Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-08-11

fellow was so overcome that he quite lost
his head and nearly tainted where he sat
with astonishmtnt. As nervous and us
given t. details as sick woman, he mag
niied every small thing that came to him
and jumped at conclusions with a rapdity
which would have put to shame any mem
Der of the opposite SEX But in n moment
of forgetfulness he had spoken, and in two
minutes he lad ruined the life of almost
his only friend.
For awhile as he lay there, after Ivison
had gone, he could hardly understand it
all but gradually through the distorted
lenses of hisscrupulous nature he saw what
he had done, and he wondered dimly how
God would punish ~. Not for moment
did he think of blaming Ivison or asking
himself why the man had not made his life
purer, so that he would have had nothing
to disclose to her father. With character
istc unselfishness he told himself the fault
was entirely his, and that the sin he had
committed was objectionable, unpardon-
able, and hardly knowing what he was do
ing he pulled the little Bible which lay be-
fore him under the light and turned to the
Commandments to see if it was there. But
before he found the place, he came to IL pas
sage which seemed to burn itself into his
brain, "An eye for an eye, tooth for
TOOTH life for life" A life for a lifel
He started to his feet as if some one had
spoken his name and turned to his desk
There he drew "a sheet of paper to him and
wrote:
What told you of Ivison yesterday is lie
from beginning to end. had a purpose then
in bearing false witness against him, for | love
your daughter, and in a moment of wild hope
that might win her said what did. 1t is
lie, repeat. The man is as pure as yourself
and his record as free from stain. That you
take him back again at once is the prayer
the commanded the man who tried to ruin
his life. Show this to him, and remember that
these are the last words of who before
you read them shall be expiatng his crime in
the other world.
To this strange note he signed his name
and put it in an envelope.
at will convince hint must" he said,
turning to a small drawer and opening it.
"Ivison shall he restored, but p
He took from the drawer tiny, pearl
handled revolver, and going to the fire
place again stood looking thoughtfully into
the blaze.
~ have lied" he whispered to himself
LIED about herl "A life for a lifel' "A life
for lien"
Then he pulled the hammer of the re-
volver slowly back and cooked it.
AS Ivison started home from the theater
that night he hestated at the corner of the
street and then turned back and walked
slowly toward the other mans rooms. A
curious feeling came over him while he sat
watching the playa feeling as if he had
done something terribly wrong and some
thing for which he could never make repa-
ration. AS the performance went on the
feeling became stronger until he found
himself restless and distracted and wish
ing he were out of the place in the cool
night air. Why he should feel so he could
not think, and he stopped trying after a
few minutes of mental inquiry.
When he had got through the crowd and
into the street, the strange sensation left
him somewhat, but when he reached the
corner, instead of going home or to the club
as he had intended doing, he found himself
hurrying toward the other mans little
bachelor apartments with no plausible rea-
SON Perhaps it was curiosity to see him
once more before he left the city. Perhaps
only the desire TO look upon him and think
what pleasure it would be to choke the
miserable wretch's life from his body. Per
haps-and this was the true reason, as he
felt later on--his own trouble had made
MN COIL LDdSSIOIlille lOI lut IlltIl, anu lie
would speak kindly to him and try to for
give him. He soon came to the little street
on which the other man lived, and down
this street he turned.
Several men, half dressed and stupidity
excited, it seemed to him, were talking
among themselves il. the hall as he came
in but as it was large house, and those
who roomed there were constantly going
and coming he did not stop. With a nod
and murmur OF recognition to those he
knew by sight, he pushed by them and up
the stairs to the other mans room. He
turned the knob, but the door was closed
and a queer feeling, an intensified return OF
that he had experienced in the theater,
came over him. He threw his weight
against the door quickly, and the lock gave
way.
Upon the bed, with his eyes open and
staring at the ceiling, rs they had done
for the last five minutes, lay the man with
a conscience-dead- Everard Jack Apple
ton in San Francisco Argonaut.