The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-09-10

ira stake my last dollar on h." I
replied.
West leaned forward.
you're wrong he whispered. ho krse-
ly. "Kelsall's here"
I don't know whether 1t wa4 the
grewsomeness Of the thought q b
mans way Of saying It that affected
me, but I felt a cold shiver run Town
my back.
Nonsense, West" I said. af1er a
moments pause: you mustnt get
IDEAS like that into your head-} You
ought not to have kept this roolp on;
you brood too much"
He go up from the sofa ana STOOD
over me with the unearthly Iight In
IT tell you. Bethel, Kekall.s here.
Don't contradict me-" hes4aClyi
.Then.he resumed hiSessat.
1 saw II was no good irritating him.,
so went on:
"well, I'll take your word for it.
West. Blu why should you be IN
happy, II 1t is So? You liked Kelsal
better than any other man."
He sat there. lingering the rugs.
His face twitched spasmodically. and
he stared at the wall behind me. At
last he spoke:
I'll tell you, Bethall. I think I
should go mad il I kept 1t to myself
any longer. You never looked Upon
me as a likely believer in ghosts, did
your
NO. You always seemed matter of
fact enough"
West laughed harshly.
$50 I was till Kelsall died. Do you
know, man, I loved him. I would hav
/ died for him when he was living; now
I hate the very thought of him, but I
am literally dying for him to-day.
Curse him!"
He Kissed out the last words, and
then sat glowering at the dead fire.
seemingly unconscious Of my presence.
Go on, West" I said at length; "Tm
waiting"
He looked up dazedly, then passed
his a n over his forehead Is If to
gather his thoughts.
You were speaking Of Kelsall," I
said.
Yes, yes; I remember. He died in
this room, on this very sofa, Inc I
alone was with him. In his last days,
when he knew he was going, we dis
cussed the future, and I begged him
He promised, and he made me swear
by all I held sacred that when he came
I would do his bidding. I swore, and
he has come"
Again he glanced furtively round the
room.
"You have seen him, then, and spok-
en- to him?" I asked.
"No. I have neither seen him nor
spoken to him."
"Then how in the name Of fortune
do you know he is here?"
West sprang up.
"Know he is here, man." pointing to
the litter Of cop on the table.
know he is here? There's evidence
for you. Do you see that pile of typed
~krN NUyo~~ -y@1 III voc
to-day by Kelsall."
He was mad-stark mad; I could not
doubt it. Yet possibly I might do
something to restore his reason.
How do you make that out, West"
I said as calmly as I could, eff you
nave never seen him."
He was now quite composed and re-
sumed his old seat.
"It was about a month after Kelsalrs
DEATH" he went on, that I first knew
it. I was working at that typewriter
which he a left to me, making out
my first notice of the academy for
The Pioneer. Feeling thirsty I got
up for a drink. I walked across to the
sideboard there, and while I was
standing by it, Click click went the
typewriter. I turned aroun amazed,
and there were the letters dotted down
one after the other, just as though
some one was working it. I tell you
I was scared, and I stood there with
my eyes like to burst their sockets.
On it went, line by line, and then sud
denly stopped. It was some time be-
fore I had courage to go near it, but
when I did and looked at what had
been written, I was stunned. I just
went to the window and opened it.;
for following on my report was the
beginning Of a tale written by that
, typewriter, a tale the like Of which no
ono 1iuino could hovo written Won
!. know it; it was the The Dead Mans
Hand"
: I knew it we'll. It was the one that
! had started West on his career.
when I had in a measure recovered,
I took out the sheet and read 1t, and
t was wondering what on earth, or under
t it, it all meant when a few impatient
clicks of the machine made me look
I up. It was instinct, I suppose, or was
3 made me insert another sheet? I did
/. So on went the typewriter, guided by
a master hand, and the next folio of
= that tale was typed. BY that time ]
E had grown used to the situation. and
as fast as the sheets were finished ]
n inserted others, n within the hour ]
i held in my hands the manuscript OF
I the best sort Of story that was ever
: written. When it was finished the
machine refused to write more; Inc
g spent the remainder of the evening
8 and all that night in marvelling Over
s the strange occurrence.
e II will admit that when I had got
over my first fear Of the supernatural
element in it my feelings were Of un
: bounded satisfaction. That it wa.
n Kelsalrs tale I was firmly convinced
e for he had promised to communicate
e with me, and this. I gathered, was hi.
!; only means of doing so. Likely
l. enough he would again show his pres
ence in the same way; and 1t seemed
y he intended doing me a good turn b!
e providing me with literary matte
It which would enable me to earn none!
l. and renown. On the other hand, dft
e he intend me to use this for publica
is ton; and, if so, was I justified in at
I; taching my own name to it,"
iS .Af&o, ,,,,L xho,,-bA r 1ap& - T.