The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-12-15
The dahia Daily gayle grday ornue neeember $, 1873.


alert to all that was transpiring around
him. He leaned back in the carriage.
| sick at this great show of SORROW over
| something he now begun to regard as
his own work. 81 wish hadn't per-
| suaded Wilkie," he was thinking with
desperate earnestness.
| The line of carriages moved soberly
| along, and Zangwin noted that the few
stragglers on the sidewalk stopped and
| watched the procession pass with scared
faces. Gradually Miss Wikie grew
more composed.
"You were his friend, Mr. Zangwill, !"
she said. brokenly. ''He often wrote
to me about you, and when he was
| here last he showed me your picture.
| / want you to tell me all about it.
| what you think caused it. Oh, I can't
| realize that he has killed himself"
Eve were close friends" Zangwiil
said. drvly. 81 was with him the night
before
'.And did he say anything or act in a
way that led you TO believe that he was
going to kill himself?" she entreated,
earnestly.
ZangwilI hesitated. ''Oh. tell mel"
she begged. He loved me dearly and
if it wasn't something that came upon
him suddenly ne would have told me.
Tell me-did hep
"N-no," Zangwill stammered.
That was the bitterest day of Zang-
Wills life He remained about the
Wilkie home until noon, watching the
stream of visitors come to take last
look at the popular young idol, and
then. unable to bear the sight Of it
longer, he hurriedly left the house and
strolled into the street.
He had caught but feeting giinpses
of Miss WillSie since leaving her after
the ride from the depot. but the oc-
casional view of her sad figure panied
him inexpressibly. From the moment
his eyes met hers at the depot be felt
there was something in common be-
tween them; she had accepted his kind
Offices most readily and her manner
toward him was that of an old friend,
and now as he fed from the house he
knew it was because he could not-un-
moved-see her suffering.
"If had met her before that night"
he said to himself, ''poor Wilkie would
now be alive"
He returned to the house just as the
funeral cort-ge was preparing to start
He and Barrie rode in carriage with
Miss Willie and her father. At the
grave Barrie offered his arm to the
father, who was shivering with grief.
Miss Wilkie leaned upon Zangwill.
The short exercises were narrowing
to Zangwill's feelings. The throbbing
young girl at his side, who was shaking
with uncomfortable grief, he feared
would drive him wild. Each sob cut
its way into his heart
They were the last to leave the
grave. After great profusion Of fow-
ers had been heaped upon the fresh
mound the father and sister still lin
gered. weeping as if unable to leave.
Finally they went to the grave ofsthe
ill-fated young mans mother and once
more lost themselves in violent ebul-
lition of grief. Zangwill and Barrie led
them to the carriage, but Barrie did not
get IN. "Brantley and 1 will join you
at the depot" he sid to Zangwill.
The carriage moved away down the
cedar-lined walk. 1t couldn't i.ave been
a minute before sharp sound reached
Zangwill's ears, an interval of Sec
ond, and then another quick report.
The horses plunged violently forward
and Miss Wilkie grasped Zangwills
arm. "What was that?" she asked, in
alarm.
Nothing" said Zangwill. 81 will
go back and see., Drive ahead; l will
join you in few minutes"
He climbed out of the carriage hasti-
ly and motioned the driver ahead, but
Miss Willkie was not to be prevented in
this fashion and she jumped out after
him. The two hurried back to Wilkes
grave.
Two dead bodies lay across it-those
of Lester Barrie and Jack Brantley.
Late that night Zangwill returned to
the Wilkie residence, having attended
to all the details of arranging the bod
les Of his friends for shipment, and
having wired their relatives. He was
terribly haggard from the days ex-
element
Miss WillSie and her father were
waiting up for him. If possible, the
terrible events of the day mad left
deeper traces upon their faces than
upon that of their guest.
They spoke of the tragedies in awed
tones
Before Zangwill retired that night
Mr.. Wilkie laid his hand upon his arm
and said:
Mr.. Zangwill. won't Fou remain
with us a few days? Calamities have
fallen so swiftly and SO unexpectedly
of late that l don't know what is TO
come. We are alone here. my daughter
and /. and it is SO lonelyg'
Zangwill promised. In truth he did
not ~ant to return just yet He was
wavering in his resolution TO die
movable. determined. but then he had
not met Price Wilkes sister.
Two weeks slipped by, each day
bringing newspaper tidings of the sui
eide of some one of Zangwilts friends
He had remained with the Wilkes thus
long because he feared 10 leave Twice
a day he had gone with Miss Wilkie 10
place flowers on her dead brothers
grave. Sad as she always was, he ex-
perienced pleasure IN her society on
these melancholy visits, and he noted |
with lively satisfaction that he had I.
begun to supply the place Of her
brother.
One morning she brouch. him .te pa
per containing a sensational account Of !
the latest suicides
s.Have vo,t rnad thisos she sSxef; ex-