The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-16

you have come across my Nemesis I
looked closer into his face Ii was pale
and shrunken, but where had ! seen be-
fore the lightning flash of that eye?
Where had | seen the fierce grasp of that
hand, as Ii Rugged the dagger's hiIt? Like
a dream from the past il shot across my
brain-and l remembered the fiery eyes of
the peddler; l remembered how l had
slipped from his presence and went tremb-
ling to bed
Yes, he was the peddler who had spent
the night at our home. OF this l had not
the slightest doubt. But though l insist
ed rather warmly, I could not get him
to tell me about the sword He said 1t
had a history, but only he and Nemesis
knew it, or would ever know. When
asked his son about 1t few moments af-
forwards, he told me that his father had
strange infatuation for the sword, be-
cause it had been taken from him during
the war by an enemy who attacked him
and left him as dead upon the field; and
that afterwards, in making a trip through
the south, he had I'm some way recovered
1t. This was all he knew.
My feelings reYolted against the old
man. 1t was clear TO me now. | knew he
was the peddler, the same who had taken
the sword from our dining room After
the war was ended the thirst for ven
geance fingered in his heart and disgus-
ed as a peddler he made this trip through
the south, hoping in some way to find a
clue to his sword and the enemy who had
taken II from him on the battlefield He
had discovered his weapon at our home,
and, having found oct where my relative
lived, l was persuaded now he had killed
him with this very sword If not why
had he called it Nemesis?
Il was hurrying up TO my room TO make
preparations tOT leaving the house at
once when my s. toolmate called to me
in loud and aSitated voice. When | ran
down the stairs he tod me that his father
had fallen to the floor in a kini of faint
ing spell. to when re had recently ne
come subject, and as the sword was in his
hand at the time, ne had cul himself
quite seriously with It, We rushed out
on the piazza where had left him. The
| blood was flowing from a wound on his
face, where the sharp blade had cut him
when he fell. We carried him to his room,
but he never regained consciousness, and
died a short while afterwards. 1t was
perhaps heart Iallure that killed him. but
/ was glad to think that the sword had
something to do with his death.
when the Old man was laid out, gent
| ly pushed aside the shaggy beard from
his sunken face, and there l saw the
| long scar that had been so prominent on
the face of the peddler. l asked my
| friend for the sword and he willingly gave
1t to me, as he said he had no desire to
keep 1t. l brought 1t back home, and not
until several days afterwards In looking
| at the blade did i notice some words en-
! graved on the handle. The lettering was
very small, scarcely visible at first, but
| perfectly distinct when you looked closer
| And here is what the old man had put on
! 1t: 'Retribution-Jan. 10, 49, the very
! date upon which my relative was muir
deredi Underneath this 1 had another
line engraved: July 20, 49, the date OF
the Old mans DEATH and Nemesis
yes, Nemesis in deed and in truth--now
occupies It's old place In our dining room"