HANDS.
ssNo, he must not come to dinner. said
Needham to himself ON Saturday morning;
'tno, that might compromise the situation.
Suppsr2 If the house sat on Saturday
night, yes; but hardly without; the SER
wants must not seq 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 something stealthy,
catlike
'He has no position to maintain be
went on, sometimes uttering his thoughts
in a whisper, sometimes pausing to bite
them, as IL were, into his mind and pur-
pose, as tho modern engraver bites his lines
into the zinc with burning acid; "a
widowerSald unhappy, no future, no pub
Lie life, no lost reputation to rehabii tate,
no father or mother alive, sister who is
engaged to be married and he simply goes
to New York for change, the excuse being
a possible windfall Of property: fearless Of
death, evidently, and possibly caring little
for life. Yesterday cared for neither; to-
day, with this new possibility, I long for it.;
but let me be no hypocrite at this moment.
The old people in Eeland-can my life,
under the circumstances be anything to
them9 No. Whatever happens, shall to-
morrow be dead to them, dead to the
world; and If the devil at my elbow, the
friend who has kept me awake all the
night, have his will, shall be murderer
alive, safe, with money, free from debt,
but with the blackest of all crimes to top
the rest of my iniquities."
he sat now, cross-legged, on chair op-
posite the looking glass on his toilet table;
sat and looked at his pale face, his bloodahot
eyes, his compressed lips, with now and then
his left canine tooth showing.
'rThere is no going back in crime" he
said, addressing himself "You know there
is not When you think you have come to
the finish, new road opens up to you, o
new way to helll 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 and the devil
with his hand upon your throat to hurl you
in. But now be brings you 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 devilr'
The sun shone into the room, and darting
upon pair OF razors that were lying before
him, made mo cking reflection upon the
wall. He got up from the chair and
watched it
'Bctter cut my throat and save my soul!
Is that the suggestionp he said. mo. It
is murder, either way. If kill myself tits
murder; if kill him it is murder. One
sin is as black as the other But the hint is
worth taking in another direction. will
carry you in my pocket, friend in need"
He placed one of the razors in its case,
and taking up his frocR coat (Which was
laid ready brushed with his other clothes
near the tablet put it into his breast pocket.
''The poison might not work" he said. II
must make no mistake. The same initials,
too-J. N. 1t would be like flying in the
face of prov-no, the devil-to refuse such
an opportunity. J. N. is on my linen, j.
N. on his. j. N. on his trunks"
Ee was interrupted by a knock at tca
door.
eyes"
ssMr. Nolan, sir" said the servant
"Is it so lateT Needham remarked, look.
ing at his watch before ans wering his ser
want.
"Ask him to wait"
"Yes. sir; and letter by hapd, sir"
"Oh, leave it on the table"
Eyes, sir"
mo. bring it in"
Eyes, sir"
The servant entered and gave him tbs
letter. }.
'.Mr. Nolan will breakfast"
ssYes, SIR"
He opened the letter and looked at the
signature.
stJcseph Norbur7r' he exclaimed.
Then he went in stealthy way to the
door and locked 1t.
'cDsar Mr.. Needham," be read, please ac-
can't my best thanks for the two letters OF
intro iuction. livery much appreciate your
kindness. This morning I have letter
from my lawyer in Derby shire, stating that
be will be in town to-day at six. He has
invited himself to dine with me and talk
over business. This is unfortunate"
Here Needham looked up from the letter,
and remarked to himself, II don't know
perhaps it is-perhaps not. At all events S!
am equal to either fortune"
Then turning to the letter again he read.
.sbut my visitor leaves for Richmond 60
nine or ten, and il in begging your in>
dulgence to excuse me from withdrawing
NV acceptance of your kind invitation to
dinner, may be allowed to come round "a
you and smoke cigar after my friend has
left for Richmond, shall be very glad to
do so, and to receive your further letters
and advice in respect of my journey to
New York. Do not trouble to answer this
I shall take my chances of finding 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. ut cannot be
providence, for providence has written it
down hard and strong, and engraven it on
the mountain stone, Thou shalt do no muir
der Satan then! Or Fate? Or Destinys
Two lives han; in tbs balance. Fate, or
Destiny, or providence. or the devil know
it. They claim the right to elect which is to
be the victim. He is picked out from
millions, and under marvellous circum-