The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-05-21

passed. but could not do so. do
not think 1t was because he dared not
trust me. but IL seemed as II he could
not bear to speak more definitely Of
the broodng horror that haunted him
perpetually.
cndeavored TO reason him out OF
his causeless dread OF heavens VEN
geance by pointing out the many sue
cessful and apparently happy villains
all around. but he only shook his
head
Their wickedness is not like
mine. " he moaned Il can never be
happy again. and reason as you like.
the blow will fall and that speedily.
Vengeance Is His and can you doubt
that He will repay crimes such as
mine with His severest chastisementp
No; did the deed and l must endure
the punishment When heavens blow
has fallen you will believe and under
stand me; and fall it will / know it.
Toward the last Johns malady In
creased with alarming rapidity, SO
rapidly that had to forbid his trying
10 attend to business any longer He
was the only friend ] had in the
world. and singular and morose though
he was ! could not bear to lose him;
but unless his mind could be diverted
into other channels saw that it was
inevitable.
He obeyed me as child might have
done. and putting our business into
the hands OF u competent foreman.
took my partner and fed into the
country for rest and recreation. We
could afford to do So for our affairs
were fairly prosperous and as we
were both alono in the world we had
saved considerable money.
1t was lonely and picturesque
farming locality among the mighty
| hills that last from everlasting to
everlasting in which John Manley and
l sought renewed strength OF body and
mind For II few days his health i'm
proved wonderfully in the pure atmos-
phero OF that quiet country town and
his gloomy forebodings vanished like
dew before the sun; fondly hoped
| forever.
He developed an exuberance OF
spirits that had never before seen
him display. and my own rose accord
ingly for thought that the worst
was over. For more than week |
did not see the slightest Indication OF
the trace Of insanity felt that he had
once had and he proved to be one OF
the most entertaining men | had ever
met. During all our &C luaintance |
had never once suspected the existence
OF such rare conversational powers.
and l felt that our future associations
would be far more pleasant than the
! past had been if could only prevent
him from relapsing into his old gloomy
habits again.
One lovely evening we left the
| pretty white farmhouse ut which we
were temporarily stopping and set out
on long walk down the winding
country road. The moon had not yet
risen, but the glimmer OF the stars was
sufficient TO dimly illuminate the lovely
landscape. Il was night of calm and
holy beauty.
! John had been almost wildly gay
! for the whole afternoon. but rs we
started out upon our ramble he sud-
denly became as moody as OF old Try
as would l could not engage him in
conversation He only answered in
monosyllables and finally ceased to
trouble him, so for some time we
walked along through that scene
OF dusky lovelincss in perfect silence.
AT length my companion spoke.
William. my presentiment has re-
turned with tenfold force. and know
the long-delayed vengeance OF heaven
is at hand. feel that am going to
my DOOM"
/ tried to reassure HIM but found
1t was impossible His wild fancy had
come again with increased strength.
and had taken such strong hold Of
his Imagination that l was powerless
to dispace it,
'My will Is deposited with Lawyer
True, William, and everything have
in tho world will be yours" he went
on little later.
Nonsense, John you will outline
me by ten years foryou are more than
that much younger than i. II answered
with q forced laugh.
Don't laugh at ne William, for l
am IN solemn earnest The hand OF
heaven is raised just above me in
awful threatening. and the hour OF
my atonement Is Mt hand. It's deadly
biow will fall and annihilate mo. per-
haps this very night and try as l will
l can not avoid it. My God! What is
thatp"
A sharp kissing sound broke the
peaceful silence OF that mellow sum-
mer night and there was sudden
flash OF almost binding intensity.
John Manloy gave single bound to
one side just as ball OF livid white
fire shot downward and struck him
squarely upon his massive chest He
sprang wildly into the air and fell by
the roadside in tumbled heap-stone
dead The blow had fallen and
heavens vengeance was accomplished
at last.
never learned anything ABOUT my
strange partner except what / have
narrated above. and whether the dark
secret to which he so often alluded
had any existence except In his own
disordered imagination 1 am utterly
unable TO say / only know that his