The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-10-30
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: THAT MYSTERIOUS CLOCK. 3
4 BY q. T. Montague. Z
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covered the retreat-in a cypress swamp
of a detected incendiary, young ne
gro who had formerly been in my en-
ploy, but who in latter days had struck
into the smooth road leading TO the gal
lows. He was wanted just now for the
burning of old Peter Glllam's gin house,
circumstantial evidence clearly prov
ing him 10 be the guilty person.
Upon riding into the village / re-
ported my discovery TO the authorities
and joined posse OF men who imme-
diately set out for his capture. He re-
sisted arrest and was shot down and his
body brought back to town. One way
or another / felt In a meausre RESPONSE
bic for that mans death. While il was
evident from his latter day exploits that
he would eventually meet with such
fate, il not a more ignominious one, for
this particular offense felt that he real
ly did not deserve 10 die in such cold
blooded fashion. / had surely done only
my duty. but l almost wished that it
had fallen TO the lot OF somebody else
the doing Of it.
What added 10 my discontinue was
that towards nightfall a disagreeable
drizzle set In, one of those hileous rains,
which dampens the very soul and makes
one an easy prey TO every gloomy fore
boding.
1 went TO my solitary abode in the
thrall of black depression. l could
not shake IL Off. My beloved books Of
fered no acceptable temptation; even
my pipe was poor comfort. 4 fellow is
in bad way when he loses faith in his
pipe. Manifestly bed was the place for
me; so into IL got, after taking good
drink of the blessed "Three Stars and
very soon tumbled of TO sleep.
l slept the sleep Of the conscientious,
TO be awakened at last by hearing the
crash OF something which sounded like
a brealIable thing flung from the cell
ing TO the floor and smashed.
was considerably startled got up
hurriedly and struck match TO find
that my small alarm clock had fallen
of the mantelpiece; that the crystal
was broken, and that the hands pointed
TO 1920 a. IN. i lit the lamp, sat on the
eide of the bed and wondered how that
clock got OF the mantelpiece-surely
very singular thing. Iexpended half
hours thought upon the subject, finally
getting round 20 the conclusion that,
probably, a mouse had run across the
shelf and thrown ii down. As had TO
meet train at five a. IN. Q am a rail-
road man) / got into my clothes, and
after fooling about space went on
down TO the Office. Somehow ! could
not get rid Of the idea that IL really was,
after all, a strange thing how thatclock
got Off that shelf BY this time | had
given over the mouse theory. All day
long tile matter was ia my mind, so
that by night, when / once more went
TO my room / had worked myself into
quite state about Il. tried the books
ngain dead failure. Pipe almost
grown 10 be an enemy. Bed regarded
with distrust. Sleep not 70 be thought
OF. This thing kept up until about ten
o'clock, when / came 10 the conclusion
that was baby; and got up, wound
my clock, set my alarm and went TO bed
but not 20 sleep. was looking out
for that clock had rooted notion
that the last nights performance would
be repeated. / found myself saying:
"And IL II comes three times I'll take il
for a sign"
Good heavensl this was getting ridic-
ulous. would be ashamed TO see my
face in the glass tomorrow. Having ar
raigned aud convicted myself OF wom-
unishness, contemplate cowardice, j
shut my eyes and swore I'd go TO sleep
or wake up my next door neighbor and
ret him 10 kick me. No good. / was de-
tcrrnihed 10 lie In at the finish. II
wns now, however. about CT imagine)
one o'clock tumbled off 10 sleep. and
the next thing ! knew crash came the
clock again off the mantelpiecc. shot
out the bed as IL u legion OF demons
had routed me and III the lamp. Yes
there was my peace-disturbing clock
on the floor, with the hands pointing 10
$500 n. m.
II the angel Gabriel had that minute
told me Buck Anderson 1.-THE dead ne
rro) and that clock were not In league
together would have doubted him. i
was consumed with deadly horror Of
the supernatural. knew that Buck AM
derson was pulling the strings that
waltzed my clock Oft the mantelpiece,
and / knew he meant me some deadly
harm for the hand took in his down
fall. Good heavensl Was I 10 be fol-
lowed about by n negro ghost for any
great length OF timer Cold perspira-
ton broke out over me.
But why did he select the clock What
had the clock 20 do with itP Did he
mean 60 hurl II at me and IL fell short?
Or what did he mean, anyway And
why 3:2O in the morning. i wished old
Gillian and his whole family had been
burnt at the stake before had dabbled
in their Clubhouse affair. twas raining
inslstently outside and the March wind
was bullying under the doors and rat
Ting the window In CHASTITY fashion.
I sat shlvering upon the side OF my
bed. lost in horrible speculation. My