Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-07-16
CHAPTER XIV.-(Continued.J
Sammy bank Farm

gscNnd Of his footsteps; TOT ne uhlly grew
more and more violent and unmannge-
able, defying every one save Mr.. Wat
gtan. who possessed over him singular
lsouer Thus the spring and summer
passed away, and when the autumn came
iaw would have recognized the once
handsome Herbert Langley in the crea-
ears who, weak and feeble, lay all day
long n bed, begging for "brandy--more
brandy" to fan the fame which was
feeding upon his vitals. Sometimes III
-his' Bt5 of frenzy he would spring upon
uhe Goor and shrek for us to save him
GruIn the crawling serpents, which, with
G0rked tongues and little green Eyes,
aisspad ~ him from all parts of the room.
.4u14n be would say that the spirit OF the
TrQrcayed maiden was before him, WIS
yagtrx 70 him unutterable things concern
Dog the drunkard's home beyond The
grave, while COLLINS Of every conceiI-
Eh}s form beckoned him to come and join
Gsalr hiaeous dance. They said he could
nE live; and though II was pnintul
Task, Anna wrote to his mother apprls-
ing hex of his danger, and bidding her
Asgesa, If she would see him again.
tLDuring the few remaining weeks of his
Gfa he was subject to strange tancies.
Eoz time prayer book beneath his
pillow had the effect Of keeping him com
paretiveiE quiet; but, anon, 1t lost it,
power, and one day he awoke with fear
fUl shrek. The imps, as he called them,
had again returned, and were mocknsly
raNnfing him with the victory he rnnly
imagined he had obtained.
About noon one day he awoke and in
Fgired for me. With some trcpidation |
tgproached him, for his eyes were those
81 a mailman; but he meditated no ha-m,
4a7d only asked IL / supposed that the
aver book laid upon the outside of his
inflow, where the imps could see it,
Uouid have the effect of keeping them
cta.&Y.
Perhaps SOY said, at the same time
t5Escing it so that his heavy brown hair
Zen partially on it.
rTwont do--'twon't do" he sobbed
AN che hymns DR.. Watts ever wrote
aas.t Selp me, for they come nearer and
sDsEEr, as wolves hover round their prey.
Ms ,cNere no help, no escape" he cried,
'og1iSA she energy of despair, adding, as Il
~.sr&Sen look of JOY lighted up his ghast-
Is TEXTURES, Yes, the Bible! Strange |
11aVe not thought of that before. The
Bible will keep them at bay. Bring it,
Anna, quick; for they are almost here. "
She obeyed, and grasping the word OF
Sod eagerly In his hands, he laughed
aloud, saying, Now do your worst, ye
aends incarnate. The Bible will save
Hae."
There was a moment of perfect 81
.6cnce. and then, with groan so full of
anguish that l involuntarily stopped my
esss 20 shut out the fearful sound, the
Bible was loosed from the clammy hands.
which for brief instant fought hercely
In che empty air, and then dropped life
less at his side. Herbert was dead.
At the foot of the garden, near the
Gang avenue where the shadow Of the
ASEnAols trees would fall upon his grave,
scals3 the moan of the lake be always
heard, we buried him. and then, the
bsoken-hearted Anna, widowed thus
Narly, went back to her accustomed du-
ties, performing each one quietly and
gently, but without II smile upon her
white, stony face, or a tear in her large,
-anonrnful eyes. Aunt Charlotte, utterly
t,rrushed and wretched, went back 20 her
~arity home. And then we were left alone
'Ngith our great sorrow, wholly dependent,
sess "a were, upon Mr.. Watson for support
-'ass6 counsel.
There had always been about him a
7f,a1y stery | could not fathom, and greatly
was ! surprised when one evening, a
week after Herbert's death, he asked
VINE TO so with him to his room, as there
vay9s something he wished to tell me.
Drawing seat to my side, he said tka-
Eng my hand in his, Rosa, what do you
pIAink | am going to tell your
J tried to wrest my hand from his
ggssp, for the unwonted liberty angarrd
sAn But he held it fast, smiling Mt my
csruitless endeavors, and after a moment
continued; why do you try to remove
your hand from mine2 | have held il
many time, and have right to do Sc
"a cousins right. Look at me, Rosa
tsSon't you know meT
4LnvOluntarily started to my feet, gaz
eyEzs earnestly upon him, then with cry
W soy threw my arms around his neck
a5aolaiming, Cousin VIII! Cousin Will
il was indeed he, come back to Ii,
AIKEN we had thought of him as dead. 4
Eev words will suffice to tell his story
,1erfectly dsgusted with sea life, he hat
ssissserted at Calcutta, where he kept him
tupoif 3ecreted until the vessel sailed. Bu
fztc' sgrss not his wish to remain there long
91N1 s8ae first time an English ship was il
,NBrT be offered to work his passage Il
liverpool. The offer was accepted, m,
while we were mourning over his sup
Rosod death, he was threading the sulok
streets Of London, doing sometimes On
tRing and sometimes another, but Away
e-Na rRing an honest livelihood.
Never for moment" said he, did
-2e1get your family. When at last | re
77IGcEesl again TO New York, l went on
Asy 10 a reading room, where | accident
a2iy came across Mr.. Langey's udyel
ssement for hired man, and somethin
prompted me to answer 1t in person. /
Z had ever heard of him before ha
A1rgotten 1t; consequently / neither ICC
zgnized him nor his Wife but when | n,
accidentally heard them speak of Rosa IN
-sSVnny Bank, my curiosity was reused
'Sred l became aware of the RELATIONSHIP
-oosAsting between us, Why have keE
ca a secret 50 long can hardly tell, eN
''sNDt that there was about it kind G
Sos9@asing excitement, aad then too, 1 far
7gsSd that Mr.. Langley would not so we
.lssnr restraint and direction from me