Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1889-11-22

Gently, young sir" He waved
his hand toward the encircling moors
"We have feasttd more Homerico
and in Homer, you remember, the
host allowed his guest fourteen davs
before asking that question. Permit
me to delay the answer only till !
have poured libation on the turfhere.
All! perceive the whisky is exhaust
ed; water shall suffice. May troub-
lie you-my joints are stiff-to fill
your drinking-cup from the brook at
your teet?"
took the cup from his hands and
stopped over the water. AS did so
he leaped on me like cat from be-
hind. felt a hideous blow on the
nape of the neck; jagged flame lea D.
ed up; the sunshine turned to blood
then to darkness. With hands
spread out | stumbled blindly for
ward and fell at full length into the
beck.
When my senses returned | became
aware, first that | was lying, bound
hand and foot and securely gagged,
upon the turf; secondly, that the
horses were still tethered and stand
ing quietly at the foot-bridge; and,
thirdly, that my companion had re-
sumed his position on the bowlder,
and there sat watching my recovery.
Seeing my eyes open, he raised his
hat and addressed me in tones of
grave punctilio:
believe me, sir, | am earnest in my
regret for this state OF things. Moth
ing but the severest necessity could
have persuaded me to knock the son
OF my late esteemed friend over the
skull and gag his utterance with a
stone-to pass over the fact that it
fairly lays my sense of your hospi-
tality under suspicion. Upon my
word, sir, it places me in cursedly
equivocal position!"
He took a pinch OF snuff, absorbed
1T slowly, and pursued:
at was necessary, however. You
will partly grasp the situation when
tell you that my name is league
the Rev. William league, doctor of
divinity, and formerly incumbent of
Bleakirk-on-Sands."
His words explained much, though
not everything. The circumstances
which led to the Rev, Williams de-
parture from Bleakirk had happened
some two years before my birth; but
they were startling enough to sup
ply talk in that dull fishing village for
manya long day In my nursery | had
heard the tale that my companions
name-recalled and if till now | had
felt humiliation, henceforth felt alb
solute fear for knew that had to
deal with a mailman.
Il perceive by your eyes, sir" he
went on, "that with part of nv
story you are already familiar
The rest | am about to tell you. 1t
will be within your knowledge that
late on Sunday night just twenty
nine years ago, my wife left the
Vicarage house, Bleakirk, and never
returned; that subsequent inquiry
yielded no trace OF her fight beyond
the fact that she went provided with
small handbag containing
change of clothing; that, as we had
lived together for twenty years in
the entirest harmony, no reason
could then or afterward be given for
her astonishing conduct. Moreover,
you will be aware that its effect upon
me was tragical that my lively emo
tions underneath the stock deepened
into settled gloom; that my facul-
ties (notorously eminent) in a short
time became clouded, nay eclipsed,
necessitating my removal-I will not
refine-to madhouse. Hey, is it
not SOP"
| nodded assent as well as | could.
He paused, with a pinch between fin
ger and thumb, to nod back to me.
Though his eyes were now blazing
with madness his demeanor was
formally, even affectedly polite.
"My wife never came back; natur.
ally, sir-for she is dead"
He shifted a little on the bowlder,
slipped the snuff-boX back into his
waistcoat pocket, then, crossing his
leg and clasping his hand over one
knee, bent forward and regarded me
fixedly.
Il murdered her." he said slowly, |
and nodded.
A pause followed that seemed to
last an hour. The stone which he |
had strapped in my mouth with his
bandana was giving me acute pain;
it INSTRUCTED, too, what little breath |
ing my emotion left me; and | dared |
not take my eyes off his. The strain
on my nerves grew so tense that /
felt myself fainting when his voice
recalled me.
81 wonder now"-he asked as if it |
were a riddle-T wonder il you can
guess why the body was never
Again there was an intolerable 81
ence before he went on.
Lydia was n dear creature; in
many respects she made me an ad-
wife. Her affection for me
was canine-positively. But she was
at, sir; her face jelly, her shoulders
Moreover, her voicel
1t was my NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.