The Portland daily press., 1892-02-02
A NIGHT or DEATH.

1t was d1sagreeablo night. A sharp,
cutting wind had set in early in the
evening, and continued with unabated
vigor all the night. A dl-izzle, half rain
and half snow, set in with it, and cut
the face of the unlucky pedestrian like
SO much hail.
At the club we huddled around the
fires and, warm though the rooms We're,
shivered uncomfortably every time a
strong gust would send the sleet driving
against the window panes.
"Ughm said the colonel, looking at me
under his heavy eyebrows, and grasping
the lapels of his coat he pulled them to-
gether as though to shut out the I'M
pleasant feeling that seemed to prevail
in the air.
I shivered alphabetically.
GA bad night" muttered the colonel
laconically, and he drew his chair closer
to the fireplace.
SIT might be worse" he said, with an
attempt at cheerfulness; but it fell fat
1t was near midnight, and Colonel
Montfort and had just returned from
the theater to enjoy moments warmth
in the clubroom. We had it almost to
ourselves, for the night did not encourage
late wanderings.
/ rose to my feet and stretched my
arms and legs.
"HomeY' inquired the colonel look
ing at his watch.
"Just as WE'LL" said with a shrug of
my shoulders; the gloom and dismal
ness of the weather seemed to have set
tied everywhere.
Colonel Montfort and I enjoyed a
suite of rooms in one of the best flats in
st. Paul, and led nearly ideal exist
tence for two such old bachelors as we
were.
The colonel was an old southern man,
and had seen service in the Brothers
war" He had earned his rank by val
liant and distinguished service for the
Union forces. He was tall, well built
man, with commanding presence, and
although past the middle age carried
his years well.
i, on the other hand, although snugly
put together and possessed of unusual
endurance, was greatly his inferior in
point of physique, and our friends at the
club were won't to allude to us as 'sDavid
and Goliath"
'sThat comparison is unjust" the
colonel said one day laughingly, 'sfor l
am sure neither of us desires the others
death"
And we did not think then that one
ever would.
ssAnd it is extremely doubtful that
this David will ever inflict death
wound to this Goliath" interposed a
friend.
We laughed at the idea.
But the colonel rose with a yawn, and
again looking. at his watch donned his
wraps, and we went out into the slip
perry streets.
sNot beastly cab in sight," grum-
bled my friend, as we peered about.
"And on such a night tool" he added,
with grimace.
So we had to make the best of it, and
trudged slowly home through the slush.
The rain poured and beat upon us, and
the wind swirled pitilessly about our
mufied heads.
"Ugh," said the colonel with shake.
And sUgh!' repeated I. But could
not shake off the depression that had
settled upon me with the sleet; and a
foreboding of evil took possession of me
that | tried in vain to dispel.
/ was possessed of very sensitive
nerves, and this combined with the life
1 led and the influences that had sur
rounded me since my birth made me a
coward in some things. And never did
I feel such an undefnable dread, and
never were my senses so quick to make
mountains out of nolehills as at the
times when my spirits were depressed
and my nerves made jangling by unto
ward weather. was vertically cow
ard in the dark.
Usually when got in a well lighted
and heated room l could shake this de-
preston off; but not so tonight.
"You look excited, my dear Kane"
said the colonel as we flung ourselves in
easy chairs and stirred up the fire. l
rose and went to the looking glass in
one end of the room and started back
shocked as caught sight of my face.
1t was filed with a tense, suppressed
excitement that / had never seen there
before-hair actually appeared like
bristles upon my head, and under my
eyes were large, dark rings.
After my first start / laughed some
what awkwardly am afraid, and told
the colonel that l had evidently been
Iissipating too heavily Of late.
He smiled absently and kept staring
into the fire.
"Well, I guess I'll go to bed" said
after a pause.
The colonel nodded without looking
up, and bidding him good night left
the coy sitting room and made prepare
tons for repose.
The colonel ard / occupied separate
sleeping apartments, IS our suite was
large, using the remaining rooms to-
gether. Until a day or two ago we had
had valet who attended to our wants,
but he had left us, and we had as yet
been unable to find suitable person to
take his place. My room was quite large
for a bedroom, but for that reason | pre-