The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-09-16
AN AMPLE REVENGE.

Say LuuI NeOIBe Dlhuu udu OOuS lie Oil
injury such as few men ever forgive and
many sell their souls to avenge. / have
never forgiven him, and never shall; but
were he in my power to-day l should not
lift hand against him. The experience
am about to relate has perforce made me
one of the most magnanimous of men.
Bland was holiday-making In Guernsey
when his wickedness first came to my knowl-
edge, and that same night started for the
Channel islands. The water was calm as q
forest lake, and all night paced the deck,
nursing my fury, but far too excited to form
Q plan of action. + merely determined to
bring him to my feet, and trusted blindly
that when we met the inspiration of the
moment would stand me in good stead.
When morning broke a heavy mist rolled on
the sea, and we remained stationary IN mid
channel for nearly II hours.
So far from cooling, this delay augmented
my excitement to such degree that could
scarcely keep my hand off the captains
throat; and when, at about seven o'clock,
we landed in Guernsey, it was well for both
Bland and myself that we did not come
across each other. / took room in the
chief hotel, and asked the proprietor:
as gentleman called Bland staying
here%
Ives, sir; George Bland. But he won't be
here tonight; he's in the country. He'll be
back some time tomorrow, sir-Ill let you
know when he comes"
1t was useless to search for him that even
ing, SO I took my seat at the dinner table
the only individual silent and glum-and ate
next to nothing; indeed, had tasted close
on "a hours. After dinner strolled on the
pier; but a strange faintness overcoming
me, turned in at about nine clock, took
o strong glass of soda and whisky and got
into bed.
must have been asleep some hours, when
suddenly l started up wide awake, and with
every nerve tensey strung. Beside my bed
the short candle burned unwaveringly, and
a heavy silence rested on all things. For
second or two listened breathlessly forsome
human sound, and, hearing nothing. felt
wild inclination to scream. Sitting it with
difficulty, leapcd out of bed and dragged on
my clothes. The silence and inaetion tor
tured me; | could not stay in my room; if
sound were denied me, movement | must
have-movement, and the shrewd night air.
street and was walking rapidly in the direc
ton Of st. Martins. Long brcezes blew from
the sea, and the night was full of stars. The
few people saw in the town seemed to move
away like silent shadows as ! approached,
and when stood on St. Martin high road
with the dark, solitary fields around me,
the sudden baying of a dog startled me
so that screamed as have never screamed
before.
After my voice had trailed away into the
distance great relief came over me, and
for the first time that night the remembrance
of my wrongs returned, bringing with them
the most terrible sensation have ever felt.
grew quite cold and thought of my enemy
with hatred void of excitement, but more
dangerous, more intense than the widest
delirium. Then suddenly my will seemed to
forsake mo, and my limbs move to the die
tates of some extGuneous power, while / felt
strange certainty that every step was
bringing me nearer to the man l sought: |
might have been entranced or hypnotized,
only my senses were preternaturally ex-
quisitc, and my every faculty fully alive.
After walking rapidly for some time di-
verged from the high road and turned down
some lanes which meandered toward the
coast, till the low moan of breaking waves
caught my ear.
Next moment stood on the cliffs and saw
the seq. q wide b.ackness, crawling far be-
meath. Without hesitation walked up to
Tue eube, dIlu ItieL cOIlIleHCcu Etli)iuiy ShlTl-
Ing the cliff. Twice my foot dislodged
been profound, as the sound of its fall
reached my ear after few seconds and but
family.
Then the moon rose slowly out of the
water, and when it's neither rim rested on
the sea feH an impulse to stand still, for,
though / never heard nor saw him, knew
that Bland was approaching, and scarcely
had minute elapsed when figure silently
emerged out of the shadow of some rocks
about 50 yards off. 1t was Bland-of this
| felt certain long before the distance rem
dcred him recognizable. He failed to per-
ceive me at first, but as my features became
clearer he muttered something, and saw
his fingers tightening about his stick. His
back was turned to the sea, and the edge of
the cliff but few yards behind him.
Maddened as was at the sight of him,
saw my opportunity. | saw that vengeance
lay within my easy grasp. There was no
living soul, far or near, besides ourselves.
sprang at him-but he, prepared, leapt
aside, and l reelel with the force of my own
impetus to the brink of the abyss. There, for
a second, l swayed backward and forward
and might have recovered my equilibrium,
had not the edge crumbled away beneath my
feet. Down the Cliff slipped, bat With the
strength Of sheer desperation managed to
twist round before my chest was on level
with the edge and grasp the yielding surface.
believe ] shreked to Bland for assistance,
but no assistance came; Bland had vanished;
lost my hold and fell, or rather slid, for
the cliff was not at once perpendicular. Then
came sudden shock; my feet had come in
contact with jutting stone, and the descent
to certain death-the death | had destined
for Bland-had been momentarily averted,
Paralyzed with terror, lay almost upright
against the fiat side of the cliff, and when my
voice returned began to shout for help, but
for an appalling interval heard nothing
but the desolate echoes of my own voice.
Then:
"Hullo! So there you are" 1t was
Bland.
My reply-and blush to record twas;
"For Gods sake, help mel"
"All right III fetch rope. Ny place Is
only minute off. Can you hold on?"
"Ycs. Quick"
Ten minutes passed, and my strength was
almost spent, when BANDS voice sounded
above:
"Im letting down a rope. Get the moose
under your arms and help yourself up with
your feet. I'll pull. Ready"
With infinite peril managed to adjust the
moose. Then the ascent began, and for some
minutes / would not have given a penny
piece for my life or Bland's-my weight
being no mean one. But we did it, and the