Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-01-29
CHAPTER VI.
A DIABoLICAL FATE PLAYS INTO DIABoIL
CAL HANDS.

A HANDS.
"No, he must not come to dinner said
Needham to himself on Saturday morning:
mo, that might compromise the situation.
Support If the house sat on Saturday
night, yes; but hardly without; the ser
wants must not see him"
Needham was in his bedroom. He had
had a 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" he
went on, sometimes uttering his thoughts
In a whisper, sometimes pausing to bite
them, as it were, into his mind and pur-
pose, as the modern engraver bites his lines
into the zinc with a burning acid; "a
wi1ower and unhappy, no future, no pub
lie life, no lost reputation to rehabilitate,
no father or mother alive, a sister who i
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 ~lreland-can my life,
under the circumstances, be anything t.
them3 No. Whatever happens, l 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, l shall be a murderer
alive, safe, with money, free from debt
but with the blacklist Of all crimes to tor
the rest of my iniquities."
He sat now, cross-legged, on a chair Cd
posits the looking glass on his toilet table.
sat and looked at his pale face, his bloodshoI
eyes, bis compressed lips, with now and Their
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 tt
the finish, a new road opens up to you, 0
new way to helll You would confess and
hope, would you? When there was no hope
only then-when the gulf was at youl
feet. when the pit were there AMI the devil
with his hand upon your throat to hurl you
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 a pair of razors that were lying before
him, made a hooking reflection upon the
wall. He got up from the chair and
watched it.
Better cut my throat and save my SOUL
Is that the suggestionf' he said. mo. It
is murder, either way. If kill myself it's
0oTrdar. IL I bill hipa ~ i, r,,,r1o, nno
sin is as black as the other. But the hint is
worth taking in another direction. l will
carry you in my pocket, a friend in need"
He placed one of the razors in its case,
and taking up his frock coat (which was
laid ready brushed with his other clothes
near the table) put it into his breast pocket,
''The poison might not work." he said. %
must make no mistake. The same initials,
tool. II, 1t would be like flying in the
face Of proy-no, the devil-to refuse such
an opportunity. J. N. is on my linen, J.
N. on his. j. N. on his trunks"
He was interrupted by a knock at the
door.
eyes"
"Mr. Nolan, sir" said the servant.
SIS it SO lateF Needham remarked, look
ing at his watch before IL wering his ser.
want.
ASK him to wait"
Eyes, sir; and a letter by hand, sir"
"Oh, leave it on the table,"
Eyes, sir.n
mo, bring it ill.,"
Eyes, sir"
The servant entered and gave him the
letter.
"Mr. Nolan will breakfast"
Eyes, sill"
He opened the letter and looked at the
signature.
Joseph NorburYp' he exclaimed.
Then he went in "a stealthy way to the
door and locked it.
"Dear Mr.. Needham," he read, please &C.
cept my best thanks for the two letters Of
introduction. livery much appreciate your
kindness. This morning l have a letter
from my lawyer in Derbyshire, stating that
he 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 dent know
perhaps it is-perhaps not. AT all events l
am equal to either fortune"
Then turning to the letter again he read,
shut nv visitor leaves for Richmond at
nine or ten, and if in begging your in
diligence to excuse me from withdrawing
INV acceptance Of your kind invitation to
liz. NAV he allowed to come round to