The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-08

had fallen upon me, and L was ready Tor
the end. Strangely enough 1T did not
occur to me to reflect why | selected
ferrv-hoat for the scene of the deed, nor
why at the final moment l prepared for
the leap when the boat was exactly oppo-
site Goat Island. | remember merely
that in a numb dull state of peace /
scanned the forward upper deck to see
that l was not observed; then stepped
upon the seat, placed one foot on the rail
and in another moment would have been
in the water and under the heavy blows of
the paddle-wheel, when what | then took
TO be a strong hand seized me by the
shoulder and forced me upon the seat, and
what then supposed was voice hoarsely
whispered in my ear:
Not now. my friend. l have been
merely trying you. Meet me at IL O'Clock
tonight in the blight of Goat Island and
will tell you wonderful thing. Do not
fail. Be sure to meet me-"
NY recollection of the events immedi-
ately succeeding that incident is dull and
OPAQUE but it is this: I felt no surprise at
this strange interruption and was singu-
larlv Indifferent to a sensation of alarm
upon observing an exceedingly tall figure,
cloaked and cowled from head to foot in
close-clinging garment, leap overheard
and plunge without splash or ripple into
the bay. That disposed of can narrate the
after events with a reasonably sure de-
pendence upon the evidence of my senses.
An aching sickness accompanied with vlo-
lent rigor came upon me after the deadly
numbness had passed away. BY that time
was on the train speeding up the mole to
Oakland. The ague was so alarming that
I thought myself shaking to pieces. In
frightened desperation [ Sprang TO my feet
and leaped from the train just as it reached
the shore, and was thrown hesdlong to the
ground. The fall stunned and bruised me,
but there must have been born within me
q purpose so eager that it forcibly brought
me back to consciousness. The rigor then
was gone and IN its place came prodigious
excess of energy. [ ran furiously by dark
streets for two good miles and then paused;
but the run had exhausted the eagerness
OF my legs only; my arms now clamored
for exercise OF violent kind. | beat the
air with them, and then, trying their
strength on a convenient fence, was dis
mayed to find the ornate cast-iron
structure break like a lattice of twigs in
my hand. That alarmed me and made me
lay check on my fury.
The purpose within me had not yet
forced itself into the range of my outer
consciousness, but [ know now that it
must have been at work within me from
the moment when the shadowy figure
Ieaped over the rail. At any event, after
having trayersed miles in my swift going,
1 found myself at place where small
boats were tied up to wharf. 1t may be
of interest to say now that L have not
been able to find that place again. 1 know
only that I tore boat loose, pushed
out into the bay and began to row with
strength so great that, had l not re-
strained it, the oars or the rowlocks would
have snapped. 1 was heading straight
down the bay, rowing at an acute angle
away from the shore and passing close
under the end of the long mole that juts
far out into the bay north of the one
where the ferry-boat lands. A sharp
wind was coming up through the Golden
Gate, and it so deeply chopped the water
as to lend some peril to my expedition. l
had never made that trip before, but my
memory assures me now that went for
ward without the least hesitation or fear
and without once looking round to see if
was taking a rational course. Although
the spray wetted me TO the skin and the
mouth of the wind was filed with hungry
teeth l felt no cold. hut instead a furious.
hot eagerness that kept my marrow
aglow.
1t did not surprise me in the least to see
presently the dancing sheen that came
over the water from the mild dioptricon
eve which peered into the darkness from
the Goat Island lighthouse, nor 10 observe
soon afterward that | was passing the
wharf upon which were resting big red
topped buoys waiting for service in the
outer sea. And when my boat grounded
upon the narrow sand beach in the cove of
the island, opposite the low saddle which
connects the large body OF the island with
its uplifted tail, l felt that everything was
natural, ordinary and MT. I did not even
look round TO see if
But it was there. And my observance
OF the fact brought the first OF those def
mite sensations which the presence of a
mystery or danger-and every mystery
is danger-sets in order.
There was no mistaking the extraordi-
nariIy long, lean figure, closely cIoaked
and hooded, even though it was folded
grotesquely in a sitting posture on the
sand. its long arms clasping the knees, in
which the face was buried. The wind did
not fret the water in the blight, but the
outer waves came rolling gently in and
broke softly on the beach. The stars were
bright, and the light from them and from
the distant lamps on the mole brought out
The strange crouched figure with sufficient
dlstinctness to show it as sharp silhouette
on the yellow sand.
stood in silent expectancy 3 few yards
away. Presently voice issued from the
figure.
"You have come" it said.
II have"
'Are you afraid?"
To challenge a mans fear is to restore
his courage. NO 1 answered.
The tall figure, seemingly now mon
strously high, slowly rose and turned to
face me.
''Why," it asked, "did you select that
spot for killing yourself?"
was confused and silent. The figure
then laughed with a solemn, somber glee,