Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-03-21
THE TEN FOOT DRIVE,
By CHARLES 10TH HILDRETH.
Copyright, 1894, by American Press Associa-
tiO2.l
CHAPTER XIX.
THE ToLLING OF THE BELL

wet and spIashed with mud, unkempt
and uncleIn. man approached them
with slow, slouching gait as if wea-
ried with miles of travel. 1t was Mat
thew North.
Is that you, Matthew" said Miss
Duke COnstrainedly.
You may we'll ask if it is l., re-
piled the miner in hoarse voice, lift
ing his hollow. red trimmed eyes to hel
face. Sometimes l cant believe il
! myself. Yes. l am he that was Mat
thew North, once respectable, decently
clad and fit company for men, now q
vagabond, tramp, a beast, unfit to live
or die
Poor Matthew" murmursd the girl
involuntarilv.
If you utter word of pity for me, -
he burst ont furiously, Il shall do hell s
work on somebody
Be careful, North, interiected
MOnckton sternly.
Take notice, - retorted the miner in
a sinister tone. more monacing than his
previous fury. Only the strength of
thread holds me back from murder.
It's at my heart, l tell you. l had my
hand ON your throat once. If l put it
there again. I'll strangle you like a
dog"
Don t buster in the presence of a wo-
man. North. replied Monckton coldly.
Again the eyes of these two men met
in silent struggle for mastery, those of
the proprietor calm, clear and fearless,
the others with the unsettled glare of
insanity. The girl, sitting powerless in
her saddle, held her breath in fearful
suspense. At length North turned away
and stood a moment with bent head as
if lost in some strange revery. Sudden
ly he thrust his hand into his breast and
drew forth n small soiled and crumpled
sbve.
DO Won recognize it, he asked, hold
Ing IS up htfure the girl. 1t is your
glove. You dropped it. and found and
. kept it. | have carried it about with
me night and day. | have covered it
with kisses. See. 1t is stained with my
lips There are tears on 1t too.
Strange that Il man should weep over
a W. Z r.l's glove! | would sooner have
parted with life than that glove. Now"
he kissed it once more violently, then
mud with the heel of His boot there's
an end of it. l have other work to do
than crying over a bit of senseless leath-
er mans work. devils work but
sometimes l forget, and my thoughts go
wandering - wandering. Oh. he
groancd. If l could only crush this ter
rifle love ont of my heart and brain as
easily. 1t burns like fire from that
lake where the wicked howl forever and
are never consumcd-where 1 shall
howl. too, soon"
Any enmity which Monckton may
have felt toward the miner passed away
as he sat gazing at this strange scene.
In tone which he meant to be at once
mild and firm, he addressed him:
Come. North. compose yourself and
20 quietly home.
His voice appeared 10 reawaken the
partially allayed frenzy of the unfor-
tunatc man. He whirled round upon
him with a savage snarl.
That's the work l had to do, - he
shouted. That the deed l promised
the devil-to kill You and drag you
down to hell with me. Ha. ha! how
You will writhe and scream and pray
and how | will laugh and mock you,
though | shall be tortured too
Before Monckton comprehended his
intention or could lift a hand in self
defense North had sprung at his horse,
caught the bits in an iron glip and borne
the animal backward upon his haunch-
e. CRYING. Down. down, you first and
me after YOU
In another instant. IN spite of the
girls pleading words and Monckton S
struggles TO free himself, horse and
rider would have been dashed into the
deep. stony ditch at the roadside, when
far OFF and mufflcd the solemn toIling
of bell came labOring up from the val
ley against the brisk wind. The sound
seemed to paralyze the frantic man S
strength. He dropped the bits and stood
listening with features that gradually
grew Calmer. while shade of nameless
dread crept over them. The other two
listened with him. foI they, too, knew
full we'll what the tOllinS of that bell
portrnded.
What-what is it, nuttered North,
looking around him with vague inquiry.
Why are they tolling that bell:'
Il will tell you why" answered
Monckton, his face deathly white. The
water has broken into the Ten Foot
Drive, and if a single life is lost there
you are to blame for it. Now stand
aside
With a terrible cry. a cry of horror
and remorse, North sped like deer
down the road leading to the village.
Where are you going, Ralph?" ask
ed the girl anxiously as she saw Monck-
ton gather mp the reins and settle him
self in the saddle.
ITO the mine, " he answered, though
fear there is little hope. l have not
heard the tolling of that bell since boy
hood, but have not forgotten its dread