Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-11-29

the room: Ibid you know that / vas
once engaged to be married. I never
see Mrs. Browning without thinking
Of my aancee." Then for some time
he walked to and fro. apparently OBJ
livious Of my presence. quoting from
German. French and English authors,
and withal delightfully."-. until one
stroke Of the clock admonished me
that it wanted but half hour till mid
night reminded Mr.. B. that q
half hour had gone by and he had not
yet told me the object of his visit !
suggested that what he had to tell me
might do for a serial story. and
would take the poetry for the intro
ductory.
He flashed a savage glance over to
ward me- One quick step and he was
at my side, saying. in a low tone:
'Why does she sit there?" pointing to
my old nurse. ''Send her away"
Ireplied: Il shall as soon as you are
gone" With q devilish look that de-
fies description he stopped till his face
was close to mine and said, per-
emptorily: "Send her away, I tell
you" 1 had heard short time be-
fore that at one time in his life Mr..
B. had been insane, but 1 had
doubted it. 1t was rare to find more
cultivated or elegant man or one who
was more punctilious in the OBJ
servance of all the conventionalities
of society. That moment his face was
like the face of q demon, and as I
looked into his eyes doubted it no
longer, and my heart sank like lead
within me. What if the old weakness
had attacked him again? asked my
self. At that hour I knew that every
soul in the hotel would be in bed, and
the nurse and myself were virtually
alone. Did I dare to call for help?
His eyes were fixed upon me. l think
he read my thoughts. An impulse to
protect myself made me rise and move
toward the hall door. Quick as a
flash he stepped in front Of me. locked
the door, held the key up before me
for an instant. then dropped it into his
pocket knew now that had an in
sane man to deal with. But how! It
would take all the courage and self
possession I could muster to do it.
There was little time to consider; if l
made q false move there was no telling
what might be the result.
The nurse still sat nodding in her
chair. 1t was useless to alarm her.
for knew she was too timid to be of
any service to me; but l must act l
quietly went to her and told her to 60
to her room-it adjoined the one in
which she sat-but not to go to bed. as
1 might need her. Then assuming the
coolest manner possible. I crossed the
sitting-room, opened the stove door
and renewed the fire, and while my
face was turned from him. said: 1.-The
farce has lasted an hour. Mr.. B,
and l fail to appreciate it. However.
If l still have patience to listen. will
you tell me why you are here?" I rose
then and resumed my seat on the chaise-
Tongue.
He always moved quickly. but
stealthily. like q cat; and with some
such movement he came behind me
and whispered, close, close to my ear:
'.Are you not afraid of me?" With
my blood fairly standing still in my
veins I answered: mot At all. Why
should be? You must be out Of your
mind"
That's just it," sid he. Then re-
Stunning his walk up and down the
room. he continued: Ibid you never
hear that l had once been insane?"
YES" l replied. II did hear some
thing of the kind: but that was many
years ago, l believe; an illness, was
it not? However. whatever you were
then will hardly excuse you for your
conduct tonight" He stopped. eyed
me curiously for a moment, then
crossed the room swiftly to where I sat.
and STOPPING, put his hand about my
IuEO1t LAC CidopOO ~ Will AAo AOuSS
slender fingers, gently, very gently as
he said: ''What q strange, evanescent
thing life is; l could crush it out so
easily-seer' with a closer pressure
II could kill you with my thumb and
finger"
l disengaged the hand. and. pointing
to a chair near me. l begged him to be
seated. He obeyed. I asked: ''Doyou
remember any thing Of your life in the
asylum" A sad. panied look came
over his face; the demon was over
come for the moment at least. had
struck the right chord. He replied:
'Yes; remember every thing. Shall
l tell it to you?"
Glad of the respite and hoping to
find way to control him eventually,
settled myself to listen to his story. l
give it in his own words as nearly as
can recall them:
From the time l was sixteen years
of age l was q sort of wanderer. I
was educated partly in Germany and
inished at Oxford. Eng. Thence I