The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-24

hoarsey. And can't help it! I know what
Datchford means TO dol know he means
Io-to marry-<itty; / knoow-heavens! 1
He dropped his head suddenly into his
hands
rubbish"
nj isn't rubbish" he said family after
''Datchford isn't like you-or me-or
any of US. Hes-RObsOn'- leaning for
ward, and looking at me uneasily-'I
could tell YOU things about Datchford
that you wouldn't believer
or beWitched Or"
But to my surprise, he suddenly started
to his feet, and stared al me in strange
way,
mad! At least, not yet! On, no! you are
mistaken. l tell you I'm not mad"'
/ stared at HIM in blank amazement,
for sudden change had come over him,
and l almost fancied l could detect a red
Il tell You" he repeated wildly. I'm
he scarcely knew what he was saying he
went on: He said il would come; but not
yet-no, not yet Datchford has powers
that you don't know of-you'd.never dream
'Powers?'' I repeated. What powers %
And in reply he came over and whispered
a story in my ear hat made me grow sick
and faint with 4 fear that even l could
not control | shiVeTed with sudden cold
and rose and rakcd up the fire. Then 1
After while raised my head and asked
Jack if he owed Datchford any money
Nearly 200 pounds he answered weari-
~ Two hundred pounds! And it's ike
a mill stone round my neck If-.f / could
pay it! l shah never pay II back! 1 shall
have to go on, and on, until
lie stopped 9nd a shiyer ran through
Now" Iisaid decidedly, look here.
You'll pay that money off at once. I've got
it, and III give it 10 you tomorrow. After
you have paid him you must cut him dead
dead do you here?'
He looked UP. There was a new light on
when you have settled with him you
must move your rooms from this floor TO
mine" went on. There is a suite va
cant, and you can probably so i'm this
week. Then, If there isn't an end to all
this tomfoolery, III put an end to it some
So gave Jack the 800. gave il to him.
not caring whether | got il again or not
And a day or two afterwards he moved
TO my floor. What Datchford thought Of
ii do not know, and for nearly three
weeks we heard nothing Of him. During
that time Jack changed as II by magic.
l watched him steadily, but there was
no sign of the thing feared, and il seem
ed to me that nothing would ever come
/ between him and Kitty again.
But one night / was sitting smoking and
reading, when there came sudden scream
from Jack room, followed by crash and
a sound Of broken glass.
Before I had time to stir-before l had
dropped my book-Jack had rushed across
the landing and burst open my door
His face was white, his eyes were blood
shot and staring, and he seemed to be
overcome with a wild terror that shook
him from head to foot.
Robson" he shouted. Then ne sudden
~ stopped. and his own demeanor
changed He had rushed IN headlong
Now his pace became slow crawl. He
shivered, looked round and then he came
on-came slowly on. rolling his head from
side to side, ana talking rapidly in low
broken voice.
Then he suddenly sat down on the floor
and burst into a peal of hideous, idiotic
laughter.
For a moment a s,ckly nassau overcame
me. l had a horrible sensation Of being
in the hands of some fiend--a hend in
human form, who had some power of
sucking a mans brain, of sapping his rea-
son little by little. inch by inch, until he
went mad; and looked at the boy on the
floor and shuddered.