Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-11-12
DARK DAYS.
By HUGH CONWAY
CHAPTER XII. CONTINuEn

what fate had wrought seemed to be 3radu
.ally coming over her; now, when wfIs ono.
more building up hopes of Happiness, tor h.
/, As we'll Is for me! For l knew-ah! thina
of this, and pity me-that before sueths,
half year should pass there might be siver
TO my wife and me Z gift which would :.
far toward sweeping away the memories n
gloom and horror which had Of late spresd
over our lives even dared to hone. 10 fea
certain, that rs she gazed into baby ewes a.
she pressed q tiny head to her bosom some
nay, much Of the lost sweetness and rlorv
Of life might return to my love.
Think of this, and picture me lying on tbe
ground that day, with the damning intelIi.
sence fresh on my mind! Think that in 3
few hours l must return to my home. ami
tell my vito that the bolt had fallen Thers
was NO alternative!
No alternatives? Stay. there is an alterna.
tive! Tho blood seemed to course wildly
through my veins, my heart beat fierceiv
my lips grow dry, and choking sensation
came over me, as for the first time the aim.
pie yet certain way Of cutting the knot OF
my difficulties flashed across my mind. So
simple, 50 easy y at first appeared, that
laughed at my stupidity in not having see
il at once.
Tear that accursed paper to pieces, Basil
North! Scatter those pieces to the winds.
Forget what you have read. Go back to
your luxurious, fiower-bedecked home. Meet
the one you love with smile upon your
face; you have forced smiles before now
Greet her rs usual. Say nothing of this
mornings news. Keep your own counsel;
bury all you have learned In your secret
heart DO this, and be happy forever more |!
But the mantle man who in few days
time is to be tried for anOther's act? Well.
what of hmp The fool will doubtless be
acquitted Fool! Yes, it Is the right term
for one who can bring himself under sus-
picion. But il justice runs on the wrong
track until the end-if that man dies?
What then? What is this miserable life.
what are hundred lives, when weighed
against Philppa's happiness? What is con-
science" What is right and wrong? What
is the phantom which men call honor?
What, after all, is crime? Be silent, and
forget You are asked to do no more. You
have riches, youth, health, and strong will.
The fairest woman on the earth adores you.
Why hesitate? Why let one Doors life
weighin the scale?
Argne the matter in another way. Are
not thousands Of men slain every year BY
the within OF q monarch or statesman? The
thought of their deaths troubles not those
who send them forth to fight. Men kill each
other for revenge, for money, for point of
honor, and the killer lives on like other
men live! Trust this man to the Wanted
array of Justice. He is innocent, and will
come from the ordeal unscathed. II found
guilty, let him die. He will not be the first
innocent man who has died, nor will he be
the last to die. 1t is but one life! He Is
nothing " you; think of him no more.
Come what may, you will always have your
sunny home md the woman you love. Her
children will grow mp around you. Why
hesitate? life's happiness ia to be won by
simply sealing your lips. Its cost is but,
supposing Justice blunders, to bear the bur-
den of one mans death. A paltry price!
This was the temptation with which l
wrestled'dpring those long hours. Again
and again / was on the point of yielding.
Once or twice rose to my feet with the
fixed determination of destroying that pa
per, and letting things take their own course.
Once or twice even forced my steps some
distance in the direction Of home, but each
time turned, went back to the sheltered
spot, threw myself again on the ground, and
fought the battle anew.
No, could not do this thing. was gen-
tleman and man of honor. Paltry as the
price was when compared with what it
might buy, could not pay it. Although my
whole soul was merged in Philippa's well
rare, could not, even for her sake, suffer
an innocent man to be done unjustly to
death. The crime was too black, too base,
too contemplate! felt sure that, with the
mans blood morally on my head, the SUI
premest joys which life could give would
not lull my conscience to rest. l knew it
would not be long before remOrse and shame
drove me to commit suicide.
Let the preachers say that sin is easy !; that
wrong Is more alluring than right. There
may be some sins which are easily COM
mttted, but dare to say that there are 9TH
ers which the average man, educated by the
code Of honor, and dreading shame and
cowardice finds it far easier to avoid than
to bring himself to commit. No, every sin
is not easyi
But all the same my struggle was mortal
one. At times fancy-it may be but fancy
that even now my mind bears some traces
Of that conflict; q conflict in which my vic
tory meant ruin to my nearest and dearest.
Was not right when said that my tempta-
ton was an all but unparalleled one? Yet
in reassertng this let me humbly disclaim
all credit for not having yielded. l strove
y yield, but could not.
Itwas only when had conquered, and
put the temptation from me, that l was able
to see how utterly useless such crime IS
that urged upon me would have been.
Doubtless Philippa, sooner or later, would
have learned that Sir Mervyn Ferrand's sup
posed murderer had paid the penalty of the
crime. How would it have Jared with lis
then-then, when repsration was placed out
Of the question? Knowing as did every
thought of my wife's, every turn of her inn
pulsivs, sensitive nature, was fain to tell
myself that such news would be simply her
Z dqath-blow.
But what was TO be done? Finding that
could not compass the treachery which l
dared to mediate, cast about for another
!oop-hole Of escape. What If were to re-
turn to England, and accuse myself OF the
crimer To insure Philippa's safety wouia
Iight willingly give away my own life. IL
showed the state to which my mind WAS re-
duced whom l say that considered TINS
scheme In all Ito bearings, and for while
thought 1t furnished solution to NV DIM
calties! wonder if my brain was wander