The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-11-17

THE psszxae4 EuTEEon. b, Wnek = Sc
snssisr vish yDnz DO yoa feel IF"
No feel hale and strong. capable 81
snioyfnr lie wssh The bees. Ire never bad
an lIEness ii my lie. Bat for al that,
shall de a. Midnight
sOg course said The surgeon. s0ms-
Whist provoked At nj this mystery. II ron
arr g0tax b xiii yourself ron can sreak
with moFe authogily - 20 the time than
sTlybosy eszs. "
Il bare no fntention Of committing sui
eide Eas the stern re5oinder. sNeyer-
theless. At midnight my time expires. The
mariner 81 my death Il Hnknewn % me,
bsst shall aevrr zee the lifting o this
dreadful hiaeknese, which On my last
night On earth has ftly interpossd itself
hstween ne and the heaven ] hare re-
n0aneed
The surgeon. listening - this strange
oushurst. turned 20 the table. and filing .
glass with brandy, handed il % his extra
ordinary patient. 1t viii put heart into
you. said be.
afuE not q soul" said the other; and.
shnd5ering convuisively. drank Is At a
draueht thea placing the glass upon the
table he drew purse from bis pocket and
I9oAed ~ the surgeon. Your fess"
Nothing. Iknor not whas your trouble
Is hat / wish much that could help you. !"
I'm past ali help. said the other, sediy,
moving toward tie door: then paaasing, rs
TIE surgeon took up one Of the candies to
light him dewn. be said, inirresolute tones:
As you shall Judge, II you care 70 hear"
b. all means. said M0styn, heartily.
IS. replacing the candle. be poked the FIRE
aud drew up chair for his visitor.
Twenty years ago, said tbs latter. ac-
cspsing the pr0fEered seat and leaning to-
ward the surgeon. "my circumstances
we're very different from what they are
now. Young aud strong. I had At the
death Of my parents rejected the bread Of
dependence offered me By relatives. and,
full OF hope. mad to come 70 London 20
make my fortune II proved to be harder
work than had anticipated: and In very
short while was reduced 20 the verge OF
starvation. One dreadful night. OF which
this Il the twentieth anniversary, ] was
hall crazed with poverty and despair. For
two days hsd not tasted food, nor did
see the slightest prospect OF obtaining any.
Added 90 this was deeply In love, though
unhappily the interference OF those who
should have been our best friends kept as
apart. AS crouched shivering IN the gar
ret, which served me for lodging. think
| must have gone a little BIT mad. " He
broke off suddenly, as though unwilling to
continue. and stared sloomily at the tire.
"Weii7s said the surgeon, who had been
listening with much interest.
Have you ever heard OF compacts with
the evil one7" demanded the stranger.
u have heard Of such things" replied
the surgeon, on whose spirits the occasion
and the visitor we're beginning TO tell
Il made one" said the other, hoarseiy.
"csouched by the empty crate, which
Knocked me with its cold bars and white
ashes, my thoughts turned. as though
directed by some unseen power, 10 all that
had heard and read OF such compacts.
As my mind dweit upon It. the subject
lost much OF its horror, until gentle
rustiing In the neighborhood OF the fire
drove me with quAking heart 10 my
feet. Ny fears, however. were but
monenfary, and with fierce determine
ton / called upon my unseen visitor to
lend me his awful aid. As / spoke the
sounds suddenly ceased, and voice
seemed 10 cry in my ear: Write, wrftep
dragged small table into the moonlight,
which struggled through the begrimed
panes OF the window, and with my own
blood and the miserable stump Of a pen
wrote out the terms Of en- agreement with
the Prince Of Darkness. possessed, as did
30, with the horrible consciousness OF some
thing In the room watching me. | vowed
that II for twenty years he gave me wealth
anG the possession OF her whons l loved
better than my own life. my soul should
be the forfeit. II the next morning brought
change OF fortune, | should take IL for a
sign that be had accepted my conditions.
I signed ii. and swooned. When | awoke
from the sleep into which the stnpor had
merged tho sun was shining brightly
into my foul lodging, and below
was . messenger who brought me
news OF large fortune which had fallen TO
me through the death OF an uncle. God
forbid that nay rash vow should have had
ought 10 do with i'll Since then. every
thing has prospered with me. / married
the woman loved. We have large fam
ily. | have kept my secret to myself. To-
night, At Il. my time expires"
The change in your fortunes was a mere
condolences, said the surgeon uneasily.
Another coincidence for you, then, :"
said his visitor, whose face was now livid.
sIn the morning when awoke. the agree
meni which had left on the table had dis
appeared"
Mostyn rose, and, taking great care not
TO extingaish the flames, snntfed the can
dies.
As supposed my death would be a
strictly natural one, continued the
stranger, Il thought l would consult a
surgeon. in order TO see whether my heart
was sound. or whether was to die IS |
have said. in perfectly natural manner
owing 10 It's disease. A Waterman whom
naes directed me 10 your door"
30 you live IN the neighbofhood e.
No. Mt Westminster, was the reply.
Hnt having pat I'll my affairs In order,
and wishing my dear ones should I've no
witnesses Of my death. III haye been roaming
nloat the streets 90 meet il there
Alone :" queFied the wondering sur
eeen.
= hope 50. said The other. shEdderinE.
Re guided by me. said the surgeon
earnestly. Return TO yoar home ana for
eet al aeoEt this mysterious compact you
faaey yaa have made.
HIS companion shook bis head and turned
10 the door,
Are yea goiaR 60 roam abous in the fog
asain asked Mostyn.
~Ialess yon win let re stay hcTe, said
the ether, CHANGING 81 hina wsstfaliy You
are uot geEyoess Noa do net thtnk I
SHAH ss8e9''
4yea VII die Of fss shs L yeu dis AZ al. -
said the surgeon sinrdisy nus say. aai
welcome. II yoa viii. Ana 70 avassl the
th4aks q hss guest be paSed the IRE until
tie resulting b.sss alFnest caasea she