Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-05-15
The EVIL Genius.
A STORY.
BY WILKIE

lie drank the wine greedily. Wnateve
r~eviving effect IL might otherwise have pro
duced on him, IL made no change In TIN
threatening gloom of his manner. In a mar
morally weak, calamity Suffered withou
resisting power breaks its way through TIN
surface which exhibits a gentleman ant
shows the naked nature which claims kin
dred with our ancestor, the savage.
DO you feel better, HerbertY'
lie put down the empty glass, taking n,
notice of his brothers question. Randall
he said, ''you know where Sydney is"
Randall admitted 1t.
Give me her address. Ny minds in sucl
o state ! can't remember 1t; write it down.
mo, Herbert"
"You won't write 1t? aud you won't give
it?"
IL will do neither the one nor the other.
Keep your seat, Herbert! fierce looks and
clinched fists don't brighten me. .diss West
erfield is quite right In separating herself
from you. And you are quite wrong In wish
ing to go back TO her. There are my reasons.
Try TO understand them. And, once again,
SIT down"
He spoke ~sternly-with his heart aching
for his brother all the time. He was right.
The one way is the positive way, when q
man who suffers trouble is degraded by it.
The poor wretch shrank under RandaPs
firm voice and steady eye.
Don't be hard OF me-" he said; II think
q man in my situation is to be pitied-es-
pecially by his brother. Pm not like you;
Pm not accustomed to live alone. Pve been
used to having u kind woman 10 talk 10 me
and take care of me. You don't know what
1t is to be used to seeing II pretty creature,
always nicely dressed, always about the
room-thinking so much of you and so little
of herself-and then to be left alone as l am
left out In the dark. l haven't got my wife;
she has thrown ms over and taken my child
away from me. And now Sydney's taken
away from me next Pm alone. DO you
hear that? Alonel Take the poker there
out OF the fireplace. Give me back Sydney,
or knock out my brains. l haven't courage
enough to do II for myself. Oh, why did l
engage that %governess! l was so happy,
Randall, with Catherine and little Kitty"
He laid his head YEARLY Oh the back Of
his chair. Randall offered him more wine;
he refused it.
I'm afraid" he said. 'Wine maddens
me II l take too much OF it. on have heard
of men forgetting their sorrows in drink. |
tried 1t yesterday; II set my brains OH fire;
I'm feeling that glass / took just now. mol
Pm not faint. 1t eases my head when | rest
like this. Shake hands, Randall; we have
never had any unfriendly words; we mustn't
begin now There's something perverse
about me. l didn't know how fond | was of
Sydney till l lost her; l didn't know how
fond l was Of my wife till l left her" He
paused, and put his hand to his fevered
head. Was his mind wandering into some
other train of thought He astOnished his
brother by a new entreaty-the last imagin-
able entreaty that Randall expected to hear.
'Dear old fellow, | want you TO do me q
favor. Tell me where my wife is living
now"
Surely" Randall answered, "you know
that she is no longer your wife?'
Never mind that! l have something to
say to her."
"You can't do il, Herbert"
Can you do itP Will you give her a mes
sageP"
Let me hear what 1t Is first"
He lifted his head, and laid his hand ear
nestly on his brothers. arm. When he said
his next words he was almost like his old
self again.
Gay tldl L Ill lollcly BAY lldl L III uyllS
for want of a little comfort-ask her TO let
me see Kitty"
His tone touched Randall TO the quick. ~
feel for you, Herbert" he said, warmly.
''She shall have your message; all that | can
do to persuade her shall be done"
"As soon as possiblep'
"Yes; as soon as possible"
"And you won't forget? No, no; of course
you won't forget. He tried to rise, and fel
back again into his chair. Let me rest 9
little" he pleaded, III Pm not in the way
I'll go when you tell me-"
Randall refused to let him go at all. "You
will stay here with me; and if / happen to
be away there will be somebody in the house
who is almost as fond Of you as | am" lie
mentioned the name Of one of the old serv,
ants at Mount Morven, who had attached
himself TO Randall after the breakup of the
family. And now rest" he said; and lei
Inc put this cushion under your head" Her
bert answered: ITS like being at home
again"-and composed himself to rest.