The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1895-10-24
NEMESIS.
BY G. ~EngeIbach.
ALANIMA ANAAAAAA

No one brought into casual contact
with Edwin Flint would have suspect
ed that he was of unsound mind.
None the less, he was one of the most
dangerous lunatics that 1 had in the X
Asylum.
He had been an exceptionally able
lawyer, and. up to the fortieth year.
had been making a large income.
Overwork had. however, told upon
him, and he was suddenly seized.
while in the company of some friends
with acute homicidal mania. He Rad
been with me for four years, and, on
The average. had an attack OF mania
every six or seven weeks. During his
period Of lunacy he was SO f%erOcious
as to demand constant care and super
vision. and, of course, as n result. had
to he detained in the asylum.
In his saner intervals no man could
have desired a pleasanter companion,
and it was my constant habit tn speId
half an hour or so a day in his con-
genial company. One day, just be-
fore his periodical attack, lie told me
the following story, which is of such
Il unique character that l give it Just
as he told it to ne. At its conclusion.
wrought up to a pitch of fury, he
made a determined attack upon me,
and | nearly paid for my tale with my
life, being only rescued with difficulty
by the attendants.
81 was what the world would call
a successful man, and, on my fortieth
birthday, | reckoned l was making
owe E2.O0O a year. | had always been
a lonely man. and had never had the
least inclination towards female So
ciety ~contenting myself with my work
and my books. One day. however. I
had to wait upon an old gentleman
who had recently come to our town,
for the purpose of drawing up his will.
When this was done | was introduced
TO his daughter, a girl about 20. Ethel
Millikin was not what might Have
been called a beauty; still, | knew at
once that | had met my fate. To@yor,
doctor, married Young and happily. it
may sound ridiculous for a middle
aged man to be talking of love; yet,
to me it was a desperate fact. l will
not bore you with her description; suf-
flee it to say that, trembling, | took
lily ledNe anu went Ddch 10 lily OIllcc.
There thought long and deeply over
this new phase in my life, and finally
resolved that, cost what it might: l
would marry Miss Millikin. and that
if | couldn't-no one else should.
at was clearly absurd for me to
attempt to win her love In the usual
way, the disparity in our years was
TOO great: so | decided to win her re-
spcct first.
81 took time yer it, and quietly in
terested myself in her pet projects,
subscribed to her sick funds, lent her
books, and was of use 10 her in many
ways. Already she regarded me as a
very dear friend. and. I have no doubt
would soon have learnt to love me.
One night | was to take her and
her sister to the theater, and had book
ed three stalls. At the last moment.
however, to my secret joy, her sister
had a bad headache, and was unable
to 20. We went as arranged, and | de-
cided to put my fortunes to the touch
during the performance. On our ar
rival the theater was crowded, and, to
my intense annoyance. | found a
young client of mine, Sir Edward
Berkeley, in the next stall to ours. |
was obliged to introduce him, and had
the modification of seeing that Miss
Millikin had made an impression on
him. What chance had against a
young. wealthy, and handsome MN:
And with jealous eyes I already saw
the Chateau d'Espagne of love, that !
had so carefully reared, in ruins.
son our return from the play, Berk-
ley insisted on accompanying us to
Mr.. Millikin's house, and was intro
duced by me to him.
"The acquaintance ripened into
friendship, and friendship into love
which | was powerless to prevent;
and n day Berkeley burst into my of
fee. in n great state of excitement
and asked me to congratulate him.
"Nle, of all men! How ! managed
with impotent rage at my heart, tC
keep a smooth and smiling face, | Dc
not know: but. to add to the bitter
iro ~ of the situation. | had to receive
: in tructions to draw up my success