Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-07-24
"Horriblel Most horrible"

nation and felt as il my scalp were self
lifted from my head. | clasped the q
book and rushed to the window as II
heart was sitting for fresh air.
Again at the fire. The large walnut fag-
OTIS had burned to bed of bright Goals, and
/ sat gazing into IL, totally unable TO shake
off the fearful incubus from my breast.
The martyr was thereon the very hearth
with the stakes scornfully crossed around
his body, and as the large Goals cracked
asunder and revealed the brightness within
I seemed to follow the nerve rending instru-
ment from hip to shoulder and suffer with
him pang for pang. as II the burning red
ness were the pools Of his fevered blood.
"Ahar'
II struck on my ear like the cry OF an ex.
ulting fend.
"Ahar'
shrank into the chair as the awful cry
was repeated and looked slowly and with
difficult courage over my shoulder. A sin
gle fierce eye was fixed upon me from the
mass OF bedclothes. and for moment the
relief from the fear of some supernatural
presence was like water to parched
tongue. ] sank back, relieved, into the
chair.
There was a rustling In the bed and start
ing again found the wild eyes Of my pa
tient fixed steadfastly upon me. He was
creeping stealthily out Of bed. His bare
foot touched the floor. and his toes worked
upon it IA II he was feeling its strength.
and in moment he stood upright upon his
feet and, with his head bent forward and
his pale face livid with rage, stepped toward
me- looked at the door. He observed
the glance and with boifhd sprang over
l.. l..I II - 4 q a u
ously through the window.
Now" said he
"Marlowe," cried, rising from my seat,
almost terror stricken. had heard that a
calm and fixed gaze would control mad
man, and with the most difficult exertion
Of nerve met his lowering eyes, and we
stood looking at each for full minute
like men of marble.
"Why have sou left your bedf" wildly
asked.
"To kill you" was the appalling answer.
and the next instant the light stand be-
tween us was swept aside and he struck
me down with a blow that would have
killed a giant Naked as he was, had no
hold upon him, even if in muscular strength
had been his match, and with a minutes
struggle yielded, for resistance was vain.
His knee was upon my breast and his left
hand In my hair, and he seemed by the
tremulousness of his clutch to be hesitating
whether he should dash my brains out on
the hearth.
could scarce breathe with his weight
upon my chest, but tried, with the broken
words could command, to move his pity.
| He laughed as only maniacs can and placed
| his hand upon my throat. Shall ever for
| get the flendish deliberation with which he
| closed those fingersS
"Marlowe! for Gods sakel NARROWER
| "Dier' he replied. In the agonies of suf-
location l struck out my arm and almost
buried it in the fire upon the hearth. With
an expiring thought grasped handful
| of redhot Goals and had just sufficient
strength to press them hard against bis
SIDE
"Thank Godp exclaimed, with my first
breath, az my eyes recovered from Their
sickness and l looked upon the familiar
objects of the chamber once more. The
madman sat crouched like whipped dog
In the remotest corner Of the room gibber
ing and moaning, with his hands pressed
hard against his burned side. I felt that
had escaped death by miracle. The door
was locked, and in the dread OF another at
tack threw up the window, and to my un
| utteraDle JOY the nBure OF man was VIE
ible upon the snow near the outbuildings
of the college. II was charity student
risen before day to labor in the woodward
shouted to him. and Marlowe leaped t.
his feet.
There Is time yetr' he cried, but as h,
came toward me again, with the same pan
therlike caution as before, seized heav,
stone pitcher standing in the window seat
and hurting il at him with fortunate fore,
and aim he fell, stunned and bleeding, Il
the floor. The door was burst open tn,
next moment, and calling for assistance WI
tied the mailman to lis bed, bound up hi
head and side and committed him to fresl
watchers.
Marlowe recovered eventually, but new
er saw the smile depart from his face with
out disposition to look to the door.-Ex
| change.