Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-07-01

Wilmott was alone when I turned the
corner. He was advancing slowly,
smiling at his own thoughts until he
saw me. Then he stopped and stared
in amaZement.
"Scoundrel!" 1 shouted at him.
"My dear Haywood, are you mad?"
he asked in that superior way OF his
which always found so intensely ir-
ritating.
Take that, you scoundrel" l
shouted. "Let that teach you les
SON." And l struck at him with al the
fury OF the hatred which was in me.
lie threw MP his arms 90 defend him
self, but was too late. The heavy stick
crashed down upon his head, protected
only by cloth helmit. With a grosn
be fell to the ground, and the red
blood Spurted over toe grass and e7ea
died the cornstalks, while l stared
stupidity az my hSndIwcrk,
he lay so still, aud MS face looked so
chastity white in the moonlight that l
was frightened. l hurled the stick
from me as though it were an accurSed
thing, and il fell among the nettles In
the ditch. Then I knelt by his side,
and begged and implored him TO speak
to me. But his lips never moved; his
eyes had a CHASTITY stare; his hand, when
l raised il, dropped back like llfeless
thing.
And now a great black cloud
which had come up from the sea
covered up the moon aud the stars,
aud left me alone q the darkness with
the dead man. For he was dead, al
though l would not believe il. l bent
over him and brought my face close to
his, but the breath had gone from his
nOstrils. FrantiCally 1 tore open his
waistcOat and laid my hand upon his
heart, but could not detect the fainteSt
beat.
'Oh Godm I cried in my agony, as I
knelt on the pain by the dead mans
side, stake my life, but give back his"
No voice answered me out OF the
darkness. But with the cloud had
came wind which set the trees SILVER
ing and filed the night with strange
noises, so that all pity was swept away
by fear for myself The thing which 1
had done could never be undone. As
soon as l realized that-and how hard
it was TO realized none but myself can
ever tell FASTENED with trembling
limbs TO hide IL away, 10 prevent its
being known, 20 save myself from the
horrible consequences. As a prelimin-
arv measure dragged the body some
distance into the corn, but il did not
seem safe there, 50 l went on and on,
finally stopping at a slight depression
iu the hill which knew was the centre
OF the field. And there left my bur
den.
In order not TO arouse suDicion should
any one discover and follow my track,
went in the opposite direction to the
Watch-tower and, creeping along with
bent head, arrived at the edge OF the
field near the stile. But l was afraid 90
leave the corn lest I should be seen. l
crouched down among it, trying to nerve
myself for a rush, and OF a sudden was
driven almost frantic with terror, for
the lightning leaped from the clouds
and darted TO and fro ere il fell, as If
searching for the exact spot where
had concealed myself. Then the thun-
der crashed and doomed, rumblinG away
among the mountains; fash followed
fash so rapidly that there was no dark
ness TO hide il; the rain fell IN torrents.
Drenched to the skin l crawled out on
20 the path, and went scurryiny away
up the bill, never pauslng until l was
inside the garden.
1 was mad that night. / must have
been, aud it pleases me TO think so.
Did not Wilmot say, MY dear Hey
wood, are YOU mad9" No sane man
would have spent hours roaming about
the grounds during such storm. The
lightning, which al first l had dreaded,
1 came TO regard with very different
feelings. l stood beneath the tallest
trees, and, with hands stretched up TO
heaven, prayed that il might descend
upon me. For, why should l live? The
brand Of Cam was upon my forehead; L
was an outcaSt among men; | was cut
off for ever from Rachel. Better die
thousand times than live such life
as remained TO me, If IL should be my
fortune 10 escape the gallows. One
tree saw struck, and ran to IL breath
lessly and caught It in my arms, but
sVaa. she lightning would not touch
me.
II was not until the storm had passed
away that went indoors, and lighting
the candle left for me on the hall table,
skunk I'D 10 my room. Then l saw,
with a shudder, that my hands and
clothes were smeared with blood. l