Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-01-07

from your shoulders for a brief period.
should consider it my duty to return
to YOU as o as ! was free"
| ground my teeth in despair. Wa
there. then. no way of Kidding myself
of this monsterl
As the days passed he became more
and more of a fixture. In vain tried
all means to be quit of him. ] sent him
on errands and locked the door behind
his back. but he only returned to take
I'D a position on the front steps until
he was readmitted. went TO London
for three days, to find on my return
that, after consuming everything in the
house, he had betaken himself to bed,
whence he refused to be dislodged. !
might do with him a | would-starve
him, swear at him, beat him-he never
complained. The only reiDonstrance
ever heard him make was on one occa-
sion, when he remarked that he thought
a man ought to have greater regard for
his own property.
One evening | had dined late and
vas too restless either to remain in the
room or to go TO bed. 1t was an ex-
ouisite night. On the sofa lay the
torpid form of my incubus, sound
asleep. The opportunity was not to
be llst. l eagerly seized my hat and
quietly slipping downstairs, let myself
out. Presently l found myself on the
summit of the cliff, gazing down upon
the water. which rippled up TO the very
base Of the rocks.
If / were you | wouldn't stand so
near the edge. said a voice behind
me.
turned At my side stood my tor
mentor.
Miserable being ~ cried, you have
rushed upon your own fate! have
but 10 speak the word 10 compel you
TO leap over that cliff and free myself
from your presence forever
He cast a glance toward the edge,
but his expression remained unchanged.
Yes" he returned. you have stat
ed the case quite accurately"
Then. said /, eXasperatcd beyond
endurance, your blood be upon your
" head Jump over"
lAN AAaAA III NAAANA NAAAA'"N ~ AA- AaA
when | seized him by the arrn.
For heavens sake | said, take
carel | will have no mans death upon
my conscience"
He said nothing, but placidly with
drew TO a secure position. | was
furious with him and with myself
Why had / been so weak as 10 inter
E-.g aN-,Ia -uzsIIv a~rnza Fha aliH
not needing where | e | knew
that he was following. for l could hear
the regular beat of his step behind me.
At this moment a cloud swept across
the moon, plunging the world into com
parative darkness. But l did not
pause. Onward l hurried, looking
neither to right nor left, when suddenly
l heard him call to me-;
Take carel"
The warning came too late. Ny
foot slipped and / felt myself falling
forward The thought flashed into my
mind that | was going over the cliff. /
struck out blindly ard found myself
graphing with something. IL was a
slight shrub which overhung the abyss.
Just Of sufficient strength to sustain
my weight for a few minutes But as
the moon again shone out | could see
that my support was rapidly yielding
at the roots.
give me your hand" I cried. "Or ]
am gomez
With a presence Of mind which did
him credit he knelt 6own and. burying
bis hands in the long grass. took a firm
hold OF il. Then he cautiously ad-
vanced one foot within reach Of my
grasp. This ! clutched, and with an
agony Of thankfulness drew myself on
to the level again.
The escape had cooled me and ! held
out my hand
Il beg your pardon" | said. If ]
have spoken harshly to you at times.
You have rendered me a service for
which ! shall never cease TO be CRATE
full"
Yes. he answered. in his stold
manner. you've reason 70 he so |
rather think ! saved your life"
The words were scarcely uttered be
fore he saw-and recognized. too. that
| saw their full importance The
faintest Indication of a smile played
about his lips as ! said. so we are
quits.
Hardly, he replied, looking serious
again AZ present each stands pos
sessed Of the others life"
Let US exchange then"
This time he really did smile.
My modesty." lac remarked. win
scarcely allow me TO rate an existence
so Insignificant as my own on an equal
ity with yours"
Would five pounds turn the scaleF'
| asked
You estimate your own worth at
far too low a value, he replied.