Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-06-15

hastened him. and he at once pulled the
trigger.
he fell into the chair beside hin, his
hand pressed to his heart, hoping that
death would not be long delayed. for the
pain he was suffering was intense. He
could feel the warm blood trickling over
ms hand, dyeing the bosom of his shirt
vivid red.
His eyes fell upon his trembling hand,
which still clutched the pistol It was
not smoking, and suddenly there echoed
in Wyndam's ear the dull fall Of the
hammer. He realized that he was not
shot: that the pistol had been unloaded.
The mirror, which he faced, unmerci-
fully reflected him. The color had fed
from his face; his eyes were fixed and
distended; his lips were twitching. He
gave some contemptuous commiseration
to the abject figure, failing to realize i'm.
mediately that it was himself.
The weapon dropped from his nerveIess
fingers, and he buried his face in his
hands. He continued to sit in his hud-
died position for some time, then, after
several fruitless attempts, got to his feet.
He groped his way blindly to the car.
tridges, and when he at last had the box
in his hand slowly retraced his steps tc
the pistol, which lay upon the floor. He
lowered his hand for it, but he could not
pick it up. He had lost control of his
fingers. he drew himself erect and
wiped away the cold perspiration which
had broken out on his brow.
"Great God," he whispered, "what q
coward l amI'
Hecarefully smoothed the anguish from
his face, and once again bent for the re.
volver. This time he was able to con.
vey it to the table. He endeavored to re. |
loadit, but could not.
Il shall rest for time," he meditated,
dragging himself to a chair. "It is true
l told him should end it all within the
hour, but there is no pressing hurry, and
my worst enemy would not wish tc
shorten these extra moments"
His eyes wandered aimlessly about the
room, but finally rested upon long en-
velope which lay upon his desk. 1t was
directed to him in an unfamiliar hand. |
In one corner was the name and address
of prominent firm of lawyers. He
had noticed it previously, but had not
opened it. Now, wishing to divert his
mind, he incuriously broke the seal.
It was lengthy communication, but
from his brief glance he CLEANED that
through the death of his mothers only
brother he and his brother were joint
heirs to an enormous fortune. He re-
stored the letter to its envelope. The in
telligence seemed an unnecessarily cruel
taunt of fate. His riches or his poverty
could not now concern him.
Sand to think of it all reverting to |
Howard" he muttered. "He will not
know how to use it; he will be more un
comfortable than pleased. He becomes
heir to 10 times what should originally
have been his through one mans perfdy,
and because am that mans son, and
because it is just law that the sins of
the father shall be visited ON the chill
dren / must suffer. There is but one
consolation-no one knows, or ever can
know, the depth of our fathers baseness
but ourselves"
1t suddenly flashed upon him that the
knowledge had now narrowed down to
himself. He turned the envelope over
caressingly, repeating softly, "No one
on earth knows but myself"
He seemed to derive certain satisfac.
tion from the words.
''Were we right in SO summarily de-
Gliding that only through our death could
restitution be NADER" he demanded.
Howard would be far more content if
left with his books and modest COM
potency. The control of vast wealth
would be nothing but burden to him.
OF course he could not be given what is
rightfully his without creating suspicion,
and that must be eavoided, but we cam
He went no further, for he was again
confronted by his brothers. death. Hs
once more extended his hand to the re.
volver, and all his lately acquired re-
pose vanished. His face hardened: a
look of subtle cunning crept about his
lips.
Perhaps it is as WELL" he urged.
HE would never have been at peace, for
he had an exaggerated idea of honor. II
l determine to live, he pursued, 81 shall
resolutely thrust from me the remem.
brance of what we discovered. There
will be nobody, nothing, to remind me
of it, and even to myself l shall appear
as much man Of honor as before we
happened upon these papers.
With dogged firmness he replaced tbs
and revolver in their compart
ment. No sign of the conflict which ha
ragged remained.
1t had grown late, and he carefully
dressed for dinner. Once or twice his
thoughts lowered over the motionless
form lying in his brothers room. 1t
would be necessary for him to feign sur.
prise when the servants found the body.
but he impressed upon himself the fact
hat he must be cautious not to overact
MS role.
He had dressed without his valet's
lelp. but as he was about to leave the
'oom he heard him in the corridor. He
Idvanced toward the door, smiling lit
lie, as if pleased at having got along
without the mans assistance.
He opened the door, then retreated q :
tep, as did also the man on the thresh- i
Id.
The two brothers. both carefully D
lressed, stood face to face.-Alice S. IS
Volf in Argonaut. X