Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-22
A TERRIBLE CRIME.
BY j. II. SPENCER.

One sultry August evening, when the
murky mist from the sea enveloped
everything in gloom, two men alighted
from the train and walked together
along the main street of Westerly, a
small town on the southern coast Of New
England.
Mark Harding was tall and rather
portly young man of 2S, with dark, gray
eyes, coal-black hair, handsome feat
ures, and well-proportioned figure.
His companion, Willis Page, was a
remarkable handsome youth of %, with
tender blue eyes, curly, golden hair, a
slender, graceful figure, and features as
delicately chiseled as girls.
Mark Harding and Willis Page were
friends of an extraordinary type. They
had been companions in childhood, boy
hood, and manhood, and the tie which
bound them was of remarkable ma
ture.
~Let us go up to the cliffs" said
Mark, when they had passed the limits
of the village and were in the open
country. @There are several of my
bachelor friends staying with me, you
know, and I want to talk to you while
before we go to the house."
"All right" responded Willis, taking
bis friends arm. II am anxious to see
the improvements you have made on
your new place, but it is so dark shall
have to wait till morning before I can
satisfy my curiosity"
Following foot-path that led from
the highway they soon found themselves
upon a high cliff. which over,
hung the rocky beach nearly sixty feet
below.
For moment they stood gazing al
the dark, restless waves beneath them
then, with his eyes glowing like Goals
Of fire, Mark Harding turned and faced
his companion.
willis Page" he said bitterly, "this
morning, while on my way to the vii
lage, I found the note, dated two DAYS
ago, which you sent to Nora Lamont
my promised wife. She had evidently
lost it while going home from the post
office. thought you man of honor
but was mistaken. You have muir
dered all my hopes and happiness; you
have murdered all my faith in man and
woman; and tonight I have brough,
you here to murder YOU
sMy God!" exclaimed Willis Page il
establishment. Mark, you must b.
mad to think I would deceive you LIE
me explain. lam"
But before he could finish the sen
tence, Mark Harding pushed him owe,
che precipice, and then hurried from
the place.
Ten minutes later, the New York ex
press, which left Westerly that evening
bore among its passengers sorrow
fully silent man, who sat staring
straight out of the car-window into the
black night, without being all con
cious Of what was going on around him
and feeling only the terrible remorse
that would haunt him as long as he
lived. ......
willis may have been innocent
after ALL" he thought. "Why did
not let him explain? [ must have beer
insane"
And certainly Mark Harding had
reason to think himself insane
when he realized what O terrible
crime he had committed, wher
he thought of the bright young life
he had brought to an untimely end
and of the needless ruin he had made O,
his own life and happiness.
All that remained for him now was tc
go away from his native land, and, in
some distant country, where he was I'M
known, to pass the remainder of his
i miserable life.
The previous winter, while in New