Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-01

/
| free.
''Pausing moment at the outside cham
| Der for Chris to resume his cap and sword,
we got into the street, and not till then did
/ become cognizant of the fact that I held in
my hand a small, hard object. 1 glanced at
it and found it to be the diamond. 1t had
lost its unnatural glow, but still CLEANED in
the uncertain light with lustre that told
me that it was of immense value. Chris
| caught it from my hand
"Iets look at the accursed thing" he
said, striking a match and examining the
stone. Why, man alive, this diamond is
valuable enough to make us both rich!'
"But we have no right to it, 1 urged.
old Totlan-' but 1 paused, remembering
that in his fury against us he had doomed
himself to death.
"'Old Totlan is dead, of course, and
according to his own statement, he had
no heirs, and was not even of these people,
reasoned Chris, and / could not gainsay his
arguments, though 1 must acknowledge to
a shrinking horror of the diamond or OF
having any share in it,
sAfter reaching the house which we were
to make our quarters l questioned Chris
closely as to the part he had played in the
scene l have so family described, but he
| L, and declared he was only conscious of
| taking a solemn vow of some character,
| though what this was he could not posi-
lively say, except that it involved the
serving of some god, whose mouthplece or
manifestation was this diamond
"TAnd you mean to retain such dia-
bolical thing about you, Chris?' He laughed
uneasily. 4 thought we had agreed to con-
slider the whole affair piece of jugglery on
old Totlan's part. Here his eyes darkened
with look of horror and dread, and pass
ing his hand over his brow he muttered:
"'To tell you the truth, must look on it
as such, George, for at times have terri
BILE suspicion that took upon myself some
unutterable oath that will hold my soul for
ever, though 1 cannot recall it, l cannot re-
call it have vague, disconnected visions
of-no, no, must not dwell upon them, for
/ shall go mad with horror.
'tHe caught nv hand and held it till he
succeeded in calming himself, when he went
on as lightly as he could AS 1 say, if we
regard it all as trick of the imagination,
there can be no harm in our keeping the
diamond
81 acquiesced, although had L had my
will would have thrown the stone into the
nearest gutter. 1t was sewn by Chris into
the lining of his coat, where it was to be
left till we should return home, when we
were to sell it and divide the money, for
Chris insisted on my sharing it with him.
"But last night, as we lay sleeping side
by side, I was awakened by a light that
filled the little narrow room we occupied
with strange effulgeuce that 1 recognized
at once as the fire of the demon diamond.
This light emanated from no particular
point, but flooded the apartment with its
green splendor, cold and brilliant as moon
light on ice. I caught Chris by the arm and
shook him soundly.
"'Wake up! The devil is at work again
But he slept on, though his face was pallid
and working as if convulsed by some terri
BILE struggle, and presently he began to
speak. 4 will not will not Fiend,
cease to tempt me- No, will not myself,
nor will find another to take my place
Again I tried to awaken him, but in vain,
though for an hour or more he seemed to
wrestle with some unseen power, while all
the time the green light burned with steady
luster. AT last it died away and Chris sank
into natural sleep.
81 have related this sceneswith calmness,
but while it lasted Ifelt the blood stand
still in my veins, though saw and heard
no more than I have written. When at day
break Chris awoke, endeavored to make
him confdc in me his dream, whatever it
was, but he was strangely silent, and begged
me to speak of it no more.
"'I have gone through that of which I
may not speak, and scarcely dare think.
Oh, George, what a fate! And am young
and tied to- He clapped his hands be-
fore his face. 'But 1 will not yield, though
L die for it; though they tear my very heart
to shreds'
''He has lain all day in agonized fear,
looking forward to the night, but have put
him to bed on a soldiers cot In the next
room, through whose open door can watch
him as he sleeps And the soldiers noisy
voices lend me confidence that naught super
diabolical or celestial will venture
there. God help him! see no way out of
the matter for him, for when urged him to
sell or throw away the diamond ne declared
that he could never part with it. He per-
sisted in this until lost patience with what
L openly termed his folly, and the next mo-
ment grew ashamed when the poor fellow
with tears in his eyes reiterated his words,
adding: George, 1 tell you there are things
unspeakable connected with this matter.
am tortured beyond telling Do not you
take away from me your support
II soothed him by assuring him he might
do as he chose without further remonstrance
from me, for heaven knows my heart is sore
enough for the friend, SO lately the jolliest,
most careless creature alive, and who to-
night lies the most cowed and horror
stricken wretch on earth. At times blind
rage seizes me at the whole affair, in which
my intellect refuses to believe, and vet
which cannot refute upon the evidence of
my own senses. l long to awaken Chris and
convince him that his trouble is all myth,
and yet-and yet"
"This, dear Chantry, is the story of the
green diamond. Do you think me madder
than ever? But at least you will acknowl- |
edge that it is madness of long standing,
for 1947 lies 43 years behind us. 1t was !
madness that ruined Chris Listhrop's life, as |
he wrote me often after each return of the |
mysterious temptation L once witnessed, |
and in which he was only victor by a terri |
BILE resistance.
SIT came again and again wearing him to I
death by inches, though he assured me that |
he never yielded for moment There are |
hideous gaps in the story, am well aware,
gaps that only the diamond-haunted man |
could supply, and he has gone carrying with |
him the true explanation of the matter. |
A short time before his death he wrote to |
me telling me that he had deposited the |
stone with you to be given to me at his de- |
cease 1 had no instructions as to what to |
10 with it, but L knewp'
HUSIOR-BiI Nye talks about land spec
1Iation in South Carolina. See to-morrow's
issue of THE DISPATCH.