The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-27
THE BETTER. MAN.

turned queer in that melancholy, stately
country by the sea madDess-especiall of
the quiet. melancholic kinds n thing
very common. A year ago wrestling
match between him and Jack Tierney had
gathered two counties to see L. No man
could say which was the champion. Now
sne was the victor, again the other. They
kept steady pace I'm their victories. Jack,
too, was the captain OF the Kilsallagh team
OF hurlers, Mike of the Clonegalla. That
would be great day for the men and
women of his following when either cham
pion should decisiyely lead.
The country people scarcely guessed at
the time their champions became enemies
Indeed it was secret locked I'm their own
breasts, scarcely acknowledged even when
In his most hidden moments each man
looked at tho desires Of his heart. Ii only
showed itself in u new flerceness and de-
termination I'm their encounters. Each
had sworn TO himself to conquer the other.
The soreness between them came about
when. by some sad mischance, they fell
In love with the same girl. Worse luck,
she wanted neither of them, for she was
vowed to tho convent. In the long run
ono or the other might have tempted her
to an earthly bridal, but she made no
chance seemed equal when she slipped
from them both into Kilbride churchyard.
When she lay there. neither man could say
she had distinguished him by special kind
ness from the other, and their rivalry
waxed more furious with the woman In
her grave.
But six months later, and their battles
stAl undecided, Jack Tierney fell sick and
followed Ellen TO Kilbride. Then Mike
Sieehan was without an equal for many
miles. But little comfort 1t was 10 him,
with the girl of his heart dead and the one
man he had desired to overthrow dead
and unconquercd. He secluded himself
frpsa the sports and pastimes and lived
louely in his cabin among the gulls, eat
ing cut his unsatisflcd heart. None other
would satisfy him 10 wrcstle with but his
dead rival, and indeed he, In common
with the country people, thought that no
Other might be found fit for him to meet
kilbride churchyard is high on the
mainland and lies dark within It's four
STONE walls. The road 10 IL is by tunnel
Of trees that make "a shade velvety black
even when the moon is turning all the STA
silver. The churchyard IL very old and
hos no monuments Of importance, only
enen bcadstones bent sideways and sunk
TO their neck and shoulders in the earth.
A postern gate, with flight Of stone
STEPS, opens from kilbride lane. Here
every night you may soo the ghost Of To-
hin. the murderer, Climbing those steps
with a rigid burden hanging from his
shoulder.
Bus as Mike Sheehan asoended the steps
out Of the midnight dark he felt no fear.
He changed the gate Of the sacred, quiet
Blace In q way that set the silence echoing.
Some mad passion was on Mike Sheehan
surely, or he would not 90 have desecrated
the quiet resting place OF the dead. There,
by the ruined gable OF the old abbey, was
q fresh mound unusually great in size.
MILO Sbcehan paused by Il.
Jack" he cried In thunderous voice
hoarse with It's passion, "coine, let us once
for oil SEQ which is the better mani Come
and fight me, Jack, and II you throw me
let Ellen be yours now and forever"
Tho blood was in his eyes and the sea
mist curling in from sen. His challenge
spoken, he swayed dizzily q moment. Then
his eyes saw. The place seemed full of the
sea mist silvered through with the moon.
Az he looked TO right and left substantial
things bad vanished, but he saw on either
hand long rows Of shadowy faces watching
him.
Many OF them he knew. They were the
boys end girls, tho men and women OF his
own village who had die,, ~ many years.
Others were strange, Lut he guessed then.
ghosts from Eile.uagh. beyond Roscar-
bcry, tic village who're jack used to live.
-.a tboked eagerly among the folk he ro-
n,nmberod for Ellen's face. There was one
who might be che, the ghost of woman
veiled in her sbadowy hair, whose eyes he
could not &C., And then Jack was upon
him.
That was great wrestling in Kilbride
churchyard. The dead man wound about
thc living with his clay cold limbs. caught
him in Icy grips that froze the terrified
blood from his heart and breathed upon
him soundlessly chill breath of the grave
TINT seemol to wither him, yet Mike
fought furiously, rs one who fights not
only to satisfy u hate, but az one who
nghts to win bride. Ho had a dim
knowledge Of the fight he was making, q
dim prcmonition that tho dead man WINS
more than his match. The ghostly spec
tAtors pressed forward more eagerly Their
shsdowy faces pccred. Their sbadowy
forms swayed in the mist.
The ghost had Mike Shcehan In death
grip. His arms were imprisoned, his
breath failed, his flesh crept, and his hair
stood up. He felt himself dying of tho
horror Of this unnatural combat, when
there was whisper at bis ear. Dimly he
seemed to hear Ellen's voice. Dimly turn
ing bis falling eyes, he seemed to rccog-
nize her eyes under the veil OF ashen fair
hair. DRAW him TO tho left on the
grass" said the voice, "and trip him"
His old love and his old jealousy seemed
20 surge up IN Mike Sheehan. With tre-
mcndous effort be threw of those parxlyz-
ing arms. Forgetting his horror, he furi-
ousiy embraced the dead, drew him TO the
Nett on the grass, slippery rs glass after
the summer heats. for a second or two
swayed with him 10 and fro; then the two
went down together with great violence.
but Nike Sheehan was uppermost his
4, knee on tho dead mans breast.
When he oene TO himself In the moon
light, all was calm and poaccful 1t was
close upon dawn, and the moon was very
low. He looked about him at the quiet
ness. Another man might have thought
ne had but dreamed It.; not 10 Mike
Shcohan. He remembered with a fierce joy