Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-02-04
SLEEP NO MORE

trust.
Nothing could be urged in the defense
Of Edgar Mostyn; not youth, not lack
of experience, not hastiness of action,
not temptation from others, and-as far
as one might ludge-not passion. No
man standing between good and evil
ever had better reasons than he for fol-
lowing the right path, and experience
would not suffer him to 60 wrong by
mistake. Yet he sinned-and the sin
was at once great and contemplate.
When Basil Redstock had been mar
ried about year business made it recess
sary that he should leave his home for
several months There were some
mines to be looked after IN wild dis
trict where he could not take Eva. A
maiden aunt, old, deaf. stupid, came to
the house to stay, and several of Eva s
companions were expected. But there
ought to be man about to scare away
burglars. BasiPs best friend was Edgar
Mostyn, bachelor and a man of the
world, yet one whose reserved speech
and upright conduct had always repealed
the breath of scandal.
s'He is a man." said Basil-and Mos
tyn knew that he had said ito
whom I would, without hesitation, in
trust every dollar [ had in the world
my own good name-everything
So Mostyn came to live in the house
at his friends request that he should
guard and protect his wife.
At first Eva was never without the
company of girl friends. Presently they
ceased TO come; perhaps 1t was accl-
dental, perhaps she was less urgent IN
her invitations. During the last month
she and the old aunt and Edgar Mostyn
were alone much of the time. The aunt
would grow sleepy IN the evenings; be-
sides she was deaf.
Whom Basil Redstock returned, Mos
tyn, who was a man Of perfect self-cCn-
troll. welcomed him with cordial smiles
and hearty speech. But the weak wom-
an, sick with terror, scarcely knew what
she said and did.
Basil was not suspicious by nature
vet he was not fool.
On the evening of the third day after
the husbands return, as MOstyn sat
alone in bis bachelor quarters, a note
was brought to him. It had been left
at the door by woman. In the trem-
bling, iIiegible scrawl, he with difficulty
recognized the handwriting of Eva Red
stock. The note read thus:
'tWhat have | done! | cannot tell
how it has happened; but he knows all.
He said he would kill me If l did not
confess, and was almost crazy. He
means to shoot you. | know, for he took
his revolver and went away. | wish he
had killed mel wish [ were dead"
Mostyn stared blankly at the paper
for some moments after he had finished
reading it's message. Here was catastro-
phe in a form that he had not foreseen;
for such weakness was quite out Of the
pale of his understanding. at last he
tore the note to fragments and tossed it
into the fire.
Well" he.said with a savage scowl,
1t IS a scrape-a bad one. So
he means to shoot, eh? 20
Presently Mostyn arose and opened a
drawer in his desk He took out re-
volver-not toy article, bnt one of the
sort that can be made to shoot straight
and to kill-and began to turn it over in
his hands A touch on half-concealed
spring, and the chambers rolled ont.
From the same drawer he brought a
piece OF cloth, small bottle of oil and
some cartridges.
Il took little time to clean, oil and
load the weapon. While he was thus
engaged, Mostvn thought the situation
over after this wise
'sHe does not know how to shoot, and
if meet him on the street and he draws
| can safely risk his first fire. / know
that revolver of his; before he is ready
TOR second Can-n IN, III WOuld De pad
business if I should've whole thing is
going to come out anyway, If he tries the
shooting business. Ruin me, of course
but don't care to give my life just be-
cause woman is a fool. God what a
fool she was If she mad only denied
it that would have been somethlng-but
to confess all Yet, how if he should
come on me from behind? Well. that
is not like Basil Redstock. He is a
chivalrous fellow, and | imagine will not
shoot without warning"
When the pistol was loaded and in
perfect order Mostyn slipped ii into a
Gather sheath and left it upon the desk.
Then ne sat down by the fire and
thought-not of the immediate danger
for he was ready now TO meet that
but of the man and the woman who had
that day lived tragedy on his account.
Such thoughts were surely not pleasant
vet he remained an hour beyond the
time when he usually retired, staring
into the flames.
The living apartments of Edgar Mos
tyn were two rooms in the second story
of large residence building. The par