The Portland daily press., 1889-01-14
THE PRESS.
MONDAY MORNING, JAN. IA.
A MURpERoUs MEsMER-
lST.

BY JULIAN HAWTHORNE.

storms, which are frequent, form spectacle
that is nothing less than magnificent The
whole force of the Atlantic breaks against
those awful cliffs, and the half-wild iuhabi-
tants of the region will tell you that in win
ter the spray Is sometimes dashed 300 feet in
air. Fishing is almost the sole occupation
Of the natives. The nearest railway station
is at Westport, thirty miles away, whence
the explorer must travel either on foot or
upon the dilapidated haunting car" that
serves as stage, and is driven by Pat Ma
guire, who is also the proprietor of the inn.
But explorers are as few as snowflakes in
June. and for several years previous to the
date OF this story, DR.. Griffith Creamery had
been the only visitor.
The doctor was not a comedy man. He
had big, square head, covered with griz-
zled red hair, which stood upright; thick
eyebrows hanging far down over a pair Of
small but extraordinarily piercing eyes; a
large nose and mouth, and a broad, short
chin. His head was set low down upon
broad shoulders; his arms were long, but his
body rather small and short. The peasants
held him in superstitious awe and respect.
believing him to be in League with Satan,
probably because he had once or twice exer-
cised upon them a remarkable magnetiZing
power that he possessed. But as all his
dealings with them had been benefcent,
they mingled their awe with affection. A
man may be hand-in-glove with the evil one,
and yet a very good fellow at bottom.
This season DR.. Creamery arrived. as usual,
about the LIST of October but he explained to
Pat Mcguire that young lady and gentle
k~ta nF l. Il. Al -tl
OF the month, and would expect Pat t. be at
Westport railway station to drive them over.
The doctor. it seems, had met Mr.. and Mrs.
Roger Mowbray in London during the previ-
GUS season, and had sung the praises of
Slyne Head so eloquently that the young
couple-they were in their honeymoon-had
promised to come over and spend week
there. They proved as good as their word,
they drove up on the jaunting car, and were
cordially welcomed at the inn door by the
doctor
The moon was close to the full, and the air
soft and mild. After supper the three friends
stroled out on the cliffs, and Roger Now
bray and his wife confessed that they had
never seen so grand sight The rocks are
full of caves, some midway in the face of in
to be covered at high water. The coast is
everywhere jagged and irregular. Slyne
Head itself is beetling pinnacle of rock,
overhanging its base, which is 400 feet below
Its summit. The party made their way
thither and sat down to contemplate the
prospect. The ocean, rising In its vast
sweep to the horizon, was luminous beneath
the moon, and where the surf broke on the
ragged teeth of the rocks far below 1t looked
like great drifts of snow against the black
"How glorious and terrible it is!' ex-
claimed Mrs. Mowbray After this can
understand and almost believe in all the leg
ends of ghosts and hobgoblins that Ireland
is famous for"
"None but spirits of light and loneliness
should become visible to you, fair lady,"
said the doctor, who had courtly, chival
rous way with women, which, partly on &C
count of the odd contrast with his ugli-
ness and eccentricity, made him favorite
with the sex; 'but the people hereabouts are
certainly very superstitious; and, to confess
the truth, l have occasionally amused myself
by playing off few juggleries upon them.
They take me for a magician, and il keeps
them from bothering me when want to be
undisturbed. | have only to make a few
cabalistic passes and they run as If the devil
were after them"
81 recollect your abiding in London to
your powers in that direction" observed
Roger; you promised TO give us an illustra-
ton some some time, What time more fitting than
'.Oh, l wish you would. DR.. Gramery" ex-
claimed Mrs, Mowbray; Il never saw any
thing Of that sort.
And | fancy your husband doubts wheth-
er anyb body ever saw anything Of the Sort"
replied the doctor, laughing and fixing his
is skeptic."
Say an agnostic," reiOined Roger, with
smile. Il will believe what see,
If that be your only stipulation. / could
easily astonish yOu, the doctor answered !;
the eyesight and all the senses are readily
deceived. Moreover, unless | am much mis-
70 Ran 10 for mara ant hot -
self TO such impressions. should expect to
be more successful in deceiving you than
your wife; though she looks half spirit al
ready, while you have the thews and sinews
of an athlete.
"Well, all L can say is, am prepared for
the test" replied Roger, still smiling, though
with somewhat of All effort The doctors
eyes had singular sparkle. 1t was difficult
to look away from them.
For full minute the doctor remained
silent and immovable, gazing in preoccu-
pied manner at Roger Mowbray, who gaZed
back at him. Mrs. Mowbray, meanwhile,
had become interested in watching the
flight of great sea-brd, which, after pois-
ing Itself in al. on level with their position,
suddenly swooped downward and alighted
on a rock, surrounded by waves, near the
foot Of the cliff.
"Look at mep' abruptly cried the doctor,
In sharp, imperious tone, sprlnging to his
feet; II am going to jump down the preci-
piece and stand beside that sea-fowl. Look !!
Roger Mowbray, I'm off"
Roger started up with gasp of horror and
amazement. sGreat God the man is killed 70
he cried out in q wild tone. He stood gazing
fearfully and breathlessly over the cliff. peer,
ing downward as il follow wing the descent of
heavy body through the air. But after
moment he raised himself. trembling and
aghasC, the sweat standing on his forehead.
"It's a mirace!" he said, huskily; "such a
thing was never knownl He fell 400 feet,
and now there he stands at the bottom, nod
ding and waving his hand! Merciful heaven
what a thing to seel"
"Why, Roger!" exclaimed his wife, half
laughing and half alarmed, show absurdly
you act! Any one would think you were
crazy! What are you talking about the doc
tor being down the cliff when he has not
moved foot away from your"
Her husband paid not the slightest atten-
ton to her He continued to stare down at
the rock on which the sea bird was seated.
emitting ever and anon inarticulate eiacula-
tons.
He does not hear you, Mrs. Mowbray,"
remarked the doctor, speaking aside TO her,
ne Is In what may be termed an abnormally
imaginative state, in which one mistakes
fancies Tor facts. He really believes that |
jumped of the cliff and alighted on that
rock; and nothing that you could say to him
would change bis convictions. Curious, is it
not?"
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