The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-12

but in moment laid Il down and passed
his hand over his eyes.
81 can't see," he said, "the words are
all dazzled. Read me something, won
your There, where her mark is.
lie pushed the book TO me across the
table. ] took it up. Ablue ribbon divided
the leaves; the book opened OF itself. /
read as directed, where verse marked in
pencil first caught my eye.
Let not your heart be troubled, mel
ther let II be afraid; We have heard how l
have said unto you, go away"
A mist passed before my eyes; | closed
the book. "My dear lad," said, '1'm
neither clerk nor parson; more's the pity,
II 1t would be any help 10 you. But If
you follow my advice, YOU will take the
comfort OF your text and sleep upon il for
the next few hours. You'll be all the
better man tomorrow morning fora nights
rest.
lie did not Immediately answer. He
had taken up the book and was letting his
eyes stray over the pages. Ispoke again.
Could you sleep, do you think, if left
your" said.
81 don't know; I'll try" he said, rather
vaguely. He closed the book and rose;
rose also, and stood irresolutc. ! hardly
liked to leave him alone, yet his chance Of
rest, | thought, might be greater so than
If ! remained. lie understood my doubt
apparently.
Pm all right now" he said; 81 dare say
| shall sleep, as you say Thank you for
coming in; | don't know what | should
have done without you"
lie smiled family and held out his hand
thnrn tanra In hia. lie hapI -
rs cold rs ice. asked hima few questions,
brief as could make them, about the
mornings arrangements. The meeting
was TO take place, ! found, at a spot |
knew, in u wood Just without the town
walls, where the ruins OF an old abbey
stood on a grassy lawn. "a shall see YOU
in the morning." | said, aud with the
promise wrung his hand and left him.
/ went back TO my own room, and,
dressed rs ] was, threw myself on the bed
Not for moment did | intend that this
inlqutous duel should 90 on. At earliest
dawn proposed to rouse the landlord, TO
stir up the city guard, ii neediul; nay, TO
call out the town garrison itself, rather
than permit an net OF criminal and unnec-
essary folly. All this, say, | intended,
Tor while ! lay awake aud attentive,
heard chair pushed back in the adjoin-
ing room, aud footsteps moving unccr-
tainly 10 aud fro, then deep silence. The
young fellow, | concluded, had followed
my advice, and betakcn himself to bed for
an hour or two. The town clocks struck
b aud with the determination 10 rouse
myself at hali-past four, passed into Il
profound sleep. Alas, ! was young.
was tired out. At hall-past five fell into
uneasy dreams. ! dreamt that had risen,
that had dressed in haste, that had
made my way 10 the poor lad in
the adjoining room. lie was seated
in his shirt-sleovcs on the edge OF the
bed. Surely II is not time to go yet, lac
said, and began to cry like girl. /
dreamed that ! awokc, aud turned to
dream again. This time il was the boy
who came IN TO mo rs ! was dressing
hastily. "lts all over" lac cried joy
ously, mot II soul was hurt. | start ior
home at once" Thank God" | an-
swcred, and with the words woke with a
start, woke in truth this time, sitting up
on my bed bcwldcrcd for the moment. IL
was broad daylight. ! lookcdat my watch:
IL wanted but twenty minutes 10 six. |
caught up my hat aud burst into the adj
joining room. II was empty. On my
hcadlong way down the stlirs | stumbled
over INV friend, the old waiter. Ina breath
| told him what had happened, and rushed
from the house.
! rushed from the house, across the
stccp.arched bridge, through the town gate
aud out into the wood beyond. Deep in
the heart Of the wood stood the ruin; had
not a moment to lose. The rain had ceased,
but the clouds were low and threatening;
remember still hardly noted at the
timc--the damp gray morning air, thick
with mist, the dncnchcd weeds aud prass
the trees weighed down with moisture.
p0werlcss TO rally in the dense atmosphere.
The road, q grassy, cart-rultcd track, lay
before me, winding among the trees. II
lay plain before me to follow, hut thought
Il would never end. IL seemed Unfortunately
long; ! thought that II never would end.
! came upon the scene suddenly at
last; cleared space, some walls and
high springing arches and slcndcrcolumns
grassy level In front, stretching from
tree TO tree ON either hand. had visited
II hut yesterday and found IL empty Of
human life. Today scattered group Of
men occupied the foreground saw my
poor lad. ! saw him stand ~ he had been
placed, anu raise his pistol with a shaking
hand. uttered a cry; lac turned his face
ior a second, trembling smile on his
white lips. 81 am here, you see; it's all
right" lac seemed TO say. The next mo.
mcnt there was report The pistol
dropped from his hand; he turned aud
fell face downward, dead.
The smile was still on his lips. Poor
boy, poor lad Idmpi, Bar