Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-10-07

spoke irnpatientiy Of her brother. Tears
sprang ~ her eyes such divine dis
similatlonl / thoughs-too good for
earth. She turned 10 leave she room
and cid nos stay her. Yet we were To-
gether again that night. l was only
waiting"
The cigarette had dropped from his
fingers 20 the floor and lay there smok-
ing. Snon's face was liked with anxiety
Pierre's eyes PLAYED gregely with tho
sunshine. Wendling drew heavy
breath aud then Went on:
8"Again next day il was like this-the
world draining the heat. l watched
from the Big mill | saw them again
He leaned over her ch2ir aud buried his
face III her hair. The proof was abso-
lute now. | started away, going round
about, that might not be seen Ii took
me some time. / was passing through
ciuInp OF cedar when l saw them max
ing toward the trees skistiEg the river.
Their backs were on HE. Suddenly they
diverted their steps toward the great
slide, shut Of from water this last few
months, and used DE- a quarry 10 deepen
il. Some petrified things had been found
in the rocks, but | did not think they
were going 10 these.
Il saw them climb down the rocky
steps. and presently they were lost 10
view. The gates of the slide could DO
opened by machinery from the little
mill. A terrible, deliciously malignant
thought came TO me. | remember how
the sunlight crept away from me and
left me IL the dark. l stole through
that darkness to the little mill. went
70 the machinery for opening the gates.
Very gently set il in motion, facing
the slide as l did so. l could see 1t
through the open sides OF the mill.
Il smiled 10 think what the tiny creek,
always creeping through faint leak III
the gates and falling with granite rat
tie on the stones, would now become.
pushed the lever harder. harder. l saw
the gates suddenly give, then fly open,
and the river sprang, roaring, massively,
through them. Iheard shrek through
the roar. l shuddered; and a horrible
sickness came on me. And as l turned
from the machinery, saw the young
priest coming at me through a doorway!
1t was not the priest and my wife that
had killed, but my wife and her brother"
He threw his head back as though
something clamped his throat. His
voice roughened with misery: "The
young priest buried them both, and peo-
pie did not know the truth. They were
even sorry for me. But l gave up she
mills-all; and l became homeless
this"
Now he looked up at the two men and
said: Il have told you because you know
something, and because there will, l
think, be an end soon." He got up and
reached out rembling hand for a
cigarette. Pierre gave him one. "Will
yea walk with ney' he asked.
Shon shook his head. "God forgive
your he replied; Il can't do it."
But Vending and Pierre left the hut
together. They walked for an hour,
scarcely speaking and not considering
where they went. At last Pierre me.
chemically turned to go down into the
Red glen. Vending stopped short:
then with signing laugh strobe on.
"Shon has told you what happened
here?" he said.
Pierre nodded.
"And you know what came once when
you walked with me. The dead can
strike" no added.
Pierre sought his eye. 1.-The minister
and the girl buried together that day."
he said, "were"-
He stopped, for behind him he heard
the sharp, cold trickle of water. Silent
they walked on. 1t followed them
They could not get out of the ravlne
now until they had compassed its length
the walls were high. The sound grew.
The men faced each other. "Goodby."
said Vending, and he stretched ont his
hand swiftly. But Pierre heard a
mighty flood groaning on them, and he
blinded as he stretched out his arm in
reply.
He caught at Weddings shoulder,
but felt him lifted and carried away,
while himself stood still in screeching
wind and felt impalpable water rushing
over him. In minute it was gone and
he stood alone in Red glen. He gath
cred himself up and ran. Far down,
where the glen opened to the plain, he
found Vending. The hands were wrin-
killed.; the face was cold: the body was
wet; the man was drowned and dead
Gilbert Parker in National Observer.