Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-01-24
DAILY SHORT STORY
1902, by C. B. Lewis. ]
The Night Bell.


drug clerk for a remedy. The door
was opened few inches and pale
face looked out.
you look as if you expected an en-
emy," 1 said.
Yes; l expected an enemy-a dead
man.
Nonsense. You never murdered any
one, and even If you had the dead
don't walk about pulling night bells.
You've been sticking too close and got
your nerves out of whack, or perhaps
you use a drug of. some kind to bring
sleep. If you've got any real trouble
ON your mind. let's hear about it."
The footsteps of some belated pedes-
| trian approached and died away. Aft
er listening intently and nervously the
clerk motioned me to sit down and
then whisperingly said:
"rll-I'll tell you about it. One night
at midnight long ago man reused me
up as you have done and bought car
bolic acid. He lied to me as to its
purpose. 1 had scarcely passed the
bottle over to him when lie removed
the cork and swallowed the contents.
He stood right over there, and he
cursed and cursed and fought me off
when / wanted to save him. l ran
for help, and when came back he
lay writing and cursing on the floor.
How he did suffer. But before they
took him away to die he turned on me.
He cursed me for having given him
the poison, and he swore he'd have re-
venge."
But you We're not to blame" l said.
You didn't suspect that he was going
to commit suicide"
NO; but how he raved at me! His
curses have sounded in my ears ever
since
Have you told your boss of your
fears?' :.
NO"
"Well, don't say a word to any one.
You are simply off your nerve. The
suicide may have cursed. but he was
in agony and didn't know what he
said. If you wait for n dead man to
pull your bell, you'll die a very old
man. Get yourself a brandy and brace
up"
He drank stiff dose and was the
he made singular request. My trick
at the office was up at II O'Clock. The
drugstore always closed at that hour.
He wanted me to be with him over,
the midnight hour. l tried to laugh,
him out of his idea. but when 1 found!
him earnest and even apprehensive 1
fell in with ii.
Every night for several weeks 1
! -
remained for an hour. Now and then
he had a call after L got there, but it
was seldom we were interrupted. We
never talked of the suicide after the
first night. / realized that it was Il
disaGreeable subject and one to be
avoided. In fact, we had very little
to say ON any subject. My friend was
nervous and preoccupied. and some
nights he walked the floor and hadn't
word to say, while l sat reading a
family almanac or brushed up on my
Latin. 1t was a mystery at frst-a
mystery and novelty.
As time passed. however, it got to be
bore, and 1 determined to draw out
of it, My first move was to be fifteen
minutes late. l found the clerk pale
with fear that 1 would not put in an
appearance at all. 1 made excuses
about extra work at the office. and aft
er four or five nights l skipped the
store entirely. Dropping in next day,
found the man so upset that he would
not trust himself to fill prescription.
You did not come last night" he
whispered to me, but he did. Yes, he
came and rang the bell at midnight,
and had 1 answered it he would have
taken my life"
l laughed at him, and 1 think he felt
bit Drawer when 1 went away. 1 had
TO give him my solemn promise that
would be on hand that night however.
and L really meant to keep it. 1 was
about to leave the office when 1 was
detained by the nonappearance Of the
man who was to relieve me, and it
was half past II when / reached the
drugstore. 1 rang the bell in a pecul-
lar way, as had long been understood,
but there was no answer. 1 rang again
and again, but with no better success.
Then 1 happened to notice that the
store door was slightly ajar. l pushed
it open and called. No one answered.
Then l felt for a match and struck
light and stepped in and turned up
gas burner. AT my feet. lying on the
floor on his back. with his knees drawn
up, his tongue out and his eyes open,
was my clerk. After a glance about
the store to see If any one was lurking
1 ran out for policeman.
Dead" he said as he bent over the
man on the floor.
He may be in a fit" replied.
Its no fit. He's been flung down
here and choked to death. Look at
the marks on his throat.
Some one rang the bell and got him
up and then attacked him He wasn't
hit. but the murderer clutched him by
the throat and choked the life out OF
him. See the look of horror on his
face, the terror in his eyes! Why.
you'd say he was looking into the face