Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1890-11-15

for all, Gerald, whether or no you be-
lieve in the immortality Of the soul Do
your
Gerald looked puzzled for an instant.
"You know it isn't much in my line,
Lou, to think at all on these questions, y
he at length said. "Pm sure" he went
on, ''it's my most earnest hope that we're
immortal after death. As for my be-
lief, however,
you're like me there, broke in Louis,
turning his black eyes upon Gsrald With
sudden intentness. 81 don't believe; ]
only hope. But I'd like to believe; I'd
like it above all other things"
SIS that the haunting idea you spoke
of" asked Gerald.
"Oh, suppose that's what makes me
so forlornly blue"
cat last You admit there is something,
Louis. Well, all the more reason for
you to make stout effort and crush
down the devilish nuisance. It hasn't
any real existence, anyhow; it's born
only of an unhealthy fancy. Good heav-
ems! we've all got to die, and none of us,
no, not one, really knows what life, If
life at all, waits beyond the grave"
'Fd like to know-if could lnur-
mdred Louis in low. stubborn voice.
"If you couldl So would everybody
if he could"
Louis seemed to take no heed to this
rather sarcastic response. ''In certain
way" he pursued. ''you and |, Gerald.
are peculiarly placed. We both own es-
tates which we shall probably never part
with during our ifetimes. On either of
these there is family vault. The
chances of one of us being buried in each
Of those vaults must be excessively
strong"
"In the name of everything un-
earthly" said Gerald, as his friend
paused. "what can you be driving at?"
Simply this" replied Louis, whose
manner and tones were now as calm as if
he had been passing judgment on some
very ordinary and prcsaic question; sit
would give me great satisfaction if you
would make a compact with me, and
the compact to which l allude has been
one whose most minute detail / have
carefully thought out" He went on
speaking for some little time after this,
and, as he finally paused, Gerald gave an
exclamation of acute surprise.
"Will l agreeY rang his words. "Why,
Lou, it's altogether too crazy kind Of
scheme! Just imagine my going alone
at midnight into the vault where you're
lying dead"
II somehow haven't been imagining
that" returned Louis, with quaint
little motion Of the head. ''Tve the
fancy, Gerald, that shall survive you
and perhaps by anumber of years. You
see, I'm not especially strong of consti-
tuition, yet live quiet life and put no
tax upon my forces of endurance. You,
however, who are as strong as an OK,
pay very little heed to your physical
powers. You're like man who draws
thoughtlessly on large bank account,
and who may wake up some morning
to find his check politely returned by the
paying teller. I, on the other hand, am
like man with small deposit, yet who
treats it in most economic spirit. and
hence makes no mistake about the sur
plus that he might rely upon in case Of
any sudden embarrassment"
Gerald gave one Of his loud, joyous
laughs, and got up from his chair, going
to window and staring out of it, with
both hands thrust into his pockets.
II see, Lou" he said. "you calculate
confidently on my dying before you do"
'Oh, not confidently. But
eyes, understand. Well, this COM
pact could be carried out by the survi-
vor, of course, and in absolute solitude,
as you say. You could receive from me
a key to our vault. from you key to
yours. Say that died before you did.
On the first night following my death
you could steal to the vault, unlock it
and wait inside with lighted candle
for the space of three hours, after hav-
ing removed the lid Of my coffin, so as
to make my face and part of my form
clearly visible. Then you could en-
deavor by every possible effort Of will to
receive some sign from me that was
aware of your vigil All this. as you
propose it, my boy, might be perfectly
practicable-that is, provided were not
lost at sea, buried abroad, hanged for
murder and afterward claimed by the
physicians Or
"Oh, now you're laughing at me-"
struck in Louis, with hurt information.
mo, I'm not" protested Gerald. ~
merely want to remind you that, although
such extravagances as these can be played
in real life. discovery subjects those con-
cerned in them to a good deal of severe
ridicule"
But he soon saw that any attempt at
arguing Louis out Of his "fad" would
bewholly futile. As far as feeling ter
ror or dread Of carrying out such a
ghastly compact. Gerald could regard
the prospect of doing SO with entire
calmness. Indeed. as an act that would
supposedly involve nerve and pluck. its
possible undertaking rather amused him
than otherwise. Still. he would perhaps
have discountenanced the entire project