The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-11-08

what similar. Lydia's unrelieved
babblc reacted upon her bulk, and
awoke in ne an absorbing, fascinat-
ing desire to strike her. Ilonged to
sec her quiyer. ] fought against the
feeling, stiRed it, trod it down; it
awokr again. 1t filled my thoughts,
my dreams; it gnawed me like u vul-
turc. A hundred times while she sat
complacently turning her insane
periods had to hug my fist to my
breast lest it should leap out and
strike her senscless. Do weary YOU?
Let me proceed.
THAT Sunday evening we sat, one
on each side of the hearth, in the
vicamge drawing-room. She was
talking-talking; and sat whisper
ing to myself: "You are too fat,
Lydia; you are too fat Her talk
ran on the two sermons l had preach
ell that day, the dresses OF the con-
gregation, the expense Of living, the
parish MISUNDERSTANDING, tri-
vial, relentless. Suddenly she elooked
up and our eyes met. Her voice
trailed off and dropped like
a bird wounded in full flight.
She stood up md took q step
toward me. 'ls anything llematter,
William" she asked, solicitously.
You are too fat, my dear" l an
swered, laughing, and struck her full
in the face with my fist.
"She did not quiver much-not
half cnough-but dropped like u half
full sack onto the carpet. I caught
upa candle and examined her. She
was quiet dead"
The madman skipped up from his
bowltlcr and looked ut me with inde-
scriablc cunning.
81 am SO glad, SIR" he said, "that
You did not bleed when struck you;
it was n great mercy. The sight of
blood affects me-ah!" he broke off
with subtle quivcrand drew u long
breath. "Do you know the. sands
| by Wocful Ness, the Twin Brothers."
lie asked.
knew that drcary headland we'll.
For half II mile beyond the gray
church and vicarage of Bleakirk it
extends, forming the northern arm
of the small tishing-bay and protect
ing it from the full set of the tides.
Toward it's end il breaks away
sharply and terminates in u dorsal
ridge of slate-colorcd rock that runs
out for some 200 feet between the
sands we call the Twin Brothers. OF
these that to the south and inside
the bay is motiOnless and hears the
name of the "Dend'Isov," hut the
"tluick Boy" to the north shifts con-
tinually. 1t is n quicksand, inshort,
and will, as the word goes, swallow
n man in three minutes.
"My mind" resumed my compnn-
ion. was soon made up. There is
no murder, thought !, where there is
no corpse. So propped Lyndia in
the armchair, where she seemed as if
mapping, and went quietly up stairs.
packed Il small hand-lag carefully
with such clothes as she would need
for u journey, descended with it,
opened the front door, went out to be
sure the servants had blown out their
lights, returned, and hoisting my vito
on my shoulder, with the bag in my
left hand, softly closed the door and
stepped out into the night. In the
shed beside the garden gate the gar
dcner had left his wl,eelbarrow. I
fetched it out, set Lydia ON the top
oft, and wheeled her off toward
Woeful Ness. There was just the rim
ola waning moon to light me, but
knew every inch of tho way.
"For the gpeatcr part of it had
turf under foot, but where this ended
and the rock began | had to leave the
harrow behind. 1t was ticklish work
climbing down, for footing and to be
found and Lydia was IL monstrous
weight. Pnh! how fat she was and
clumsy-lolling this way and that!
Besides the bag llampercd me. I'ut
reached the foot at last and after II
short rest clambcrcd out along the
clg re as fast as could. | was sick
and tired of the business.
well. the rest was easy. Arrived
at the tarthest spit of rocks tossed
the bngfrom me farinto the northern
sand. Then turned to Lydin, whom
! had set down for the moment. In
the moonlight her lips were parted as
though she were still ellattcring; so |
kissed her once because had loved
her and dropped her body over into
til" Quick Boy sand. In three min
utes or SD had seen the last of her.
81 trundlcd home the barrow,
mixed MYSELF gllss OF whisky, sat
beshlc it for half an hour. and then
aroused the servants. ! was cunning,
sir; and no one could trace my foot
prints on the turinnd rock of Wocful
Ncss. The missing hund-bug, and
the elisarray had been careful to
make in the bedroom, provided them
ut once with IL clew; but it did not
lead them to the Quick Boy. For two
days they searched; ut. the end of
that time it grew clear to them that
grief was turning my brain. Your
father, sir, was instant with his sym
pathy; ut least ten times IL day Ihud
much ado to keep from laughing in
his face. Finally two doctors visited
me, and was taken to q mad-house.
81 have remained within it's walls
twcnty-nine years; but mol have
never been thoroughly at home
there. Two days ago discovered
that the place was boring me. SO ]
determined to escape; and this to u
man of my resources presented few
difficulties. l borrowed this pony
from IL stable not many yards from
the mad-housc wall: he belongs,
think, to IL climney-swccp, and l
trust that after serving my purposes.
he may find way back to his mas
ter"
suppose at this point he must
have detected the question in my
eyes, for he cried sharply:
"iou wish to know my purpose?
1t is simple" He passed i. thin hand
over his forehead. Il have been shut |
up, as say, for tw.nty-nine years,
and now discover that the mad
house borps me. If they rctakc me-
and the hue and cry must be out
long before this-I shall he dragged
back. What, then, is my proposal?
! ride to Blcnkirk and out along the
summit of Wotul Ness. There / Gis-
mount, turn my pony loose, and, de-
scending along the ridge, step into
the sand that swallowed Lydia.
Simple, is it not? I;xcessi, evasi,
evanui. | shall le there before sun
sct-wllich reminds me-" he added,
pulling out his watch, "that my time
is nearly up. regret to leave you
in this plight. but you see how l am
/ 4 r IA