Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-02-09


why Alexander Macbane had turned
against his demon; the answer. given
i'm quaint but still pathetic language,
was that he had married . woman
whom he loved, and had been happy
with her for some months, and nov
he knew that he must choose between
her and himself as a sacrifice 10 his
familiar. In making his confession,
he knew that he was devoting himself
TO death the same night; but he was
resolved to do this. Better. he said.
was it to die horribly thus. than TO
live alone with his sin and its punish
ment. "And So" the record concisely
ended, "the said Alexander Macbane,
being remanded to his prison, was
there found dead the next day, with
his throat rent through, and the bars
of the window broken. Whereby it
was thought that he had said the
truth as to himself"
AS I read the last words dropped
the roll, for the lightning glared into
my very face, and moment after a
ringing crash Of thunder burst over
the building as if sky and earth were
coming together. Then the roar
leaped and rolled through the clouds,
and died muttering far away, and
through the rush of rain and wind I
heard Macbane's voice.
"You understand now" he said,
with that dreadful hollow sameness in
his tone, 81 am glad anyway that you
will be left. and not I; I always liked
you better than Standish. Perhaps
it was a tiger after all that killed
him, poor fellow. You are quite safe
now; it is coming for me tonight. !
thought it would have killed me last
night, when I called it back"
crash of thunder drowned his last
words.
"MacoaneI" l cried, finding my
power of speech at last; sit shall not
bel Whether it is real or a dream, l
do not know; but you shall not die
that way. I kept the Thing out, cam
not you do it? Never give up hope.
Cannot you save YOURSELF"
Maobane smiled horelessly. "Lis-
ten, said he, and he held up his hand;
and in pause Of the rain heard,
low and distinct, a scratching on the
door.
open it, Eliot" he said calmly.
at must come, and the sooner the
better. Then 60 down and wait, for
it will not be a pleasant thing to see. D"
l sprang to the door. bat not to
open it. With frenzied speed I lock-
ed and doubled-locked it, and drove
the heavy bolts into their sockets.
But no rush came against the door
no tearing or grinding of teeth. I
could hear nothing-not even
breath; and the stiffness was more ter
riiying than any sound.
at is no use" said my friend; "you
could keep yourself safe; you cannot
save me. 1t will have help tonight"
A gust of wind swept round the
tower as he spoke; and mingling in
its wall | seemed to hear-or was it
but my fancy?-the long, deadly howl
Of the Thing that I felt was so near
US. For few moments there was
silence. Then with crash the lightn-
ing fell close to the tower, and great
pine. shattered by the stroke. rushed
down right against the window, and
its top crashed into the room, rending
away the iron bars like rotten sticks.
The wind Of the fall extinguished the
lamp; but in the darkness and the
roar Of thunder / could feel something
pass by me with a mighty leap. and
next moment a fainter flash showed
me picture which was but for an
instant, but in that instant was brand
ed in on my memory. Mscbane stood
upright, with arms folded, gazing
calmly forward and upward, and be-
fore him crouched, as if for a spring,
black mass, with blood-red burning
eyes-the same eyes that had glared
on me the night before. So much I
saw; then, suddenly, the world was
one binding flame, one rending crash
around me, and / fell stunned and
sGnseless.
When / lived again, the dawn's
gray glimmer was dimly lighting the
tower; and outside the blackened and
shattered window bird was singing.
As | opened my eyes, my glance fell
on something lying in the center OF
the room; it was Macbane's body. ]
crawled TO him and looked into the
dead free. There was no wound or
mark on him, and there even seemed
a faint smile on his lips, and near hi;
feet lay little heap of gray ash.
THE END.