The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-11-11

nxed upon me In most unpleasant
manner. All my endeavors to draw
him into conversation failed. and after
tine gave them up and also
relapsed into silence
Suddenly he rose from his seat and
drew from the inside Of his overcoat
. long and pointed knife. which
flashed ominously in the lampligkt
Jack Lawson we must both of us
die tonight said he calmly and de-
liberately without any excitement of
manner. Il feel that the time has
come for us both to quit this vale Of
tears"
Yes; quite agree with you. Tom
Raven. I replied seeing what had
happened-in as calm a voice as his
own. Il have long thought that life
was becoming very undesirable; and
to leave it in your company with
you, my oldest and warmest friend
would be the most agreeable thing to
me that could happen. But-you are
not married. Tom
.Thank heaven. moi"
Remember I am married; and
had you given me notice of this wish
of yours before starting. would have
made arrangements and have spoken
to my wife to prepare her. Have you
made your will?"
mo I have not"
Good Heaven. man. not made
your will! Tom. it is absolutely
necessary for both of us to make our
wills before we die. have not made
mine. and should not like to leave the
world with the chance of my wife and
child having to so to the workhouse or
be chargeable on the parish after my
death. You would wish to leave
your money to some one in particular
is it not SOP"
.Of course l should like to leave
my money properly-of course-yes!
l never thought Of making my will"
You must also remem her, Tom,
that it will never do to die deliberately,
in the way we both wish to die. with
out leaving the world our reason for
the act You would not wish your
name to be a by-word and the cause
of derision to any one. l am sure;
and am certain don't wish my own
to be so. Therefore we must draw
up our reasons for dying"
DO you know. Jack. I never
thought of that?"
We'll then first put your knife
down on the cushion there. and then
we will set to work. I've plenty of
paper in my bag and plenty of lead in
my pencil. and we've the whole night
before US.
A tremble of my hand. a culver in
my voice would have been fatal. I
opened the bag and drew forth the
writing paper. The knife was on the
cushion at my side.
Nov. Tom. let us first state our
reasons to the world for wishing to
die tonight by our own hands. If
you will dictate to me your reasons l
will write them down. and then we will
revise and correct them. After that
will dictate my own to you and you
shall write them. We shall be able
to do our work we'll and quickly"
Quite right Jack; we ought to
give them our reasons. How odd
that never thought of that! Let me
see; if kill you first I might write
them out afterwards
"Ah. but who will write out mine?
Don't be selfish. theresa good chap!"
= Ito be sure! Well are you readyP"
He began debating long and flow
cry sentences. Now and again in
terrupted his flow of language to
gain time. This kept him thoroughly
occupied and interested. while the
train sped on at express rate. He
had nearly finished his long rambling
dictation when to my inexpressible
delight I felt the speed of the train
gradually slackening. I knew my
chance of deliverance was near.
Read over for yourself what l
have written" said to him. The
carriage is very close-a little fresh
air will do us good. will make any
corrections you may require"
sat on the knife and reached over
to lower the glass. A slight fumbling
necessitated my rising to manage bet
ter and the knife was in my left hand
concealed under my coat l turned
round to look at my poor friend. and
saw him trying intently to read my
scribble by the light of the lamp
seemingly unconscious of the stopping
of the train. In another moment the
glass descended. the knife dropped
upon the platform my hand was
thrust through the window and on the
handle of the door. The train nearly
! stopped as I jumped out shut the
door, and held the handle firmly
| Poor Raven. even then was quite en-
| crossed with what I had written for
him. called the guard. and secret
ly and quietly the porters were as
sembled on the platform at the door
OF the carriage.
Come. Tom this is Swindon! Let
us have cup OF coffee!'' called to
him through the window.
In that moment the spell was brok-
en-. / saw him look for his knife
teen rush to the window at the oppo-
site side; but we were too quick and
too powerful for him. The guard. two
porters and jumped into the car
riage. and he was secured.
My best friend, with a brilliant
future before him and in the ripe
portion OF his life was raving luna
tic, and has remained hopelessly So
insane from that time-one of many
victims to over work.
/ need scarcely add that the case
! which Raven represented to me as
oollinO him tn Exetar was an antira